Dr Phil Smith The almost unprecedented summer drought continued throughout August, Formby receiving only 13mm of rainfall, about 20% of the expected amount. The Met. Office reported the warmest summer on record, beating even the scorcher of 1976. They pointed to high contrasts nationally, with a named storm, heatwaves and drought, all consistent with a…

Dr Phil Smith After the much-needed rain in June, dry weather returned, Rachael Park’s Formby rain-gauge showing only about 30% of the July norm. The Met. Office tells us it was the fifth warmest July since 1884, with rainfall below average throughout the Northwest of England. So far this year, only June has seen above…

Thankfully, the longest spring drought in living memory came to an end in June, with Formby experiencing 17 rain-days, giving a rainfall total of about 112mm at Rachael Park’s rain-gauge. This is around 40% more than the average for the month. It was the warmest June on record in England, though we largely escaped the…

Dr Phil Smith With high pressure dominating for all but the last week, May continued the dry, warm and sunny theme of February, March and April. Overall, the Met. Office tells us that the spring was the warmest ever recorded in the UK and the second driest in England. Rachael Parks measured only 42 mm…

Dr Phil Smith Arguably the most severe spring drought of modern times continued throughout April. Rachael Parks measured only 22 mm of rainfall in her Formby garden, this being about 40% of the expected amount. The Met Office tells us that the UK had the sunniest April on record and the third warmest since 1884;…

In my February notes I wondered whether the usual spring drought had started. I was right! The Met. Office tells us that March was extremely dry in the UK, many areas reporting less than 10 mm of rain. It was also the sunniest March in England since records began in 1910. Rachael Park’s Formby data…