Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

A WRITTEN NARRATIVE OF THE WEATHER OF JULY 2000
In many ways, the weather of July 2000 was in marked contrast to that of July 1999. There was no sunshine recorded until the 7th and ten hours of sunshine was not recorded until the 16th. Overall, July 2000 was the dullest July since 1993. July 1999 was the 10th warmest July of the 20th Century. July 2000 was the coolest July since, again, 1993.
Despite this, overall temperatures weren't far from normal. The fact that the month was one of the coolest July's in seven years is partly due to the run of very warm July's over the last 10 years, including those of 1994 and 1995, along with those of 1999.
However, both months had one thing in common. They were both generally dry and settled months with similar amounts of rainfall. In fact there were no thunderstorms or strong winds recorded in July 2000 here.
Along with being overcast up to the 7th, the weather was also quite cool for the time of year under North-easterly winds. A shallow low-pressure system covered the UK during the first week. There were showers on the 5th and drizzle on the 6th with a maximum temperature of only 57F. The 8th was an improvement with 68F being recorded but a vigorous Atlantic depression crossed the British Isles on the 9th followed by a week of Northwesterly winds. The 10th was cool and overcast with drizzle but the rest of the week was dry with sunny spells on the 11th and 12th.
A gradual change from the 15th saw the weather change as pressure rose steadily. An anti-cyclone covered the UK from the 16th to the 21st. This was the first real summery weather of the month. Just over seventy-two hours of sunshine was recorded and 79F was reached on the 21st, the highest all month.
Whilst the anti-cyclone held firmly, it drifted north after the 22nd and allowed Northeast winds to take over. Cool, overcast weather set in between the 23rd and 25th. Temperatures were respectable though for the final days, even if they were generally overcast. Thunder was heard on the 29th along with rain but no thunderstorm. The 30th was a fine, sunny day but there were sharp showers on the 31st.
Daytime values were 1.7C or 3.1F below average, mainly due to the cool weather of the first two weeks and then between the 23rd and 25th. Night time temperatures though held up and were 0.8F above average. The only departure from the night time values was 44F on the 17th. The first two weeks was generally dull, so the night time cloud cover is probably the reason why temperatures held up well during the cool spell of weather that occurred then.
Kevin Phillips. 1.30pm. Sunday 6th August 2000.
To go back to the links list CLICK ME