The first three days were dry, overcast with sunny spells and average temperatures. From the 6th came the run of hot weather. Everyday from the 6th to the 12th the daytime temperature did not fell below 80F maximum and there were high sunshine totals every day. The temperature didn't fall below 60F at any point between the 9th and 13th, or below 67F on the 13th. The minimum was as high as 70F in parts of the South-East of England.

The weather broke briefly on the 13th at 8am with a thunderstorm that lasted for only an hour. With that came a cold front. The highest temperature of the month was 87F or 30.5C recorded on the 12th. The hot, dry and sunny theme continued to the afternoon of the 20th when sharp showers occurred.

The next day saw some very heavy downpours but the day was warm as was the 22nd but it also dry on the latter date. The weekend of the 23rd/24th was unsettled, especially the 24th. The Bank Holiday Monday weather was fine but some heavy rain fell from the 27th onwards. There was heavy rain in the early hours of the 30th, when the lowest temperature of the month was recorded, 47F. The final day was dominated by two memorable events. For years and years to come, everyone will talk about and remember Princess Diana's death in a Paris car crash, but the other, which won't be remembered for long, was a very severe thunderstorm. It started at 10 am and rain fell until 6 pm, falling in torrents during part of the day. Localised damage and flooding occurred.

Sunshine and temperatures were well above average but the month wasn't as warm as 1995, which was the hottest of the Century, or 1947.

Kevin Phillips - 7.30pm - Tuesday 2nd September 1997.