However, the air pressure began to slowly recover and the weather turned more settled. No rain fell between the 4th and the 20th. The 6th was overcast, but on the 7th temperatures exceeded 70F for the first time in the month, as the afternoon was sunny, after a dull morning. Pressure was high over the UK from the 5th to the 13th. The 9th was a fine, warm summers day.

The anticyclone moved to an easterly direction on the 14th. Between the 12th and the 16th came a run of brilliant sunshine, even if the weather became humid. During this spell, 86F was recorded on the 15th and more than ten hours of sunshine was recorded on each day and almost certainly the sunniest day of the year was recorded on the 13th, with 15 hours and 24 minutes of sunshine. Hardly any sunshine was recorded on the 16th, but then, in contrast, 12.4 hours was recorded on the 17th.

The weather remained fine up to the 20th. However the final ten days of the month were unsettled. There was rain on the 21st and 22nd, and the 25th had a wet morning and was a damp, muggy day. The 26th started fine and sunny, but later turned cool and dull around tea-time. The 27th and 28th were quiet and settled but the weather turned unsettled again on the 29th. A thunderstorm was recorded at 2pm on the afternoon of the 30th. The final day of the month was quiet and overcast.

Sunshine totals were below average, despite the spell of brilliant sunshine between the 12th and the 18th. Both day and night time temperatures were above average, and it was a warm month, but not as warm a July as that of July 1999. Rainfall was marginally less than normal overall. An interesting comparison has occurred with the last three July's. A very dry July was recorded in 2001, followed by a very wet one in 2002, and now an average one in rainfall totals in 2003.

Kevin Phillips - 4.40pm - Sunday 3rd August 2003.