The 10th to the 12th were dry with sunny spells. Then came a fine, warm and sunny spell between the 13th and the 16th, as high pressure lie over the UK. 1024MB was recorded on the 14th, the highest of the month. However, this was followed by a spell of fairly cloudy, but dry weather between the 17th and the 20th.
The 22nd was humid and sticky under a South-East wind, but it was also the hottest day of the month as 82F was recorded. This came in contrast with a maximum temperature of 66F on the 23rd as the winds moved to the West. The heat triggered a few showers that morning but the weather turned fine late that day. There was another brief fine spell on the 24th and 25th, with fine and sunny weather, but the 27th was dull, cool and wet. There were also showers on the 28th.
The 29th was fine and warm. It was also the sunniest day of the month, and possibly the year, with 14 hours and 54 minutes of sunshine. The final day of the month however, was in complete and utter contrast. A vigorous depression tracked North-East across England, bringing heavy rain, leaden grey skies and low daytime temperatures for the time of the year. The rain started early that morning and it hardly stopped all day. In total 45 millimetres of rain fell, causing flash floods and river banks burst in places. It was not, however, the wettest day I have personally recorded in the almost six years I have been keeping weather records. 57 millimetres fell in a thunderstorm on 31st August 1997. Only last year, on 31st July 2002, 49 millimetres of rain fell and 47 millimetres of rain fell on the 2nd June in 1998.
Rainfall totals would have been below half of average if it hadn't been for the very wet final day, so due to this, the rainfall amounts of June 2003 turned out to be slightly higher than average. When keeping weather records, exceptionally heavy rain in one day can provide a very heavy amount of rain for one month's full rainfall totals, it can give a misleading picture of what the general weather has been like during that month. This was such an example, as the general character of the month was fairly dry up to then.
Sunshine totals were comfortable above average, making it the sunniest June recorded since 1996. It was the warmest June recorded since 1976. Both day and night-time temperatures were well above average, though the higher than average temperatures are due to the month being consistently warm, rather than any exceptional or phenomenal heat recorded during the month. There was only one night, on the 28th/29th, when the night-time temperature fell below average during the month.
Kevin Phillips - 2.20pm - Saturday 5th July 2003.
