The 10th was much warmer, with 68F recorded. The 11th and 12th were both fine, sunny days but a deep depression approached Iceland early on the 13th bringing cooler weather and showery outbreaks for that day and the following day. Rising pressure over Europe resulted in a brief warm spell between the 15th and the 17th. 75F was recorded on the 16th, which was a summerlike day, the warmest of the month. After the 18th though, there were no spells of settled weather at any time during the remainder of the month.

Active depressions tracked North or North-Eastwards over or to the West of the UK. Heavy rain fell during the early morning of the 18th and it remained cloudy after it stopped. The 19th was warmer and sunnier, but another unsettled spell followed. The 20th was cloudy and wet, and heavy rain fell on the morning of the 21st. The 22nd was sunnier, and the 23rd, 25th and 27th were fine and sunny, but the 26th was a cool, cloudy day with heavy rain. The 28th, 29th and 30th were unsettled, with sunny spells and showers, but a ridge of high pressure brought a fine day with uninterrupted sunshine for the 31st. It was the sunniest day of the month with 13 hours of sunshine recorded.

May 2002 was a month of two-halves. The first half dry and settled. The second half wet and unsettled. Day-time temperatures were marginally warmer than average, but night-time temperatures were above average by over 1C and the month overall was warmer than average, but not as warm as May 2001. There hasn't been a colder than average May recorded since 1996. Thunder was totally absent this year.

Kevin Phillips - 6.45pm - Thursday 6th June 2002.