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Weather in Shoreham – February 2023

Very Dry and Anticyclonic

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during February 2023 in Shoreham was 10.0 Celsius (50F), and that was almost 1 Celsius (<2F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 3.8 Celsius (39F), and that was around 0.1 Celsius (<0.2F) below average for February.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 13.8 Celsius (57F) on the 19th, but this was the only maximum above 13 Celsius (55F). The next mildest day was the 3rd with 12.1 Celsius (54F) recorded. However, a further 11 days had maxima above 10 Celsius (50F), including the spell between the 13th and 19th which culminated in the mildest day of the month. There were no cold days during February, although the temperature failed to reach 9 Celsius (48F) on 7 occasions, including the last 3 days of the month. However, only 3 of these less mild days had maxima below 8 Celsius (46F). On the 26th and 28th there were highs of 7.9 Celsius (46F) and 7.8 Celsius (46F) respectively, but the coolest day of the month was the 7th with a maximum of 7.2 Celsius (45F).

There were no particularly mild nights during February, but a minimum of 9.3 Celsius (49F) occurred on the 18th,  and 2 other nights had minima above 8 Celsius (46F). The 3rd had a low of 8.4 Celsius (47F), and  the 17th had a minimum of 8.8 Celsius (48F). A further 9 days had minima above 5 Celsius (41F), including each night between the 16th and 23rd.  The coldest nights were mainly confined to the second week and the last 5 nights of the month. There were 12 nights with minimum temperatures below 3 Celsius (37F), with all of these colder nights  occurring between the 6th and 14th, and after the 23rd. The coldest nights occurred in the earlier period with minima of minus 1.6 Celsius (29F) and minus 3.7 Celsius (25F). 

The sea temperature was around 7 or 8 Celsius (45-46F), but briefly reached 9 Celsius (48F) after mid-month.

 

Frost

 

There was air frost on 4 nights during February,   around 1 night below average. Air frost occurred on 3 consecutive nights, beginning on the 7th, although the frost on the last night was slight with a minimum termperature of minus 0.6 Celsius (31F). The other air frost occurred on the 14th with a low of minus 0.8 Celsius (30F)  recorded. Grass frost occurred on 17 nights,  which was 3 nights above average. Grass frost occurred on the first night of the month, and after 3 frost-free nights, there was frost on every night until the 15th, except for the 12th. The 19th was the only night with a grass frost between the 16th and 23rd, but the last 5 nights of the month were frosty.  Grass temperatures were between minus 1 Celsius (30F) and minus 4 Celsius (25F) on most nights, but the 14th had a low of minus 5.6 Celsius (22F) and the grass temperature fell to minus 6.1 Celsius (21F) on the 8th. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in February amounted to 7.2 millimetres (0.28 ins.), which was only around 12% of the monthly average. It was the driest February this century.  Measurable rain fell on 10 days, which was 6 days below the average, although, interestingly, 4 of the 10 ‘rain’ days had no rain falling, ,  but dew or melted frost contributed to the monthly total.  Wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 3, which was 9 days below the average.  There was no measurable rain during the first 14 days of February, but 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.) of dew and frost were collected on 4  different nights. Rain and drizzle occasionally fell between the 16th and 18th, but the total for the 3 days was only 1.8  millimetres (0.07 ins.). Light rain fell at times on both the 21st and 22nd, and the 22nd was the wettest day of the month, but with a mere 2.6 millimetres (0.1 ins.) measured. The last measurable rain of the month fell on the evening of the 28th, but only another 1.4 millimetres (0.05 ins.) were added to the monthly total.  

 

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.  

 

Thunder

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

 

Snow

 

There was no sleet or snow observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

High pressure dominated during February with the average daily reading of 1030 millibars being around  13 millibars above average. The centres of the high pressure areas were over the country,  or west or southwest of the British Isles, although the last few days of the month saw a migration of the anticyclones northwestwards. The wind was light or gentle during the first half of February,  but southwesterlies during the third week, and northerlies during the fourth week, were quite brisk at times.  At Shoreham Airport, the highest gust recorded during the month was 28 knots (32 mph) from the southwest on the morning of the 17th.       

 

Fog

 

There was  fog observed on 3 mornings during February. On the 7th there was dense freezing fog until late morning towards the west, with similar fog distribution occurring on the 14th, and there was another misty Tuesday on the 21st, with hill fog lowering at times until early afternoon.

 

Statistics for February 2023

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 13.6 -4.6 7 2 9
Thorney Island 13.4 -4.0 12 9 7
Gatwick A/P 14.1 -6.7 8 4 5
Herstmonceux 13.1 -2.4 11 3 11
Bournemouth (Hurn) 13.7 -7.3 21* 10 9
Middle Wallop 13.7 -5.8 14* 8 8
Dieppe 15.2 -3.9 7 3 8

* Totals unreliable

 

 

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Weather in Shoreham – December 2022

Cold, becoming Very Mild

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during December 2022 in Shoreham was 7.5 Celsius (45F), and that was almost 2 Celsius (3.5F) below normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 3.2 Celsius (38F), and that was more than 2 Celsius (3.5F) below average for December. Overall, it was the coldest December in the area for 12 years.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 13.2 Celsius (56F) on the 13th, but the temperature reached 12.3 Celsius (54F) on the 19th, and there were 10 other days with maxima above 10 Celsius (50F), including 6 days when the temperature was 11 Celsius (52F) or higher.. All of these very mild days occurred after the 18th. After a relatively mild start to the month, with 5 out of the first 6 days having maxima above 7 Celsius (45F), it became much colder. Between the 11th and 16th, day-time temperatures remained below 3 Celsius (37F), although only 2 of these cold days had maxima below 2 Celsius (36F). On the 11th, a high of 0.9 Celsius (34F) occurred, with 1.8 Celsius (35F) recorded on the 15th.

There were several mild nights during December, all of them occurring after the 18th. On 2 nights the temperature stayed above 10 Celsius (50F) . On both the 25th and 31st lows of 10.3 Celsius (50F) were measured, and a further 5 nights had minima above 8 Celsius (46F). The first week of December had minimum temperatures between 2 and 5 Celsius (36-41F), but it then turned much colder. On the 10th and 17th minima of minus 4.3 Celsius (24F) occurred, but the coldest night of the month was the 11th with a low of minus 5.2 Celsius (23F). 

The sea temperature decreased from 12 Celsius (54F) at the beginning of the month to around 9 Celsius (48F) at the start of the second week. It then changed little during the remainder of the month.

 

Frost

 

There was air frost on 10 nights during December,  around 7 nights above average. All of the air frosts occurred between the 8th and 17th. Most of the frosts were moderate with minima between minus 2 and minus 5 Celsius (28-23F), but 4 nights only had a slight frost, and on 2 of those nights, the 12th and 13th, minimum temperatures were above minus 1 Celsius (30F). Grass frost occurred on 12 nights, that was only 2 nights above average. The grass frosts coincided with the air frosts, except for 1 night, the 12th, when a grass low of 0.0 Celsius (32F) occurred. The 18th, 21st and 27th each had grass frost but no air frost. The lowest grass temperature was minus 8.3 Celsius (17F) on the 17th, but lows between minus 5 and minus 6 Celsius (23-21F) occurred on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 18th. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in December amounted to 119.0 millimetres (4.7 ins.), which was only slightly above the monthly average.  Measurable rain fell on 16 days, which was 4 days below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 12, which was also 4 days below the average.  Apart from showers on the 2nd, which gave 0.8 millimetres (0.03 ins.), the only measurable precipitation during the first 10 days was on the 10th, when 0.4 millimetres (0.02 ins.) of dew were measured. On the afternoon of the 11th there was moderate rain, and it fell with a temperature of minus 2 Celsius (28F). Although only 4 millimetres (0.16 ins. ) of rain were measured, the ice that formed on untreated surfaces was both hazardous and damaging. The ice remained on shaded areas of local pavements and roads until late on the 17th. On the 18th, it rained all day giving a total of 33.2 millimetres (1.3 ins.) and 6.8 millimetres (0.27 ins.) of rain fell on the following day. In fact, there were no completely dry days during the rest of the month, with daily totals including 6.6 millimetres (0.26 ins.) on the 22nd, 10.2 millimetres (0.40 ins.) on the 27th, 13.6 millimetres (0.53 ins.) on the 30th, and 19.8 millimetres (0.8 ins.) on the last day of the year.  

 

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Thunder

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

 

Snow

 

A few snowflakes were observed in the freezing rain on the afterrnoon of the 11th, and light snow fell for less than hour in the evening. A very thin layer covered the ground until late afternoon on the following day. Thereafter, a few well-scattered patches remained in shaded spots until late on the 17th. Over, and to the north of, the South Downs,  there were 3 to 5 centimetres (1-2 ins.) of snow, and the ground stayed snow-covered for 6 days.

 

Wind

 

In the first half of December, winds were mainly light or moderate and blowing from the north or northwest. After the 17th, the winds were  persistently from between south and west and generally fresh or strong. At Shoreham Airport, the first gust of the month above 30 knots (34 mph) occurred at midnight on the 19th when south-southwesterlies reached 33 knots (38 mph). The rest of the day was breezy with 38 knots (43 mph) occurring at midday. On the 27th, southwesterly gusts reached 35 knots (40 mph) late in the evening, and on the following afternoon a gust of 40 knots (46 mph) was recorded, also from the southwest. The strong wind continued into the morning of the 29th with 42 knots (48 mph) recorded before dawn. On the morning of the 30th there were strong south-southeasterly winds, these peaking at 41 knots (47 mph). Southwesterly winds returned on the last day of the month, and several gusts reached 32 or 33 knots (37-38 mph).       

 

Fog

 

Mist thickened into fog at times on the morning of the 1st.

 

Statistics for December 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 13.1 -6.3 * 27 22
Thorney Island 13.5 -3.1 * * *
Gatwick A/P 13.5 -8.4 * 35 17
Herstmonceux 14.3 -4.9 * 40 24
Bournemouth (Hurn) 14.0 -8.6 * 28 18
Middle Wallop 13.4 -6.7 * 36 19
Dieppe 16.8 -5.4 86 27 21

* Totals unreliable

 

 

Posted on

Weather in Shoreham – November 2022

Exceptionally Wet and Very Mild

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during November 2022 in Shoreham was 13.7 Celsius (57F), and that was around 2.5 Celsius (<5F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 8.6 Celsius (48F), and that was 2 Celsius (3.5F) above average for November. Overall, it was the mildest November in the area for 11 years.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 16.9 Celsius (63F) on the 13th, but there were 4 other days with maxima above 16 Celsius (61F). All of these exceptionally mild days occurred between the 10th and 14th and included highs of 16.7 Celsius (62F) on the 12th, and 16.6 Celsius (62F) on both the 11th and 14th. A further 5 days had maxima above 15 Celsius (59F), with the last of these very mild days occurring on the 8th. Although it became somewhat less mild after the 14th, only 2 days had maxima outside the range 11 to 14 Celsius (52-57F). Those days were 28th, with a high of 10.4 Celsius (50F), and the 29th, when the temperature only rose to 7.3 Celsius (45F).

There were many mild nights during November, and on the 11th a minimum of 14.2 Celsius (58F) occurred. Lows of 13.9 Celsius (57F) occurred on both the 6th and 8th, and a further 7 nights had minima above 10 Celsius (50F). Only 1 of the milder nights occurred after mid-month, that was on the 27th when 11.0 Celsius (52F) was recorded. On most other nights the temperature fell  to between 5 and 10 Celsius (41-50F) , but there were 5 exceptions. On the 20th and 29th lows of 4.8 Celsius (41F) occurred, but the 3 lowest values occurred on consecutive nights beginning on the 21st. A low of 3.2 Celsius (37F) was followed by 2.6 Celsius (37F) and 3.5 Celsius (38F) on the 22nd and 23rd respectively. 

The sea temperature decreased erratically from 16 Celsius (61F) at the beginning of November to 12 or 13 Celsius (54-55F) at the end of the month.

 

Frost

 

There was no frost in Shoreham during November. The lowest grass temperature was 0.0 Celsius (32F),  recorded on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in November amounted to 276.0 millimetres (10.9 ins.), which was over 4.5 times the monthly average. It was the wettest November in the area since records began in 1880. Historical records from Worthing also suggest no month has been wetter than November 2022.  Measurable rain fell on 23 days, which was 8 days above the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 18, which was also 8 days above the average.  The month began extremely wet. On 5 out of the first 6 days of November, daily readings exceeded 20 millimetres (0.79 ins.). Totals were 22.8 millimetres (0.90 ins.). 30.4 millimetres (1.20 ins.), 31.2 millimetres (1.23 ins.), 21.0 millimetres (0.83 ins.) and 31.8 millimetres (1.25 ins.), on the 1st,  2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th respectively. A mere 11 millimetres (0.43 ins.) of rain fell on the 8th, but from the 9th until the 13th no measurable rain fell. However, during this period there were 2 days with dew adding to the monthly total. The 0.8 millimetres (0.03 ins.) of dew was unusual, but this remarkable month continued with further heavy rainfall. On the 15th, 25.4 millimetres (1.00 ins.) fell, and the following day was the wettest of the month with 37.8 millimetres (1.49 ins.) recorded. After 2 dry days, the remainder of the month was fairly unsettled, but daily readings were somewhat lower,  although dew produced another 0.4 millimetres (0.02 ins.) of precipitation. Between the 17th and the end of the month 52.4 millimetres (2.06 ins.) were recorded, with daily totals of 11.8 millimetres (0.46 ins.) on the 21st and 17.0 millimetres (0.67 ins.) on the 26th. The last day of the month was dry.  

 

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Thunder

Lightning and 3 rumbles of thunder occurred mid-evening on the 1st.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow occurred in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

In this very changeable month, strong winds were frequent, especially during the first 3 weeks of November. The early hours of the 1st were particularly windy with several mature trees in the area toppled over by the squally wind. On the 1st,  at Shoreham Airport, many southwesterly gusts exceeded 40 knots (46 mph) with a peak gust of 59 knots (67 mph) occurring in the early hours.  The 2nd was also windy with 40 knots (46 mph) from the southwest recorded in the early evening.  A gust of 38 knots (43 mph) occurred early on the 3rd before the wind finally decreased later in the morning. Southwesterly winds increased again on the 5th, with gusts of 33, 34, 35 and 40 knots (38-46 mph) on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th respectively.   There was no let-up as southwesterlies gusted to 37 knots (42 mph) on the morning of the 9th, but then pressure began to rise and wind speeds gradually decreased. On the 15th, another deep depression to the west was responsible for some strong south to southwesterly winds which peaked at 41 knots (47 mph) during the early evening. It was particularly blustery at times and a gust of 44 knots (50 mph) occurred early on the 16th. Overnight on the 17th, a gust of 38 knots (43 mph) occurred before a quieter spell of weather began. This lasted until the 21st when a deepening depression crossed southern England and produced squally winds, initially from the southeast, these veering to the west. Gusts of 37 and 38 knots (42-43 mph) occurred. Southwesterly gusts of 36 knots (41 mph) occurred on the evening of the 23rd, with 39 knots (45 mph) recorded on the following evening. The last bout of southwesterlies during the month gave 32 knots (37 mph) in the early hours of the 27th.       

 

Fog

 

Although several mornings were misty between and during spells of rain, the only fog observed in this part of Shoreham occurred on the evening of the 30th.

 

Statistics for November 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 19.9 3.6 * 20 17
Thorney Island 19.7 4.4 * 63 22
Gatwick A/P 21.8 1.3 * 29 19
Herstmonceux 20.5 4.7 114 24 19
Bournemouth (Hurn) 20.1 0.3 91 19 22
Middle Wallop 20.2 1.6 138 33 22
Dieppe 22.2 3.7 38 19 17

 

ns.

. alues of  first 11 days of the month were changeable,  but 4 days were completely dry, and the total for the period was only 8.8 millimetres (0.35 ins.) The highest daily total during this period was 3.0 millimetres (0.1 ins.) on the 1st. On the night of the 12th/13th there was heavy rain and this amounted to 14.6 millimetres (0.57 ins.), making the 12th the wettest day of the month. A further 13.2 millimetres (0.52 ins.) was recorded on the 16th, and during the second half of October there was only 1 completely dry day, that was the 18th. However, on most days, amounts were quite small. The exceptions were the 20th with 6 millimetres (0.24 ins.), the 22nd with 5.4 millimetres (0.21 ins.) and the 23rd with 12.4 millimetres (0.49 ins.). Both the 29th and 31st each had 4 millimetres (0.16 ins.)  

 

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Thunder

Thunderstorms occurred on 2 days during October. On the 20th a storm lasted for about half hour around mid-morning. On the 20th there was thunder and lightning for 20 minutes before dawn.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow occurred in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

Pressure was close to average for October with the main centres of the anticyclones to the south and east of the British Isles. As a result, southwesterly winds prevailed and accounted for over half the daily readings. Winds were often quite brisk, except during the second week of the month when they were lighter and more variable in direction. At Shoreham Airport,  southwesterly gusts reached 39 knots (45 mph) on the afternoon of the 5th, and 31 knots (34 mph), also from the southwest, was recorded in the evening of the 7th. After the spell with lighter winds, southwesterly gusts of 34 knots (39 mph) were recorded on the evening of the 15th, and 36 knots (41 mph) on the evening of the 21st. The late evening of the 23rd  and the early hours of the 24th were particularly windy with southwesterly gusts rising from 39 knots (45 mph) at 2200 UTC ,  to 47 knots (55 mph) at 0200 UTC. A southwesterly gust of 31 knots (34 mph) was recorded late in the morning on the 26th, and on the last day of the month the final 2 hours of the evening became windy with southwesterly gusts reaching 42 knots (48 mph).       

 

Fog

 

No fog was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Statistics for November 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 17.1 1.4 *   22
Thorney Island 16.9 1.5 *   23
Gatwick A/P 17.8 0.5 *   22
Herstmonceux 18.0 2.7 *   21
Bournemouth (Hurn) 17.7 -1.3 *   23
Middle Wallop 17.1 1.0 *   21
Dieppe 17.6 4.3 *   20

*Rainfall totals unreliable

 

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Weather in Shoreham – July 2022

Very Dry and Warm

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during July 2022 in Shoreham was 24.6 Celsius (76F), and that was over 1 degree Celsius (>2F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 15.0 Celsius (59F), and that was less than 0.5 degree Celsius (<1F) above the July average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 34.7 Celsius (94F) on the 19th, but the only other day with a high above 30 Celsius (86F) was the 18th, when the temperature peaked at 31.2 Celsius (88F). There were 11 days with maxima between 25 and 30 Celsius (77-86F), with 7 of those warmer days occurring between the 7th and 14th. No especially cool days occurred during July, however, on 8 days the temperature failed to rise above 23 Celsius (73F). The 25th and 26th were 2 of the somewhat less warm days, with the first few days of the month accounting for the remaining 6 days. The coolest days were the 2nd and 3rd with maxima of 20.5 Celsius (69F), and also the 1st. On this day, the maximum temperature was 19.2 Celsius (67F).

There were several warm nights during July, none more so than the 19th,  when a minimum of 22.9 Celsius (73F) was recorded. This was the warmest July night in the area for at least 140 years, and during much of the night the temperature hovered between 25 and 26 Celsius (77-79F). No other minima were close to this value, but on 5  nights the minimum temperature was between 18.0 and 18.2 Celsius  (64-65F). On most days (16) the minima were between 13 and 17 Celsius (55-63F), but there were a few cooler days. However, only 2 days had minimum temperatures below 12 Celsius (54F). On the 1st, a low of 10.8 Celsius (51F) occurred, and on the 3rd, the temperature dipped to 10.7 Celsius (51F). 

The sea temperature was 19 Celsius (66F) at the beginning of the month, rising to 20 Celsius (68F) by mid month, with 20 or 21 Celsius (68-70F) then maintained for the remainder of the month.

 

Frost

 

There was no frost in Shoreham during July. The lowest grass temperature was 10.0 Celsius (50F),  recorded on the 1st, 3rd and 10th. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in July amounted to 8.6 millimetres (0.34 ins.), which was less than 20% of average for the month. Overall, it was the driest July in the area for 12 years.  Measurable rain fell on 4 days, which was 6 days below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 2,  and that was also 6 days below the average. Although there was a heavy shower in the early hours of the 1st, the resulting rain was before 0900 hours UTC, and therefore added to the total for the preceding month. Otherwise, the first 16 days of the month were dry. Short bursts of heavy rain overnight on the 17th/18th gave 1.8 millimetres (0.07 ins.), and further showery rain on the evening of the 19th added 0.8 millimeters (0.03 ins.) to the total. Showery rain occurred again from late morning until early afternoon on the 22nd. This added 5.8 millimetres (0.23 ins.) to the monthly total. The only other measurable rain was the 0.2 millimetres (0.01 ins.) that fell overnight on the 24th/25th.  

 

Hail

 

 

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Thunder

 

Thunderstorms occurred on 3 days during July. There was thunder and lightning to the west for 40 minutes on the evening of the 17th. A few rumbles of thunder occurred early to mid evening on the 19th, and finally, there was thunder late morning and early afternoon on the 22nd.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow occurred in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

Pressure was higher than average across southern Britain, but with the centres usually positioned to the south of the country, it meant winds were predominantly from between southwest and northwest, with breezes from these quadrants accounting for over half of the daily readings. On about a quarter of the days, winds were mainly between southeast and northeast, with the remainder of the days having light and variable winds. Generally,  winds were light, but southwesterly sea breezes were moderate or fresh at times in the afternoons, especially in the first and third weeks.  At Shoreham Airport, there was a gust of 33 knots (38 mph) from the west-southwest early on the evening of the 19th as a cold front pushed the hot air eastwards into the continent, and southwesterly gusts of 30 to 31 knots (34-35 mph) occurred on the morning of the 25th; but these were the only gusts above 30 knots (34 mph) during July.      

 

Fog

 

No fog was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Statistics for July 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 33.4 8.6 7 6 4
Thorney Island 32.4 10.4 4 3 3
Gatwick A/P 39.9 7.6 3 2 4
Herstmonceux 37.5 10.1 2 1 3
Bournemouth (Hurn) 31.9 7.1 0 0 0
Middle Wallop 35.2 8.4 3 2 3
Dieppe 40.4 10.6 1 0.4 4

 

 

Posted on

Weather in Shoreham – June 2022

Changeable and often Rather Cool

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during June 2022 in Shoreham was 21.3 Celsius (70F), and that was normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 12.1 Celsius (54F), and that was almost 1 degree Celsius (<2F) below the June average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 27.3 Celsius (81F) on the 18th, but 26.6 Celsius (80F) occurred on the 22nd, and 25 Celsius (77F) was also exceeded on the 3rd, 15th and 16th. On many days (15) maximum temperatures were between 19 and 22 Celsius (66-72F), but it was cooler at times early in the month. On 5 days, the temperature failed to reach 19 Celsius (66F), with all of these cooler days occurring before the 10th. The 5th and 7th were the coolest, with highs of 16.9 Celsius (62F) and 16.8 Celsius (62F) respectively.

There were no warm nights during June, but a minimum of 15.8 Celsius (60F) occurred on the 18th, and the 10th had a minimum of 15.2 Celsius (59F). A further 4 nights had minima between 14 and 15 Celsius (57-59F). On most nights (22) the temperature fell to between 10 and 14 Celsius (50-57F), but 3 cooler nights occurred. The minimum on the 14th was 8.4 Celsius (47F), but the coolest nights were at the beginning of the month. The 1st had a low of 7.3 Celsius (45F), and the 2nd had a minimum of 7.2 Celsius (45F). 

The sea temperature rose from 15 Celsius (59F) at the beginning of June, to 18 Celsius (64F), bordering on 19 Celsius (66F), at the end of the month.

 

Frost

 

There was no frost in Shoreham during June. The lowest grass temperature was 5.6 Celsius (42F) recorded on both the 1st and 2nd. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in June amounted to 55.4 millimetres (2.2 ins.), which was around 20% above average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 16 days, which was 6 days above the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 13, and that was also 4 days above the average. A heavy shower on the afternoon of the 1st gave 3.0 millimetres (0.1 ins.) but the 2nd was dry day. However, the following 7 days each had measurable rainfall, with daily totals of 5.8, 4.8, 10.6 and 7.4 millimetres (0.2.0.2.0.4 and 0.3 ins.) on the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th respectively. The 10th marked the beginning of an 8-day dry spell, but heavy rain on the evening of the 18th totalled 8.6 millimetres (0.34 ins.) and heralded an unsettled end to the month. Although only 3 of the last 12 days of June were dry, amounts of rain were mainly small or insignificant (<0.2 mm). During this period, the wettest days were the 28th and 29th with 3.2 and 3.0 millimetres (0.1 ins.) respectively.  

 

Hail

 

Small hail occurred for about 2 minutes during a heavy shower on the afternoon of the 8th.

 

Thunder

 

Thunderstorms occurred on 2 days during June. One rumble of thunder occurred mid afternoon on the 8th, and several quite intense storms, lasting for over an hour, occurred mid to late evening on the 18th.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow occurred in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

Pressure was higher than average across southern Britain, but with the centres usually positioned to the south of the country, it meant winds were predominantly from between southwest and northwest, with breezes from these quadrants accounting for well over half of the daily readings. Although there were no particularly strong winds, sea breeze enhancement gave several cool and blustery afternoons at the beginning and end of the month, with the lightest winds generally occurring around mid month. At Shoreham Airport, a squally gust of 36 knots (41 mph) from the southwest occurred on the afternoon of the 8th. On the 18th, thundery weather in the evening, was accompanied by rapid rises and falls of pressure along with some notable downdraughts from a northerly direction (although the storms were tracking in from the south). The highest gusts recorded were 37 knots (42 mph) early and mid evening. No further gusts above 30 knots (34 mph) occurred, but several afternoons at the beginning and end of June had southwesterly gusts between 25 and 30 knots (29-33 mph).      

 

Fog

 

No fog was observed in this part of Shoreham, but low cloud sat on the Downs at times on the 7th, and throughout the day it stayed misty.

 

Statistics for June 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 26.6 4.6 53 9 15
Thorney Island 26.9 5.6 48 10 13
Gatwick A/P 29.6 4.4 38 8 14
Herstmonceux 27.3 6.2 48 16 11
Bournemouth (Hurn) 28.0 2.8 48 12 14
Middle Wallop 29.7 4.6 29 8 13
Dieppe 31.9 6.6 78 21 14

 

 

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Weather in Shoreham – May 2022

Wet and Rather Warm at times

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during May 2022 in Shoreham was 18.2 Celsius (65F), and that was normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 9.8 Celsius (50F), and that was almost 1 degree Celsius (<2F) above the May average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 23.7 Celsius (75F) on the 17th, but 22.1 Celsius (72F) occurred on the 27th, and 20 Celsius (68F) was also exceeded on the 8th, 15th, 18th and 22nd. On most days (19) the maximum temperatures were between 16 and 19 Celsius (61-66F), but there were 2 cooler days. On the 11th, the temperature only rose to 15.8 Celsius (60F), but the lowest maximum was on the 1st, when 14.7 Celsius (58F) was measured.

There were no warm nights during May, but a minimum of 14.0 Celsius (57F) occurred on the 19th, and 13.9 Celsius (57F) was recorded on the 27th. The 10th and 16th also had minima above 13 Celsius (55F). A combination of brisk breezes and cloud cover often prevented night-time temperatures from falling significantly. As a result, a further 11 nights had minimum temperatures above 10 Celsius (50F), and only 8 nights had minima below 8 Celsius (46F). The coolest night was the 9th with a minimum temperature of 5.9 Celsius (43F). 

The sea temperature rose slowly from 12 Celsius (54F) at the beginning of May, to 15 Celsius (59F) at the end of the month.

 

Frost

 

There was no frost in Shoreham during May. The lowest grass temperature was 2.2 Celsius (36F) on both the 9th and 12th. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in May amounted to 51.4 millimetres (2 ins.), which was around 50% above average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 16 days, which was 6 days above the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 11, and that was 4 days above the average. The month was changeable at first, with rain measured on 3 out of the first 4 days. However, the highest daily total was only 2.2 millimetres (0.09 ins.), this occurring on the 3rd. Between the 5th and 13th a mere 0.2 millimetres (0.1 ins.) of rain fell, and although 2.8 millimetres (0.11 ins.) of rain were measured on the 15th, the first half of May yielded just 9 millimetres (0.35 ins.) of rain. There was only 1 completely dry day between the 14th and 24th, and some of the rain was heavy. On the 18th, 9 millimetres (0.36 ins.) of rain fell, with 5.6 millimetres (0.22 ins.) and 6 millimetres (0.24 ins.) measured on the 19th and 20th respectively. Daily totals above 3 millimetres (0.12 ins.) occurred on both the 22nd and 24th, and the month ended on a wet note with 5.8 millimetres (0.23 ins.) and 7.4 millimetres (0.29 ins.) falling on the 30th and 31st respectively.  

 

Hail

 

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Thunder

 

Thunderstorms occurred on 3 days during May. On the 15th, there was 1 rumble of thunder towards the northwest early in the evening. On the 18th, frequent, and often vivid, lightning accompanied the late evening storms. There were 3 ground strikes close to Buckingham Park. The last thunder from the storms was heard at 2355 UTC.  The final day with thunder was the 24th,  when early afternoon showers produced several claps of thunder.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow occurred in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

Pressure was higher than average across southern Britain, but with the centres usually positioned to the south of the country, it meant winds were predominantly from between southwest and northwest, with breezes from these quadrants accounting for more than two thirds of the daily readings. Although there were no particularly strong winds, sea breeze enhancement gave several cool and blustery afternoons. At Shoreham Airport, southwesterly winds gusted to 34 knots (39 mph) late in the afternoon on the 11th, and gusts of 33 knots (38 mph) occurred on the afternoon of the 25th. Although no further gusts above 30 knots (34 mph) occurred, several further afternoons in May had southwesterly gusts between 25 and 30 knots (29-33 mph).      

 

Fog

 

No fog was observed in this part of Shoreham.

 

Statistics for May 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 22.3 1.9 44 10 16
Thorney Island 21.7 5.0 48 13 9
Gatwick A/P 25.8 2.7 101 53 13
Herstmonceux 24.9 4.3 89 34 14
Bournemouth (Hurn) 22.1 2.7 52 16 12
Middle Wallop 22.8 5.1 46 13 13
Dieppe 28.4 5.0 33 10 15

 

 

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Weather in Shoreham – March 2022

Very Mild and Rather Dry

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during March 2022 in Shoreham was 13.3 Celsius (56F), and that was 2.3 Celsius (4F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 5.7 Celsius (42F), and that 1 Celsius (<2F) above the March average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 19.6 Celsius (67F) on the 24th, with 19.2 Celsius (66F) recorded on both the 25th and 26th. In a very mild spell of weather, which lasted from the 18th to the 29th, there were a further 8 days with maxima above 15 Celsius (59F), including 3 days with highs above 17 Celsius (63F). On many other days (12) the temperature rose to between 10 and 13 Celsius (50-55F), but on 7 days the temperature failed to rise above 10 Celsius (50F). A total of 6 of these 7 colder days occurred in the first 8 days of the month. The exception was on the 31st, when a high of 9.3 Celsius (49F) was measured. On 4 of the colder days, the maximum was below 9 Celsius (48F), but the only day when the temperature failed to reach 8 Celsius (46F) was the 6th when 7.4 Celsius (45F) occurred.

There were no particularly mild nights during March, but a minimum of 9.4 Celsius (49F) occurred on the 29th, with 9.3 Celsius (49F) recorded on both the 16th and 22nd, and 9.1 Celsius (48F) on the 1st. A further 11 nights had minima between 7 and 9 Celsius (45-48F). On 15 nights the temperature dipped below 5 Celsius (41F), but only 7 of these colder nights had minima below 3 Celsius (37F). A total of 5 of these colder nights occurred between the 14th and 21st, but the temperature only fell below 2 Celsius (36F) on 2 occasions. On the 17th, a minimum of 1.4 Celsius (34F) was observed, with 0.3 Celsius (32F) measured on the 21st.

The sea temperature was 9 Celsius (48F) through most of the month, rising to 10 Celsius (50F) during the last week of March.

 

Frost

 

No air frost occurred March, but 10 ground frosts were recorded, and that was slightly below average for the month. Apart from on the 7th, when a grass minimum of minus 1.7 Celsius (29F) occurred, all the grass frosts were logged between the 14th and 25th. On most of these ground frost nights (6) the grass frost was slight with minima higher than minus 2 Celsius (28F). However, on 3 nights it was lower, but the only night that had a grass temperature below was minus 3 Celsius (27F) was the 21st with a low of minus 3.9 Celsius (25F). 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in March amounted to 30.4 millimetres (1.2 ins.), which was around 40% below average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 8 days, which was 8 days below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 6, and that was 5 days below the average. The first day of the month was very wet, and the 14 millimetres (0.55 ins.) that fell amounted to almost half the monthly total. Further rain fell early on the 2nd, but it amounted to less than 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.) after which there was no measurable rain for the following 8 days. A brief unsettled spell occurred towards the end of the second week and around mid-month, which resulted in rain falling on most days, but with daily totals unexceptional. On the 11th, a total of 5.6 millimetres (0.22 ins.) was recorded, and on the 16th, there were 5.2 millimetres (0.2 ins.). Between the 18th and 29th, no measurable rain occurred, but light rain added 1 millimetre (0.4 ins.) to the monthly total on the 30th.

 

Hail

 

Light showers of soft hail occurred late in the morning on the 31st.

 

Thunder

 

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

 

Snow

 

A light sleet shower occurred late morning on the 31st March, which
was the first wintry precipitation since sleet and snow fell on the evening of the
28th November. Interestingly, no wintry precipitation occurred during the winter
months (December, January and February).

 

Wind

 

High pressure was dominant during much of March with pressure readings some 7 millibars above the March average. As a result, winds were much lighter than usual, and only 1 day, the 14th, had winds from the ‘prevailing’ southwesterly direction. On most days (17) winds blew from between south and east, but occasionally there were northwest or northeast winds, these mostly occurring at either end of the month.  At Shoreham Airport, the only day that had gusts exceeding 30 knots (34 mph) was the 31st, when northerly gusts during the afternoon reached 37 knots (42 mph).    

 

Fog

 

Low cloud descended to ground level and produced fog around mid-morning on the 1st, and patchy fog occurred early on the 28th.

 

Statistics for March 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 18.1 -0.5 22 9 9
Thorney Island 17.9 1.1 38 11 8
Gatwick A/P 19.6 -3.5 50 22 12
Herstmonceux 18.5 1.0 35 13 12
Bournemouth (Hurn) 18.7 -2.2 58 17 15
Middle Wallop 18.6 -0.9 63 19 12
Dieppe 18.9 -0.2 23 9 9

 

 

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Weather in Shoreham – February 2022

Very Mild and Windy

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during February 2022 in Shoreham was 11.1 Celsius (52F), and that was 2.5 Celsius (4F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 5.4 Celsius (42F), and that was almost 2 Celsius (3.5F) above the February average. Overall, it was the mildest February in the area for 32 years.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 14.2 Celsius (58F) on the 1st, and on the 22nd a maximum of 13.3 Celsius (56F) occurred. There were a further 6 days with highs above 12 Celsius (54F), and another 5 days with maxima exceeding 11 Celsius (52F). There were no cold days during the month, but on 7 days the temperature stayed below 10 Celsius (50F), including 2 days with maxima below 9 Celsius (48F). Remarkably, though, only one day in the entire month had a maximum below the long-term average. That day was the 10th, when a high of 8.3 Celsius (47F) was recorded.

There were several mild nights during February, and on 3 nights the temperature stayed above 9 Celsius (48F). On both the 6th and 16th lows of 9.4 Celsius (49F) were recorded, with 9.1 Celsius (48F) occurring on  the 8th. There were a further 4 nights with minima above 8 Celsius (46F), and, in total, 18 nights had minimum temperatures above 5 Celsius (41F). There were only 7 nights when the temperature fell below 3 Celsius (37F), but on 4 of these colder nights the minimum was below 1 Celsius (34F). The coldest night of the month was the 11th with a low of minus 0.3 Celsius (31F), but the 26th was only 0.1 Celsius less cold.

The sea temperature was around 8 or 9 Celsius (46-48F) throughout the month.

 

Frost

 

A total of 2 air frosts occurred during February, and that was 4 below the monthly average. Grass frost occurred on 14 nights, and that was average for the month. Most of the grass frosts (9) occurred after mid month, with 8 of these occurring after the 18th. On 8 nights the grass frost was slight with minimum temperatures higher than minus 2 Celsius (28F), but on 4 occasions the grass temperature dipped below minus 3 Celsius (27F). The lowest value was minus 4.4 Celsius (24F) on the 5th, with minus 3.9 Celsius (25F) measured on the 11th. 

 

Rain

 

Rainfall in February amounted to 59.0 millimetres (2.3 ins.), which was around average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 16 days, which was 1 day below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 13, and that was close to 2 days above the average. The first 2 days of February were dry, but 5 days of changeable weather followed. Much of the rain was light, but 5 millimetres (0.2 ins.) were recorded on the 6th. Only 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.) of rain fell between the 8th and 12th, but very unsettled weather followed, resulting in some quite heavy rainfall. On the 13th, at total of 13.0 millimetres (0.5 ins.) fell, with a further 11 millimetres (0.4 ins.) on the 15th. Another 6.8 millimetres (0.3 ins.) fell on the 19th, and between the 13th and 24th there were no completely dry days. The 25th was dry, along with the following 2 days, but the month ended wet with 4.6 millimetres (0.2 ins.) occurring on the ‘rain day’ which ended at 0900 UTC on March 1st.

 

Hail

 

Small hail was observed in 2 showers that occurred early in the afternoon on the 24th.

 

Thunder

 

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

 

Snow

 

No sleet or snow was observed in Shoreham.

 

Wind

 

In marked contrast to January, February was a windy month with the exception of the second week and the last few days of February. On most days (24) the wind blew from between southwest and northwest, the exceptions being the 13th, when south to southeasterly winds dominated, the 25th, when winds were light and variable, and the 26th and 27th,  when east to southeasterly winds prevailed. On several days winds were strong to gale force, most notably just after mid month in association with storms Dudley and Eunice. At Shoreham Airport, southwesterly gusts, just ahead of a cold front, reached 34 knots (39 mph) late in the morning on the 4th. The 5th was a very blustery day, with westerly wind gusts peaking at 40 knots (46 mph) late in the morning. The evening of the 13th was windy with south to southwesterly gusts reaching 36 knots (41 mph). On the afternoon of the 15th southwesterly winds gusted to 33 knots (38 mph) and southwesterlies reached 38 knots (43 mph) on the following day. The morning of the 17th was breezy with 31 knots (35 mph), but the following day was very windy with severe gales from the southwest. Gusts of over 40 knots (46 mph) frequently occurred between mid morning and early evening, with the highest gusts of 61 knots (70 mph) and 62 knots (71 mph) occurring at 1300 and 1200 hours respectively. It stayed windy into the 19th, and in the afternoon southwesterly gusts peaked at 44 knots (50 mph). The 20th was very windy again, with west to northwesterly gusts reaching 59 knots (67 mph) in the evening. There was barely any let up on the 21st, with westerly gusts as high as 49 knots (56 mph) in the late morning. On the 22nd it was just breezy, with the southwesterly gusts around midday only reaching 33 knots (38 mph). On the morning of the 24th southwesterly gusts of 37 knots (42 mph) occurred, but it was the last windy day of the month.    

 

Fog

 

The 7th was misty in the evening and the 16th was misty for much of the day, but no fog was observed from this part of Shoreham.

 

Statistics for February 2022

 

Reporting Site Highest Temp Lowest Temp Rain Total (mm) Wettest Rain days
Shoreham A/P 14.0 -2.8 38 6 18
Thorney Island 13.6 -1.4 48 9 19
Gatwick A/P 15.0 -3.4 135 43 17
Herstmonceux 13.9 -0.6 104 24 22
Bournemouth (Hurn) 14.0 -3.9 56 10 17
Middle Wallop 14.3 -2.2 59 14 15
Dieppe 13.7 -0.2 21 4 11

 

 

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Weather in Shoreham – January 2022

              Rather Mild and Dry

 

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during January 2022 in Shoreham was 8.9 Celsius (48F), and that was almost 1 Celsius (1.5F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 3.4 Celsius (38F), and that was very slightly below the January average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 13.4 Celsius (56F) on the 1st, but there were several other very mild days. On the 29th, a maximum of 12.9 Celsius (55F) was recorded, and a further 8 days had maxima above 10 Celsius (50F). On many days (12) the temperature rose to between 8 and 10 Celsius (46-50F) but there were some cooler days. However, only 3 days had maxima below 6 Celsius (43F). The 21st and 24th had highs of 5.9 and 5.7 Celsius (43 and 42F) respectively, but the coldest day of the month was the 25th with a maximum temperature of 4.3 Celsius (40F).

There were very few mild nights during January, but on the 1st a minimum of 10.8 Celsius (51F) occurred, and the 2nd was even milder with a low of 11.1 Celsius (52F). Perhaps surprisingly, there were only 5 other nights with minima above 5 Celsius (41F), with just 1 of those milder nights occurring between the 5th and 28th. There were 9 nights with lows between 2 and 4 Celsius (36-39F), but on many nights (12) the minimum was around freezing, with lowest values between minus 1 and plus 2 Celsius (30-36F). The coldest night of the month was the 6th, with a minimum of minus 2.2 Celsius (28F), but minus 1.9 Celsius (28F) occurred on the 18th.

The sea temperature was around 10 Celsius (50F) at first, but for much of the month it stayed close to 9 Celsius (48F), and it was nearer 8 Celsius (46F) during the last week of January.

Frost

A total of 6 air frosts occurred during January, close to the monthly average, but with the exception of the 6th and 18th, the frosts were very slight with minimum temperatures less than 1 degree Celsius (1.8F) below freezing. On 3 consecutive nights, the 13th, 14th and 15th, there was a slight air frost. Grass frost occurred on 16 nights, and that was 4 nights above average. Most of the grass frosts (13) occurred between the 5th and 22nd, including 5 consecutive nights commencing on the 5th, and 3 consecutive nights beginning on the 13th, and again on the 20th. On many nights the grass minimum was not far below freezing, but there were exceptions. On the 18th a low of minus 5.6 Celsius (22F) was recorded, and on the 6th a grass temperature of minus 6.7 Celsius (20F) was measured. 

Rain

Rainfall in January amounted to 41.4 millimetres (1.6 ins.), which was around 20% below average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 13 days, which was about 7 days below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 9, and that was close to 5 days under the average. The month began quite wet with 3.6 millimetres (0.1 ins.) measured on the 1st, and a further 7.4 millimetres (0.3 ins.) on the 2nd. After a dry day on the 3rd, another 3.4 millimetres (0.1 ins.) were recorded on the 4th. A dry day on the 5th, was followed by a continuance of the unsettled spell that yielded rain on 5 of the following 6 days. Much of the rain was light, but 5.4 millimetres (0.2 ins.) fell on the 7th, and the 8th proved to be the wettest day of the month with 12.4 millimetres (0.5 ins.) of rain measured. Pressure rose during the 10th, and from the 11th to the 29th, apart from on 15th, the pressure remained above 1030 millibars, and on 4 days it was over 1040 millibars. It resulted in the pressure for the month being 12 millibars above average. As a result, rainfall during the last 3 weeks of January was considerably below average. The weather was not entirely settled, but between the 12th and the end of the month there were only 3.4 millimetres (0.1 ins.) of rain, with only 1 day, the 15th, having over 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.) of rain, and that was a mere 1.2 millimetres (0.05 ins.).

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

Thunder

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

Snow

No sleet or snow was observed in Shoreham.

Wind

With high pressure dominating the weather for much of the month, winds were much lighter than normal and, with the centre of high pressure generally to the west of the country, winds were predominantly from a northwesterly direction. Unusually, winds from the ‘prevailing’ southwesterly direction accounted for less than 20% of the daily observations. Southwesterly winds were rare even in the unsettled weather at the beginning of the month, although during that period winds were quite strong at times. At Shoreham Airport, southwesterly winds were quite strong from the afternoon of the 2nd until mid-morning on the 3rd. A gust of 32 knots (36 mph) was recorded in the evening on the 2nd, and a gust of 30 knots (34 mph) occurred mid-morning on the 3rd. North to northwesterly winds gusted to 31 knots (35 mph) early in the afternoon on the 4th, and southwesterly gusts reached 34 knots (39 mph) on the evening of the 6th. Southwesterly winds gusted to 34 knots (39 mph) again on the afternoon of the 8th. No more strong winds occurred until the 31st, when the remnants of ‘Storm Malik’, which caused damage and loss of life in northern Britain and parts of continental Europe, reached southern England. However, although the morning was blustery, the highest gust (from the northwest) was only 38 knots (43 mph).    

Fog

The 11th was a very misty day, but the only fog occurred on the morning of the 11th. It was freezing fog, but it lifted and dispersed soon after mid-morning.

Statistics for January 2022

Reporting SiteHighest TempLowest TempRain Total (mm)WettestRain days
Shoreham A/P13.4-3.5261111
Thorney Island13.5-4.0351016
Gatwick A/P14.3-5.5291114
Herstmonceux14.7-3.3361714
Bournemouth (Hurn)14.3-6.930817
Middle Wallop14.0-4.228715
Dieppe15.7-3.1381312

Posted on

Weather in Shoreham – December 2021

 

                 Mild and Damp

 

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during December 2021 in Shoreham was 9.9 Celsius (50F), and that over 0.5 Celsius (1F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 6.4 Celsius (44F), and that was more than 1.5 Celsius (>2F) above the December average.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 13.2 Celsius (56F) on the 29th, but 12.2 Celsius (54F) was recorded on both the 30th and 31st, and 14 further days had highs above 10 Celsius (50F), including 7 days with maxima above 11 Celsius (52F). There were 7 consecutive days, beginning on the 11th, with highs above 10 Celsius (50F), and 7 out of the last 8 days of December also had maxima above 10 Celsius (50F). The exception was on the 25th when a high of 9.8 Celsius (50F) was recorded. No cold days occurred during December. On 4 occasions the temperature stayed below 7 Celsius (45F), including 3 out of the 4 days between the 19th and 22nd. However, only 1 of the colder days had a maximum below 6 Celsius (43F). That was on the 2nd, when a high of 5.7 Celsius (42F) was measured.

There were many mild nights during December. On both the 30th and 31st minima of 11.4 Celsius (53F) occurred, and during the second week there were 3 nights with minima above 10 Celsius (50f). A further 9 nights had minima between 8 and 10 Celsius (46-50F), with these mild nights mainly clustered around the middle and end of the month. There were no particularly cold nights, although on 6 occasions minima were below 3 Celsius (37F). Only 1 of these colder nights occurred after the 11th. On the 22nd a minimum of 1.2 Celsius (34F) was recorded. A low of 0.4 Celsius (32F) occurred on the 11th, but the other 5 chilly nights all occurred during the first week of December. On the 7th, a minimum of 0.3 Celsius (32F) was measured, but the coldest night of the month was the 3rd with a minimum of minus 0.6 Celsius (31F).

The sea temperature was around 10 or 11 Celsius (50-52F) throughout the month.

Frost

There was only 1 air frost during December, that occurred on the 3rd, but 6 grass frosts occurred. Unsurprisingly, most of the lowest grass temperatures occurred on the same nights as the lowest air temperatures. Lowest values on the grass were minus 4.4 Celsius (24F) on both the 3rd and 22nd, and minus 5.0 Celsius (23F) on the night of the 7th. 

Rain

Rainfall in December amounted to 95.4 millimetres (3.8 ins.), which was slightly below average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 20 days, which was about the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 15, and that was also close to the average. Rain fell on each of the first 9 days of the month. Some of the rain was heavy and totalled over 50 millimetres (2 ins.). The largest daily totals were 8.8 millimetres (0.35 ins.) on the 6th, 21.4 millimetres (0.8 ins.) on the 7th, and 11 millimetres (0.4 ins.) on the 9th. Thereafter, pressure rose and rain amounts decreased. Between the 10th and 23rd, only 7 millimetres (0.3 ins.) of rain fell, and that included a fall of 4 millimetres (0.16 ins.) on the 11th. In fact, between the 15th and 22nd there was no measurable rain. By way of contrast, each of the last 9 days of the month had some rain, and the festive period was particularly damp and dreary. On the 24th, nearly 13 millimetres (0.5 ins.) of rain fell, with over 8 millimetres (0.3 ins.) recorded on both the 25th and 26th.

Hail

No hail was observed in this part of Shoreham.

Thunder

No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.

Snow

No sleet or snow was observed in Shoreham.

Wind

Winds were between southwest and northwest, and often quite strong, during the first 10 days of December, but then high pressure dominated for a while with lighter winds, and a brief spell of northeast winds after mid month. A return of fresh or strong west to southwesterly winds occurred towards the end of the month. At Shoreham Airport, a windy start to the month saw southwesterlies gust to 34 knots (39 mph) soon after midnight on the 1st. Northwesterly winds gusted to 31 knots (35 mph) just before dawn on the 5th, but on the afternoon of the 7th it was southeasterlies that became strong with gusts of 42 knots (48 mph) recorded. A vigorous trough of low pressure was responsible for the strong winds, and the southwesterlies following the passage of the trough became strong overnight, with 42 knots (48 mph) recorded in the early hours of the 8th. The northwesterlies returned early on the 10th with a gust of 35 knots (40 mph) measured, but then high pressure was dominant, and the next strong winds were not until late in the month. On the 28th, southwesterly gusts reached 44 knots (50 mph) at midday, and the remainder of the month was breezy, but no further gusts exceeded 30 knots (34 mph).   

Fog

There were many misty days around the middle and end of the month with low cloud cloaking the Downs. On both the 19th and 29th the cloud lowered to the surface at times to produce fog.

Statistics for December 2021

Reporting SiteHighest TempLowest TempRain Total (mm)WettestRain days
Shoreham A/P13.4-1.3781421
Thorney Island13.8-0.7851521
Gatwick A/P14.4-5.1831820
Herstmonceux13.6-2.11492619
Bournemouth (Hurn)14.9-3.5841121
Middle Wallop14.8-2.1801422
Dieppe15.8-1.8621813

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