Cool, wet August ends fairly average summer

After a dry and warm start, summer 2014 is set to end on a rather average note – with temperatures and rainfall close to normal levels for the season.

Using figures up to 27 August and then assuming average conditions for the final few days of the month, Met Office statistics show the UK mean temperature for this summer will be around 14.8C. This is just 0.5C above the long term average (1981-2010).

Rainfall overall is close to average, with the UK having seen 246.7mm of rain – which is just over the long-term average of 241.0mm. Rainfall from the final few days of August will add to this number, so overall the summer will be slightly wetter than average.

As ever when looking over a whole season, the statistics mask some big variations between each month.

June and July were both characterised by drier and warmer than average conditions across the UK which meant the summer was already one of the best we’ve seen in recent years.

Map showing August UK rainfall as a percentage of the long-term (1981-2010) average for the month

August bucked that trend, however, with cooler and wetter than average weather. Taken together, this has led to the fairly average final statistics for summer.

Looking specifically at the early August figures, also released today, the UK mean temperature up to the 27^th of the month is 13.8C which is 1.1C below the long-term average. This ranks it as currently the coolest August since 1993, but that could change when the final few days of the month are added.

August is also the first month since November 2013 to have been cooler than average, breaking an eight month run.

In terms of rainfall, August has been much wetter than average, with 127.1mm of rain which is 142% of the long-term average (89.5mm). This makes it the 18^th wettest August in the records, but it may climb higher when the figures for the whole month are available.

 

	Mean Temperature		Rainfall
Summer*	Actual (°C)	Diff from Avg	Actual (mm)	% of Avg
UK	14.8	0.5	258.2	107
England	15.9	0.4	211.6	109
Wales	14.8	0.3	257.5	90
Scotland	13.1	0.6	338.4	111
N Ireland	14.3	0.4	244.6	96

*Please note these are projected numbers that include statistics from 1 June to 27 August, then assume average conditions for the final few days of the season. They may not accurately represent the final full-season figures.

 

	Mean Temperature		Sunshine hours		Rainfall
August**	Actual (°C)	Diff from Avg	Actual (hours)	% of Avg	Actual (mm)	% of Avg
UK	13.8	-1.1	154.2	95	127.1	142
England	14.9	-1.2	169.7	93	103.4	149
Wales	13.9	-1.0	152.3	91	128.2	119
Scotland	11.9	-1.1	132.4	99	169.0	145
N Ireland	13.3	-1.0	134.2	99	112.8	116

** Please note these are preliminary statistics from 1-27 August. The final figures will change once statistics from the final few days of the month are included.