Monthly Weather Review - Pitsford Hall

Headline: Again cold with below average temperatures, but essentially cyclonic with frequent outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow.

It was an unsettled first week across Northamptonshire. Frequent frontal systems brought outbreaks of rain, including some snow on the 1st. Temperatures climbed from a low start becoming warm by the 5th which saw a daytime maximum of 9.4C, the highest recorded in the month. Sunshine was, however, in short supply with several days remaining completely overcast. Even the 5th only saw 1.8hrs of sunshine at Pitsford.

During the second week the weather was dominated by the movement of an area of high pressure between Scotland and Iceland. This introduced a cold northerly airflow and temperatures across Northamptonshire fell managing only 3.3C at Pitsford on the 8th with some nighttime air frosts on the 9th, 11th and 12th. Snow fell at Pitsford on the 8th and again on the 10th and 11th. However, snow amounts were slight compared to January with accumulations generally of just a few centimeters. Despite the cold most days recorded several hours of good sunshine.

An extended period of cyclonic conditions were introduced at the start of the third week as a deep low moved southwards from

Iceland

. Outbreaks of rain, sleet and even hail were recorded across the county. Some particularly disruptive snow fell across Northamptonshire on the afternoon of the 18th resulting in some treacherous journeys during the evening rush hour. Temperatures during the daytime struggled at 0.8C at Pitsford whilst air frosts were reported every night from the 18th through to the 23rd. The period from the 14th and 18th also saw very little sunshine, the most recorded being just 0.8hrs on the 16th.

Temperatures recovered from the 23rd onwards due to the incursion of warmer southerly airstreams. Snow flurries early in the day reverted to rain as temperatures rose. Subsequently, daytime maxima reached or exceeded 9C, comparable with the mild conditions in reached in the first week. However, the milder air brought with it outbreaks of rain, in fact the three days of the 25th, 26th and 27th were especially wet with 24 hour totals exceed 7mm on each day. The month ended with the return of colder weather brought on a northerly wind.

Air Temperatures    
The Highest Maximum: 9.4 C on 5th & 24th
The Lowest Maximum: 0.8 C on 18th
The Highest Minimum: 4.6 C on 25th
The Lowest Minimum: -2.4 C on 21st
The Mean Maximum: 5.5 C  
The Mean Minimum: 0.4 C  
The Overall Mean: 3.0 C  
Difference from the Monthly Mean: -1.1 C  
    
Solar Radiation    
Maximum (at 0900): 285.0 W/m^2 on 25th
Mean (at 0900): 66.6 W/m^2  
    
Relative Humidity:    
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 100% on 5th, 6th, 14th, 17th-19th, 22nd & 28th
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 73.6 % on 11th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 94.4 %  
    
Dew Point:    
The Highest Dew Point (0900): 6.0 C on 5th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): -3.8 C on 11th
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 1.3 C  
    
Rainfall:    
Total: 69.1 mm  
Percentage of the Monthly Mean: 186.8 %  
Duration: 110.7 hrs  
Highest 24 hour fall (0900 to 0900): 10.3 mm on 19th
Rain Days (>/=0.2mm): 23   
Wet Days (>/=1.0mm): 16   
    
Sunshine:    
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 36.5 hrs  
Sunniest day: 5.6 hrs on 9th
No. of days without sunshine: 11   
Percentage of the Monthly Mean: 48.3 %  
Cloud cover (mean at 0900): 6.5 oktas 81.3 %
    
Pressure (reduced to sea level):    
The Highest Pressure (at 0900): 1025.4 mb on 7th
The Lowest Pressure (at 0900): 984.9 mb on 26th
Mean Pressure (at 0900): 969.2 mb  
    
Winds    
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 110.9 miles  
Mean daily wind speed: 6.0 mph  
Run of wind (cumulative): 3106.2 miles  
Highest Maximum Gust: 38 mph on 26th
No. of gusts of 50mph or more: 0   
Highest wind strength (at 0900): 30.0 mph on 28th
Mean wind strength (at 0900): 7.4 mph  
    
Winds from the Following Directions:    

N 5 NE 2 E 3 SE 3 S 4 SW 2 W 1 NW 7 Calm 1
    
Concrete     
Lowest Concrete Minimum: -8.0 C on 4th
Mean Concrete Minimum: -1.5 C  
    
Evaporation    
Piche 28.7 ml  
Pan not available
    
Days with:    
Thunder: 0   
Hail <5mm: 1   
Hail >/=5mm: 0   
Snow or snow & rain: 9   
Snow lying: 8   
Fog: 2   
Air Frost: 13   
Duration of Air Frost: 48.0hrs
Gales: 0   

All data © Pitsford Hall weather station.

The weather station publishes a full Monthly Weather Report (ISSN 1741-4733) which is distributed to libraries across Northamptonshire. This report comprises a full UK weather diary, reports of extreme weather events across the county, statistics from Pitsford Hall's affiliated stations across the county as well as news from the weather station itself. Individuals may download this report for £2 or take out an annual subscription for the paper-based report for £25. Click here for further details.