1948 Rather Mild,Dry and Sunny; but a Cool and Dull Summer.
In the year that railways in Britain were nationalised to form 'British Railways', Israel became an independent State, and the Summer Olympics were held in England. Weather Notes:- 22nd February - Minimum of minus 15°C. over deep snow cover at East Malling (Kent) . 1st May - Hail was reported as being 15cm deep at White Waltham (Berkshire). 2nd August - Over 100mm of rain fell at Neath (Glamorgan) with a similar amount at Silsoe (Bedfordshire). 2nd December - Maximum temperature of over 18°C at Achnashellach (Ross and Cromarty) and just under 18°C at Llandudno (Gwynedd).
In London...
Temperature
10.9°C
Rainfall
545.6 mm
Warmest
33.8°C
Sunshine
1600 hrs
Coldest
-5.7°C
January - Mild and wet with below average sunshine.
Mean Temperature
6.5°C
Monthly Highest
13.3°C
Total Rain
91 mm
Monthly Lowest
-0.4°C
Total Sun
43 hrs
The temperature rose above 13°C on the 2nd, and there were many more very mild days during the month. It was briefly colder with sunny spells at the end of the third week, and after a maximum temperature of 4.5°C. on the 19th, the only frost during January occurred on the following night. There were few dry days during this changeable and windy month, but much of the rain that fell was light and drizzly. However, on the 29th, over 11mm was recorded.
February - Rather mild and sunny with below average rainfall.
Mean Temperature
5.2°C
Monthly Highest
14.6°C
Total Rain
36 mm
Monthly Lowest
-5.2°C
Total Sun
74 hrs
The first 2 weeks of February were mostly mild and changeable, but during the third week it became colder with some snow. After a severe frost on the night of the 19th/20th, the high on the following day was only minus 1.7°C. Melted snow gave the equivalent of nearly 12mm of rain on the 21st, but after rain and sleet on the following day, the remainder of the month was dry. During the last week, it became very mild, and on the 29th the temperature exceeded 14°C.
March - Very mild, dry and sunny.
Mean Temperature
8.8°C
Monthly Highest
21.4°C
Total Rain
13 mm
Monthly Lowest
0.6°C
Total Sun
140 hrs
The opening week of March was dry with sunny spells, although overnight mist and fog was slow to clear at times. On the 5th, the maximum temperature was only 5.4°C. During the second week it stayed dry, mostly sunny and it became exceptionally warm for early March. On the 9th the maximum temperature was over 21°C. The second half of the month was generally cooler and more unsettled, but no air frost occurred. On the 31st, over 9mm of rain fell.
April - Very sunny, rather mild and dry.
Mean Temperature
10.2°C
Monthly Highest
21.1°C
Total Rain
31 mm
Monthly Lowest
2.1°C
Total Sun
225 hrs
There was some unsettled and rather cool weather at times during the first fortnight of April. On the 4th, more than 9mm of rain was measured and the maximum temperature only reached 9.7°C. There was a grass frost early on the 10th, but it hen became warmer. Generally, the second half of the month was mild or very mild and it was mainly dry with sunny periods. On the 21st, the temperature rose above 21°C., and on the 26th it was sunny throughout the day.
May - Rather wet, but sunny, with temperatures a little above normal.
Mean Temperature
12.5°C
Monthly Highest
24.8°C
Total Rain
56 mm
Monthly Lowest
1.1°C
Total Sun
237 hrs
It was a cool start to May. The afternoon temperature only reached 10.7°C, on the 2nd, and on the following night there was a ground frost. There was rain at times, but there was a warm and mostly sunny spell around mid month. The temperature on the 18th almost reached 25°C., and it remained sunny all day. During the fourth week of May the weather became much cooler and it was unsettled at times. On the 29th there was almost 14mm of rain recorded.
June - Rather cool and dull with rainfall slightly below average.
Mean Temperature
14.9°C
Monthly Highest
25.4°C
Total Rain
42 mm
Monthly Lowest
7.9°C
Total Sun
179 hrs
In this unsettled month, it was cool during the first week, the temperature on the 3rd only rose from an early morning minimum near 8°C., to an afternoon maximum of just 13.7°C. There were some warm days, and on the 14th the temperature climbed above 25°C. Rain fell fairly frequently, and on the 19th nearly 8mm fell. Although It was often rather cloudy, there were some days when sunshine during the last week and it also briefly became rather warm.
July - Dry and rather cool with below average sunshine.
Mean Temperature
16.8°C
Monthly Highest
33.8°C
Total Rain
30 mm
Monthly Lowest
8.3°C
Total Sun
185 hrs
There was plenty of dry weather during July, but it was often rather cloudy. There were several cool, or very cool, days, and on the 4th the temperature only reached 13.7°. The weather briefy turned very hot during the last week, and on the 28th, the temperature almost reached 34°C. After a very warm night with the temperature not falling below 20.1°C., the 29th was also hot. However, the end of the month turned thundery, and on the 30th nearly 9mm of rain fell.
August - Cool, dull and rather wet .
Mean Temperature
16.2°C
Monthly Highest
25.7°C
Total Rain
73 mm
Monthly Lowest
7.9°C
Total Sun
152 hrs
On the 1st the temperature nearly reached 26°C., a rare warm day in this mostly cool month. The 2nd was cooler, and on the 3rd the maximum temperature was only 17.2°C. There were several showery days during the first fortnight, and some of the showers were heavy and thundery. On the 8th, over 27mm of rain fell. After mid month, although, temperatures generally stayed below average, there were some dry and bright days, and on the 29th it was sunny all day.
September - Dry with above average sunshine and temperatures close to normal.
Mean Temperature
14.6°C
Monthly Highest
23.2°C
Total Rain
31 mm
Monthly Lowest
4.2°C
Total Sun
159 hrs
The first half of the month was changeable, although rainfall was light and there were several dry days. On the 9th, it was sunny all day and the temperature rose above 23°C. On the 12th, over 16mm of rain fell. After mid month, there was plenty of dry weather, but until the last week it was often cool. On the 21st the temperature failed to rise above 12.7°C.and on the following night the minimum was close to 4°C. On the 26th, the temperature rose above 20°C. again.
October - Below average temperatures, rainfall and sunshine.
Mean Temperature
10.2°C
Monthly Highest
20.0°C
Total Rain
46 mm
Monthly Lowest
-2.7°C
Total Sun
92 hrs
The first week was fairly warm with plenty of sunshine. On the 2nd the temperature reached 20°C. Temperatures were then mostly close to normal until the last week. The weather was rather changeable but with plenty of dry days. On the 25th, over 8mm of rain fell, and then winds became north to northwesterly and it became much colder. On the night of the 26th/27th the temperature fell close to minus 3°C., and the maximum on the 30th was only 7.2°C.
November - Very sunny and rather dry with temperstures close to average.
Mean Temperature
7.4°C
Monthly Highest
16.3°C
Total Rain
40 mm
Monthly Lowest
-3.8°C
Total Sun
70 hrs
There was plenty of dry weather during November, there were some unsettled spells, especially early in the month. On the 7th, nearly 15mm of rain fell. It was mild at first, and on the 3rd the high was above 16°C. Sunshine was frequent until the last week, but it then turned foggy. Fog, occasionally freezing with visibilities below 10mm at times, was almost continuous from early on the 27th until the end of the month. On the 29th the temperature failed to rise above 3.0°C.
December -Rather mild with above average sunshine and near normal rainfall.
Mean Temperature
6.5°C
Monthly Highest
13.5°C
Total Rain
51 mm
Monthly Lowest
-5.7°C
Total Sun
45 hrs
Fog dispersed on the morning of the 1st and then the month was mostly mild and changeable but rain was mainly light with several sunny days occurring. On the 14th the temperature rose above 13°C. Around Christmas it became colder, and after a minimum close to minus 6°C. on the morning of the 26th, the temperature during the day only rose to 0.3°C. There were further spells of sunshine, but after a sunny day on the 29th, over 15mm of rain fell on the 30th.
