2002 Very wet; mild winter months
In the year that the Euro took over from the Peseta as the Spanish currency, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother died aged 101, and Switzerland joined the United Nations. In the music world, the charts were dominated by Enrique Inglesias (the son of 1981 hit-parader Julio Inglesias) with 'Hero'; and the late Elvis Presley who had his 18th hit with 'A little less conversation.'
Weather Notes:-
1st and 2nd February - Ebbw Vale (Blaenau Gwent) had 148 mm of rain in 48 hours, of which, 108mm fell during the first 24 hours.
1st August - Fylingdales (North Yorkshire) had 115 mm of rain.
9th September - Swanage (Dorset) had 121 mm of rain.
In London...
January - Mild, sunny and rather dry.
The year started cold and sunny with sharp overnight frosts. The low the morning of the 1st was minus 7.1°C. It became unsettled from the 4th, but amounts of rain were small until the 12th and it remained rather cold. From the 12th onwards there were no more completely dry days. It became milder, and after the 19th maximum temperatures exceeded 10°C. On the 27th, 29th and 30th the temperature almost reached 14°C.
February - Very mild sunny and wet.
Southwesterly winds were dominant and brought unsettled weather. There were no cold days during the month and no snow, with the only air frosts occurring during a short dry spell in the middle of the month. There were 14 days when the temperature reached, or exceeded, 12°C. Unusually, there were 3 days with thunderstorms during the month, and some heavy downpours, including pea-sized hail on the 28th.
March - Rather mild sunny and fairly wet.
The first week was mainly dry, and after early frosts, it became quite mild. The high on the 7th exceeded 15°C. From the second week until the 20th it was very unsettled , and around mid month it was quite cold. After the 20th it was dry and there were many hours of sunshine during the last 11 days. Although the nights were chilly, the days were pleasantly mild. On the 30th the temperature almost reached 18°C.
April - Very sunny, mild and dry.
No measurable rain fell during the first 16 days of April and there was plenty of sunshine. It was warm at first, and on the 3rd the temperature rose to 21°C. Thundery showers, with hail, occurred on the 18th before it became mostly dry again and warm. The maximum temperatures exceeded 21°C. from the 22nd to the 24th, including a high of 23.6°C. on the 23rd. The last 6 days of the month were very unsettled and quite windy. .
May - Wet and rather dull with temperatures close to average.
In this changeable month there were 4 days when thunder was reported, twice the monthly average, and several heavy downpours. Extensive cloud cover helped to keep the nights warmer than average, but days were cooler than normal for the same reason. The warmest period was around the middle of the month, and on the 16th the temperature rose to 25.4°C, 1 of only 3 days when the temperature rose above 20°C.
June - Rather wet with below average sunshine and temperatures close to average.
Apart from the first 2 day, the first fortnight of the month was cool and unsettled. In the 24 hours from 10 am on the 5th there were 42mm of rain. The 3rd week of June was warm at times, and on the 17th the temperature rose to 27.3°C. Although unsettled, the rain was mainly light. From the 22nd to the 29th there was no measurable rain and plenty of sunshine, but it was not particularly warm and the nights were quite cool.
July - Wet and rather cool with below average sunshine.
The first 12 days of July were mostly cool and changeable. On the 2nd there were 13mm of rain and the temperature only rose to 17.3°C. From the 13th to the 29th there was no measurable rain and it was warm at times. On the 15th the temperature reached 26.3°C., but on the 28th and 29th it climbed to 30.3°C. and 32°C. respectively. The last 2 days of July were cooler and wet with a total of over 21mm of rain.
August - Rather wet and dull with temperatures close to normal.
The opening 2 days of the month were fine but it turned thundery and mostly rather cool or cool until the 12th. On the 3rd, 19mm of rain fell. The following fortnight was warmer with the temperature on the 17th reaching 29.5°C. Plenty of dry weather occurred and even though it turned generally cooler towards the end of the month, with a high of only 17.1°C on the 26th, there was only 0.2mm of rain after the 20th..
September - Very dry and rather sunny with temperatures close to average.
Dry and warm weather over the first 4 days was followed by a short changeable spell. On the 9th there were 16mm of rain, but it then settled down with only a further 1mm of rain falling during the remainder of the month.. Daytime temperatures were close to, or even a little above, normal, and on the 13th the maximum was 24.2°C with 21.2°C. recorded on the 30th. . However, the nights were often cool.
October - Rather dull with temperatures and rainfall a little below normal.
The first week was warm with 21°C. on the 1st, and with 20.6°C on the 3rd Although no measurable rain occurred between the 3rd and the 8th, most of the month was unsettled and some heavy rain occurred, particularly around the middle of October. On the 13th, 16mm fell with 11mm on the 21st.. Slight frost occurred on a couple of nights after mid month, and on the 20th the temperature only rose to 9.4°C..
November - Mild and very wet with sunshine close to average.
There were only 4 dry days in this very unsettled month. The active weather systems gave 6 days with rain over 10mm, although no falls exceeded 20mm. There were some very mild days during the first half of November with several days when the temperature reached 14 or 15°C. The second half of the month was somewhat cooler, although only 3 maxima dipped under 10°C. On the night of the 17th/18th there was the only air frost of the month.
December - Very wet, dull and mild.
The month began mild but it turned colder at the end of the first week. It remained rather cold or cold until the 20th, and on the 11th the temperature only reached 3.7°C. However, no snow fell during December and there was only 1 very slight air frost. After the 21st it became very mild, with highs above 10°C. until the 31st, and it was wet, with rainfall exceeding 10mm on 5 occasions, and on the 30th the total was nearly 32 mm.
1st and 2nd February - Ebbw Vale (Blaenau Gwent) had 148 mm of rain in 48 hours, of which, 108mm fell during the first 24 hours.
1st August - Fylingdales (North Yorkshire) had 115 mm of rain.
9th September - Swanage (Dorset) had 121 mm of rain.
In London...
| Temperature | 11.9°C | Rainfall | 847.6 mm | Warmest | 32.0°C |
| Sunshine | 1400 hrs | Coldest | -7.1°C |
January - Mild, sunny and rather dry.
| Mean Temperature | 6.8°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 13.8°C | Total Rain | 47 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -7.1°C | Total Sun | 57 hrs |
The year started cold and sunny with sharp overnight frosts. The low the morning of the 1st was minus 7.1°C. It became unsettled from the 4th, but amounts of rain were small until the 12th and it remained rather cold. From the 12th onwards there were no more completely dry days. It became milder, and after the 19th maximum temperatures exceeded 10°C. On the 27th, 29th and 30th the temperature almost reached 14°C.
February - Very mild sunny and wet.
| Mean Temperature | 8.5°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 13.9°C | Total Rain | 77 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -2.3°C | Total Sun | 79 hrs |
Southwesterly winds were dominant and brought unsettled weather. There were no cold days during the month and no snow, with the only air frosts occurring during a short dry spell in the middle of the month. There were 14 days when the temperature reached, or exceeded, 12°C. Unusually, there were 3 days with thunderstorms during the month, and some heavy downpours, including pea-sized hail on the 28th.
March - Rather mild sunny and fairly wet.
| Mean Temperature | 8.7°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 17.7°C | Total Rain | 44 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -2.6°C | Total Sun | 118 hrs |
The first week was mainly dry, and after early frosts, it became quite mild. The high on the 7th exceeded 15°C. From the second week until the 20th it was very unsettled , and around mid month it was quite cold. After the 20th it was dry and there were many hours of sunshine during the last 11 days. Although the nights were chilly, the days were pleasantly mild. On the 30th the temperature almost reached 18°C.
April - Very sunny, mild and dry.
| Mean Temperature | 10.7°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 23.6°C | Total Rain | 45 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 0.2°C | Total Sun | 191 hrs |
No measurable rain fell during the first 16 days of April and there was plenty of sunshine. It was warm at first, and on the 3rd the temperature rose to 21°C. Thundery showers, with hail, occurred on the 18th before it became mostly dry again and warm. The maximum temperatures exceeded 21°C. from the 22nd to the 24th, including a high of 23.6°C. on the 23rd. The last 6 days of the month were very unsettled and quite windy. .
May - Wet and rather dull with temperatures close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 13.2°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 25.4°C | Total Rain | 74 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 3.3°C | Total Sun | 150 hrs |
In this changeable month there were 4 days when thunder was reported, twice the monthly average, and several heavy downpours. Extensive cloud cover helped to keep the nights warmer than average, but days were cooler than normal for the same reason. The warmest period was around the middle of the month, and on the 16th the temperature rose to 25.4°C, 1 of only 3 days when the temperature rose above 20°C.
June - Rather wet with below average sunshine and temperatures close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 15.7°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 27.3°C | Total Rain | 63 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 7.7°C | Total Sun | 167 hrs |
Apart from the first 2 day, the first fortnight of the month was cool and unsettled. In the 24 hours from 10 am on the 5th there were 42mm of rain. The 3rd week of June was warm at times, and on the 17th the temperature rose to 27.3°C. Although unsettled, the rain was mainly light. From the 22nd to the 29th there was no measurable rain and plenty of sunshine, but it was not particularly warm and the nights were quite cool.
July - Wet and rather cool with below average sunshine.
| Mean Temperature | 17.6°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 32.0°C | Total Rain | 67 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 7.7°C | Total Sun | 164 hrs |
The first 12 days of July were mostly cool and changeable. On the 2nd there were 13mm of rain and the temperature only rose to 17.3°C. From the 13th to the 29th there was no measurable rain and it was warm at times. On the 15th the temperature reached 26.3°C., but on the 28th and 29th it climbed to 30.3°C. and 32°C. respectively. The last 2 days of July were cooler and wet with a total of over 21mm of rain.
August - Rather wet and dull with temperatures close to normal.
| Mean Temperature | 18.6°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 29.5°C | Total Rain | 61 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 10.2°C | Total Sun | 150 hrs |
The opening 2 days of the month were fine but it turned thundery and mostly rather cool or cool until the 12th. On the 3rd, 19mm of rain fell. The following fortnight was warmer with the temperature on the 17th reaching 29.5°C. Plenty of dry weather occurred and even though it turned generally cooler towards the end of the month, with a high of only 17.1°C on the 26th, there was only 0.2mm of rain after the 20th..
September - Very dry and rather sunny with temperatures close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 15.0°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 24.2°C | Total Rain | 19 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 4.9°C | Total Sun | 147 hrs |
Dry and warm weather over the first 4 days was followed by a short changeable spell. On the 9th there were 16mm of rain, but it then settled down with only a further 1mm of rain falling during the remainder of the month.. Daytime temperatures were close to, or even a little above, normal, and on the 13th the maximum was 24.2°C with 21.2°C. recorded on the 30th. . However, the nights were often cool.
October - Rather dull with temperatures and rainfall a little below normal.
| Mean Temperature | 11.4°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 21.0°C | Total Rain | 68 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -0.6°C | Total Sun | 84 hrs |
The first week was warm with 21°C. on the 1st, and with 20.6°C on the 3rd Although no measurable rain occurred between the 3rd and the 8th, most of the month was unsettled and some heavy rain occurred, particularly around the middle of October. On the 13th, 16mm fell with 11mm on the 21st.. Slight frost occurred on a couple of nights after mid month, and on the 20th the temperature only rose to 9.4°C..
November - Mild and very wet with sunshine close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 9.8°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 15.7°C | Total Rain | 148 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -0.2°C | Total Sun | 62 hrs |
There were only 4 dry days in this very unsettled month. The active weather systems gave 6 days with rain over 10mm, although no falls exceeded 20mm. There were some very mild days during the first half of November with several days when the temperature reached 14 or 15°C. The second half of the month was somewhat cooler, although only 3 maxima dipped under 10°C. On the night of the 17th/18th there was the only air frost of the month.
December - Very wet, dull and mild.
| Mean Temperature | 7.1°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 13.2°C | Total Rain | 133 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -0.2°C | Total Sun | 31 hrs |
The month began mild but it turned colder at the end of the first week. It remained rather cold or cold until the 20th, and on the 11th the temperature only reached 3.7°C. However, no snow fell during December and there was only 1 very slight air frost. After the 21st it became very mild, with highs above 10°C. until the 31st, and it was wet, with rainfall exceeding 10mm on 5 occasions, and on the 30th the total was nearly 32 mm.
