2004 An average year but a wet August
In the year that 10 new countries join the EU, including Malta and Cyprus, the Crown Prince of Denmark married an Australian, and Michael Schumacher becomes the most successful Formula One driver of all time after winning his 7th title. The Christmas Holiday was marred by the tsunami which killed over 200,000 people in countries bordering the Indian Ocean. In the music world the death was announced of DJ John Peel.
Weather Notes:-
8th May - The temperature rose above 20 °C. at Baltasound, Shetland.
7th/8th July- Wittering (nr Peterborough) had 109 mm of rain.
16th August - Torrential rain led to severe flooding in Boscastle (Cornwall), with nearly 200 mm of rain falling at Otterham in 4 hours.
5th September - Maximum temperature of 29° C. at Wisley (Surrey).
In London...
January - Very sunny, wet and rather mild.
In this very changeable, and often windy, month, there were only 2 completely dry days, these both occurring during the last week. Rain was sometimes heavy, more especially during the first half of the month. On the 28th, snow was accompanied by thunder in the early evening. The maximum temperature on the 3rd was only 4.1°C, and it was rather cold from the 26th to the final day of the month; otherwise mild weather prevailed..
February - Rather dry with sunshine and temperatures close to normal.
The first week was mild or very mild, windy and often wet. On the 4th, the temperature reached 17.6°C.Temperatures fell back closer to normal during the second week, and after mid month it became mostly rather cold or cold. On the 20th the maximum temperature was only 3.1°C. There was an air frost on 8 out of the last 9 nights of the month, and sleet or snow was observed on 5 out of the last 6 days.
March - Rather cold and slightly drier and duller than normal.
The opening week began cold and sunny with 3 frosty nights, the only air frosts during the month. It then became unsettled, and during the second week it was cold with a mix of rain, sleet and wintery showers. Around mid month it was milder for a while, with a high of 16.5°C. on the 16th. Colder, showery weather followed during the fourth week, but the end of the month was dry and sunny with the temperature on the 31st rising to 19.1°C.
April - Rather mild with above average rainfall and slightly above average sunshine.
The first 10 days were mostly windy and showery. It was mild at first, and on the 1st the temperature reached 16.4°C. It was mild, or very mild and mainly dry around mid month, and again during the 4th week. when temperatures were above 20°C. on each of the 4 days from the 23rd to the 26th. On the 24th the high was 22.6°C. In between, it was cooler and thundery with rain totals above 10 millimetres on the 18th and 27th.
May - Wet, rather dull with temperatures close to normal.
An unsettled, and often windy, start to the month, produced over 25mm of rain during the first 5 days. After a high of 20.0°C. on the 2nd, the 4th was a particularly cool day with a high of only 11.8°C.. No rain fell between the 10th and the 19th, and it became quite warm. On the 17th, the high was 24.9°C. A very heavy shower gave 17 millimetres of rain on the 18th with further heavy rain at the end of the month.
June - Rather warm and dry with sunshine close to normal.
Less than 1mm of rain fell during the first 19 days of June and it was mostly rather warm or warm. A total of 8 days had maxima above 25°C, including a maximum temperature of 29.7°C on the 8th. From the 18th to the 24th there was a cool spell, and on the 20th and 23rd the maximum was only a little over 16°C. It was unsettled for a while, too, and on the 22nd there were over 20mm of rain. A further 9mm of rain fell on the 27th.
July - Cool but fairly dry and dull.
The first fortnight was mostly cool or very cool with the temperature only rising above 22°C. once. On the 4th, the maximum was 17.3°C. It was unsettled, and often thundery, and on the 7th over 13mm of rain fell. After mid month there were 6 days with maxima above 25°C, and on the 29th the temperature reached 28.7°C. Only 4mm of rain fell after the 11th, with no measurable rain after the 23rd.
August - Very wet and dull with temperatures a little above average.
The first fortnight was warm or very warm but with several thundery downpours. On both the 7th and 8th the temperature rose close to 30°C., but on 3 days during the opening 2 weeks 10mm or more of rain fell. In a month when thunderstorms occurred on 6 days, the heaviest thundery rain was on the 18th with a total of more than 33mm. After the 18th,the month was generally rather cool or cool, and maxima on the 29th and 30th were below 20°C.
September - Very dry, warm and rather sunny.
The initial 11 days of the month were warm or very warm with maximum temperatures exceeding 21°C., and on the 5th the high was 28.2°C. Temperatures were then mostly close to normal for the remainder of the month. No rain was recorded on the first 8 days of September, but it was changeable through the rest of the month. However, most of the rain was light with the 7mm on the 12th the only daily fall above 4mm.
October - Dull and wet with temperatures close to normal.
In this very changeable month there were 5 days when thunder was heard, and 3 days when rainfall exceeded 10mm. The wettest day was the 13th with 23mm of rain falling. Temperatures were near normal on most days, although 17°C. was bettered on 6 occasions with 18.3°C recorded on the 24th. There was a cool interlude mid month and on the both the 15th and 16th the temperature failed to rise above 11°C.
November - Dry, rather dull with temperatures a little above normal.
Pressure was higher than normal during November, and although the weather was changeable, fronts were weak, winds were not strong and rainfall was mostly light with 5mm only exceeded on 2 occasions. It was mild during the first week, and for most of the fourth week. The temperature on both the 3rd and 22nd rose above 14°C. On the 20th, the maximum only reached 3.6°C and sleet fell during the afternoon.
December - Rather dry and sunny with temperatures close to average.
No measurable rain fell during the opening 2 weeks of December, Temperatures varied between mild and rather cold, and on the 13th the high was only 2.1°C. Marked temperature variations occurred through the rest of the month with neither mild or rather cold spells lasting long. No snow fell, but the second half of the month was wet at times, especially on the 17th and 18th when those 48 hours yielded 28mm of rain.
8th May - The temperature rose above 20 °C. at Baltasound, Shetland.
7th/8th July- Wittering (nr Peterborough) had 109 mm of rain.
16th August - Torrential rain led to severe flooding in Boscastle (Cornwall), with nearly 200 mm of rain falling at Otterham in 4 hours.
5th September - Maximum temperature of 29° C. at Wisley (Surrey).
In London...
| Temperature | 10.6°C | Rainfall | 670.6 mm | Warmest | 30.1°C |
| Sunshine | 1359 hrs | Coldest | -5.3°C |
January - Very sunny, wet and rather mild.
| Mean Temperature | 6.2 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 12.2°C | Total Rain | 80 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.2°C | Total Sun | 59 hrs |
In this very changeable, and often windy, month, there were only 2 completely dry days, these both occurring during the last week. Rain was sometimes heavy, more especially during the first half of the month. On the 28th, snow was accompanied by thunder in the early evening. The maximum temperature on the 3rd was only 4.1°C, and it was rather cold from the 26th to the final day of the month; otherwise mild weather prevailed..
February - Rather dry with sunshine and temperatures close to normal.
| Mean Temperature | 6.3 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 17.6°C | Total Rain | 31 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.9°C | Total Sun | 66 hrs |
The first week was mild or very mild, windy and often wet. On the 4th, the temperature reached 17.6°C.Temperatures fell back closer to normal during the second week, and after mid month it became mostly rather cold or cold. On the 20th the maximum temperature was only 3.1°C. There was an air frost on 8 out of the last 9 nights of the month, and sleet or snow was observed on 5 out of the last 6 days.
March - Rather cold and slightly drier and duller than normal.
| Mean Temperature | 7.4 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 19.1°C | Total Rain | 32 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -5.3°C | Total Sun | 96 hrs |
The opening week began cold and sunny with 3 frosty nights, the only air frosts during the month. It then became unsettled, and during the second week it was cold with a mix of rain, sleet and wintery showers. Around mid month it was milder for a while, with a high of 16.5°C. on the 16th. Colder, showery weather followed during the fourth week, but the end of the month was dry and sunny with the temperature on the 31st rising to 19.1°C.
April - Rather mild with above average rainfall and slightly above average sunshine.
| Mean Temperature | 10.2 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 22.6°C | Total Rain | 65 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -0.2°C | Total Sun | 136 hrs |
The first 10 days were mostly windy and showery. It was mild at first, and on the 1st the temperature reached 16.4°C. It was mild, or very mild and mainly dry around mid month, and again during the 4th week. when temperatures were above 20°C. on each of the 4 days from the 23rd to the 26th. On the 24th the high was 22.6°C. In between, it was cooler and thundery with rain totals above 10 millimetres on the 18th and 27th.
May - Wet, rather dull with temperatures close to normal.
| Mean Temperature | 13.6 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 24.9°C | Total Rain | 67 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 3.6°C | Total Sun | 174 hrs |
An unsettled, and often windy, start to the month, produced over 25mm of rain during the first 5 days. After a high of 20.0°C. on the 2nd, the 4th was a particularly cool day with a high of only 11.8°C.. No rain fell between the 10th and the 19th, and it became quite warm. On the 17th, the high was 24.9°C. A very heavy shower gave 17 millimetres of rain on the 18th with further heavy rain at the end of the month.
June - Rather warm and dry with sunshine close to normal.
| Mean Temperature | 16.8 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 29.7°C | Total Rain | 39 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 6.0°C | Total Sun | 178 hrs |
Less than 1mm of rain fell during the first 19 days of June and it was mostly rather warm or warm. A total of 8 days had maxima above 25°C, including a maximum temperature of 29.7°C on the 8th. From the 18th to the 24th there was a cool spell, and on the 20th and 23rd the maximum was only a little over 16°C. It was unsettled for a while, too, and on the 22nd there were over 20mm of rain. A further 9mm of rain fell on the 27th.
July - Cool but fairly dry and dull.
| Mean Temperature | 17.6 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 28.7°C | Total Rain | 34 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 7.9°C | Total Sun | 158 hrs |
The first fortnight was mostly cool or very cool with the temperature only rising above 22°C. once. On the 4th, the maximum was 17.3°C. It was unsettled, and often thundery, and on the 7th over 13mm of rain fell. After mid month there were 6 days with maxima above 25°C, and on the 29th the temperature reached 28.7°C. Only 4mm of rain fell after the 11th, with no measurable rain after the 23rd.
August - Very wet and dull with temperatures a little above average.
| Mean Temperature | 19.1 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 30.1°C | Total Rain | 111 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 8.3°C | Total Sun | 163 hrs |
The first fortnight was warm or very warm but with several thundery downpours. On both the 7th and 8th the temperature rose close to 30°C., but on 3 days during the opening 2 weeks 10mm or more of rain fell. In a month when thunderstorms occurred on 6 days, the heaviest thundery rain was on the 18th with a total of more than 33mm. After the 18th,the month was generally rather cool or cool, and maxima on the 29th and 30th were below 20°C.
September - Very dry, warm and rather sunny.
| Mean Temperature | 16.3 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 28.2°C | Total Rain | 22 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 4.3°C | Total Sun | 147 hrs |
The initial 11 days of the month were warm or very warm with maximum temperatures exceeding 21°C., and on the 5th the high was 28.2°C. Temperatures were then mostly close to normal for the remainder of the month. No rain was recorded on the first 8 days of September, but it was changeable through the rest of the month. However, most of the rain was light with the 7mm on the 12th the only daily fall above 4mm.
October - Dull and wet with temperatures close to normal.
| Mean Temperature | 11.9 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 18.3°C | Total Rain | 103 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 1.6°C | Total Sun | 75 hrs |
In this very changeable month there were 5 days when thunder was heard, and 3 days when rainfall exceeded 10mm. The wettest day was the 13th with 23mm of rain falling. Temperatures were near normal on most days, although 17°C. was bettered on 6 occasions with 18.3°C recorded on the 24th. There was a cool interlude mid month and on the both the 15th and 16th the temperature failed to rise above 11°C.
November - Dry, rather dull with temperatures a little above normal.
| Mean Temperature | 8.5 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 14.8°C | Total Rain | 34 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -1.9°C | Total Sun | 54 hrs |
Pressure was higher than normal during November, and although the weather was changeable, fronts were weak, winds were not strong and rainfall was mostly light with 5mm only exceeded on 2 occasions. It was mild during the first week, and for most of the fourth week. The temperature on both the 3rd and 22nd rose above 14°C. On the 20th, the maximum only reached 3.6°C and sleet fell during the afternoon.
December - Rather dry and sunny with temperatures close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 5.9 °C | ||
| Monthly highest | 13.1°C | Total Rain | 53 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.9°C | Total Sun | 53 hrs |
No measurable rain fell during the opening 2 weeks of December, Temperatures varied between mild and rather cold, and on the 13th the high was only 2.1°C. Marked temperature variations occurred through the rest of the month with neither mild or rather cold spells lasting long. No snow fell, but the second half of the month was wet at times, especially on the 17th and 18th when those 48 hours yielded 28mm of rain.
