1903 Wet and Rather Cool. A Very Poor Summer
In the year that Cuba leased Guantanamo Bay to the United States for an unlimited period, the first Tour de France cycle race took place, and the Wright brothers made their first flight in a petrol-driven aircraft.
Weather Notes:-
13th-15th June - Camden Square (London) had over 58 hours of continuous rain.
23rd July - Buckhurst Hill (Essex) measured 110mm of rain.
8th October - Newcastle-upon-Tyne had 100mm of rain.
In London...
January - Rather mild and sunny with near average rainfall.
There was some very mild and wet weather during the first week of January. On the 5th, the maximum temperature reached 12°C. and 11mm of rain fell. Around mid month it became colder with some fog, frost and a little snow. On the 16th, the highest temperature was only 0,1°C after an overnight minimum near minus 4°C. There was further changeable weather during the rest of the month, but It was mild at times and there were some spells of sunshine.
February - Very mild, rather dry and sunny.
There were no cold days during this very mild month, although the maximum temperature on the 2nd was only 5.5°C. Winds were mostly from between south and west, and although it was breezy at times, pressure was relatively high and frontal systems were weak. Frost was rare, but a sharp one occurred on the morning of the 19th. The temperature reached 14°C. on the 20th, but although there were several sunny days, rain on the 28th amounted to almost 7mm.
March - Mild and wet with above average sunshine.
In this very unsettled March there were no cold days and no sleet or snow was observed. Rain fell frequently but much of it was light, although nearly 9mm fell on the 2nd. Maximum temperatures were mostly around 11 or 12°C., but the highest value was only 7.3°C. on the 10th, and on the following night there was an air frost. The last air frost of the Spring occurred early on the 20th and it then became very mild. The temperature on the 25th rose above 18°C.
April - Cold and rather dull with rainfall close to average.
The mean temperature during Aprl was lower than during the preceding February, a most unusual event. There were many ground frosts and several slight air frosts, especially during the third week. On the 16th, the maximum temperature was only 6.9°C. There was plenty of dry, but rather cloudy, weather, but during the last week of the month it became milder and wetter. On the 26th there was over 18mm of rain, and the temperature on the 29th rose above 15°C.
May - Wet and rather dull with slightly below average temperatures.
The beginning of the month was mostly rather cool, fairly cloudy and changeable. On the 11th the maximum temperature only reached 10.3°C. Grass frosts occurred at the end of the second week, but the latter part of May was generally warmer and sunnier, but with occasional thundery downpours. On the 30th the afternoon temperature exceeded 24°C., but some thunderstorms late in the day produced some heavy rain, and a total close to 24mm was recorded.
June - Very wet, cool and rather dull.
The first week was changeable but amounts of rain were generally smal. From the 9th until the 19th the weather was distinctly cool and cyclonic with some heavy and persistent downpours. On the 10th over 25mm of rain fell, and on the 13th, over 38mm of rain was recorded. A strong northerly wind developed on the 19th and the temperature only reached 10.1°C. No further rain fell in June after the 20th, and on the 27th the temperature reached 27°C.
July - Wet and rather cool with slightly below normal sunshine.
No measurable rain fell during the first 11 days of the month and it was fairly sunny and warm. On the 1st it was sunny throughout the day, and on the 11th, the maximum temperature was above 28°C. During the second week it became changeable and rather cool or cool, and this unsettled weather then persisted through the remainder of the month. On the 18th, nearly 33mm of rain was recorded, and on the 20th the maximum temperature was only 16.4°C.
August - Cool and wet with slightly above average sunshine.
There were a few rather warm and sunny days early in the month, and after a sunny day on the 7th, the maximum temperature on the 8th almost reached 25°C. Generally, though, the month was cool, unsettled and occasionally windy and wet. A particularly cool and changeable spell of weather occurred during the fourth week, and on the 24th, nearly 28mm of rain was measured. On the following day the highest afternoon temperature was only 15.7°C.
September - Wet, sunny and rather cool.
The month began very warm and sunny with the afternoon temperature on the 1st reaching 26°C. A breakdown in the fine weather occurred later in the first week and on the 4th nearly 38mm of rain was measured. A particularly cool and windy spell occurred around mid month with a high of only 13.1°C. on the 15th. On the night of the 16th/17th the temperature fell below 3°C. The last 2 weeks of the month were warmer, but the weather stayed fairly changeable.
October - Very wet, rather mild and dull.
In this very unsettled and windy month there were only 6 days without measurable rain. On the 1st the maximum temperature rose above 18°C. and there were several more mild days early in the month. On the 11th over 26mm of rain fell, and further heavy falls occurred throughout the month. In this frost-free October there were no cold days, but some cooler days and nights occurred towards the end of October. The maximum temperature on the 23rd was only 11.1°C.
November - Rather dry with below average sunshine and slightly below normal temperatures.
In this rather cloudy and changeable month temperatures were mostly close to normal during the first 3 weeks, but on the 1st the temperature reached 13°C. There were plenty of dry days, and rainfall was generally light, but towards the end of the third week it became rather more unsettled and colder. The first frost of the autumn occurred early on the 20th, over 15mm of rain was measured on the 27th, and the maximum temperature on the 30th was only 1.9°C.
December - Very dull, cold and rather dry.
There were some sunny spells during the first week and some overnight frosts occurred. The second week was milder, cloudy and occasionally wet. The temperature on the 9th exceeded 11°C. On the 10th over 15mm of rain was recorded. The rather cloudy, damp and sometimes rather cold, weather continued until the last few days of the month. It then became much colder with a little sleet and snow. The highest temperature on the 31st was only minus 0.3°C.
13th-15th June - Camden Square (London) had over 58 hours of continuous rain.
23rd July - Buckhurst Hill (Essex) measured 110mm of rain.
8th October - Newcastle-upon-Tyne had 100mm of rain.
In London...
| Temperature | 10.0°C | Rainfall | 969.5 mm | Warmest | 28.5°C |
| Sunshine | 1428 hrs | Coldest | -3.9°C |
January - Rather mild and sunny with near average rainfall.
| Mean Temperature | 4.8°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 12.0°C | Total Rain | 56 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.9°C | Total Sun | 52 hrs |
There was some very mild and wet weather during the first week of January. On the 5th, the maximum temperature reached 12°C. and 11mm of rain fell. Around mid month it became colder with some fog, frost and a little snow. On the 16th, the highest temperature was only 0,1°C after an overnight minimum near minus 4°C. There was further changeable weather during the rest of the month, but It was mild at times and there were some spells of sunshine.
February - Very mild, rather dry and sunny.
| Mean Temperature | 7.2°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 14.0°C | Total Rain | 25 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.7°C | Total Sun | 75 hrs |
There were no cold days during this very mild month, although the maximum temperature on the 2nd was only 5.5°C. Winds were mostly from between south and west, and although it was breezy at times, pressure was relatively high and frontal systems were weak. Frost was rare, but a sharp one occurred on the morning of the 19th. The temperature reached 14°C. on the 20th, but although there were several sunny days, rain on the 28th amounted to almost 7mm.
March - Mild and wet with above average sunshine.
| Mean Temperature | 7.7°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 18.5°C | Total Rain | 60 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -2.1°C | Total Sun | 128 hrs |
In this very unsettled March there were no cold days and no sleet or snow was observed. Rain fell frequently but much of it was light, although nearly 9mm fell on the 2nd. Maximum temperatures were mostly around 11 or 12°C., but the highest value was only 7.3°C. on the 10th, and on the following night there was an air frost. The last air frost of the Spring occurred early on the 20th and it then became very mild. The temperature on the 25th rose above 18°C.
April - Cold and rather dull with rainfall close to average.
| Mean Temperature | 7.1°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 15.4°C | Total Rain | 45 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -1.1°C | Total Sun | 135 hrs |
The mean temperature during Aprl was lower than during the preceding February, a most unusual event. There were many ground frosts and several slight air frosts, especially during the third week. On the 16th, the maximum temperature was only 6.9°C. There was plenty of dry, but rather cloudy, weather, but during the last week of the month it became milder and wetter. On the 26th there was over 18mm of rain, and the temperature on the 29th rose above 15°C.
May - Wet and rather dull with slightly below average temperatures.
| Mean Temperature | 12.2°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 24.2°C | Total Rain | 85 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 1.6°C | Total Sun | 162 hrs |
The beginning of the month was mostly rather cool, fairly cloudy and changeable. On the 11th the maximum temperature only reached 10.3°C. Grass frosts occurred at the end of the second week, but the latter part of May was generally warmer and sunnier, but with occasional thundery downpours. On the 30th the afternoon temperature exceeded 24°C., but some thunderstorms late in the day produced some heavy rain, and a total close to 24mm was recorded.
June - Very wet, cool and rather dull.
| Mean Temperature | 13.2°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 27.1°C | Total Rain | 183 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 4.2°C | Total Sun | 184 hrs |
The first week was changeable but amounts of rain were generally smal. From the 9th until the 19th the weather was distinctly cool and cyclonic with some heavy and persistent downpours. On the 10th over 25mm of rain fell, and on the 13th, over 38mm of rain was recorded. A strong northerly wind developed on the 19th and the temperature only reached 10.1°C. No further rain fell in June after the 20th, and on the 27th the temperature reached 27°C.
July - Wet and rather cool with slightly below normal sunshine.
| Mean Temperature | 16.4°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 28.5°C | Total Rain | 108 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 7.9°C | Total Sun | 190 hrs |
No measurable rain fell during the first 11 days of the month and it was fairly sunny and warm. On the 1st it was sunny throughout the day, and on the 11th, the maximum temperature was above 28°C. During the second week it became changeable and rather cool or cool, and this unsettled weather then persisted through the remainder of the month. On the 18th, nearly 33mm of rain was recorded, and on the 20th the maximum temperature was only 16.4°C.
August - Cool and wet with slightly above average sunshine.
| Mean Temperature | 15.5°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 24.6°C | Total Rain | 100 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 7.2°C | Total Sun | 193 hrs |
There were a few rather warm and sunny days early in the month, and after a sunny day on the 7th, the maximum temperature on the 8th almost reached 25°C. Generally, though, the month was cool, unsettled and occasionally windy and wet. A particularly cool and changeable spell of weather occurred during the fourth week, and on the 24th, nearly 28mm of rain was measured. On the following day the highest afternoon temperature was only 15.7°C.
September - Wet, sunny and rather cool.
| Mean Temperature | 14.0°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 26.1°C | Total Rain | 82 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 2.8°C | Total Sun | 161 hrs |
The month began very warm and sunny with the afternoon temperature on the 1st reaching 26°C. A breakdown in the fine weather occurred later in the first week and on the 4th nearly 38mm of rain was measured. A particularly cool and windy spell occurred around mid month with a high of only 13.1°C. on the 15th. On the night of the 16th/17th the temperature fell below 3°C. The last 2 weeks of the month were warmer, but the weather stayed fairly changeable.
October - Very wet, rather mild and dull.
| Mean Temperature | 11.5°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 18.4°C | Total Rain | 139 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | 3.3°C | Total Sun | 84 hrs |
In this very unsettled and windy month there were only 6 days without measurable rain. On the 1st the maximum temperature rose above 18°C. and there were several more mild days early in the month. On the 11th over 26mm of rain fell, and further heavy falls occurred throughout the month. In this frost-free October there were no cold days, but some cooler days and nights occurred towards the end of October. The maximum temperature on the 23rd was only 11.1°C.
November - Rather dry with below average sunshine and slightly below normal temperatures.
| Mean Temperature | 6.9°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 13.0°C | Total Rain | 45 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -1.7°C | Total Sun | 47 hrs |
In this rather cloudy and changeable month temperatures were mostly close to normal during the first 3 weeks, but on the 1st the temperature reached 13°C. There were plenty of dry days, and rainfall was generally light, but towards the end of the third week it became rather more unsettled and colder. The first frost of the autumn occurred early on the 20th, over 15mm of rain was measured on the 27th, and the maximum temperature on the 30th was only 1.9°C.
December - Very dull, cold and rather dry.
| Mean Temperature | 3.9°C | ||
| Monthly Highest | 11.3°C | Total Rain | 41 mm |
| Monthly Lowest | -3.4°C | Total Sun | 18 hrs |
There were some sunny spells during the first week and some overnight frosts occurred. The second week was milder, cloudy and occasionally wet. The temperature on the 9th exceeded 11°C. On the 10th over 15mm of rain was recorded. The rather cloudy, damp and sometimes rather cold, weather continued until the last few days of the month. It then became much colder with a little sleet and snow. The highest temperature on the 31st was only minus 0.3°C.
