Overall July was a more than acceptable month, being both warmer and drier than average, enjoyed plenty of sunshine and had a five day period (22nd-26th) with every day over 25°c. July was some 0.8°c warmer than average which was the result of those warm days as the mean minimum temperatures was very average for the month. This continues the current warm theme to 2014 with the last eight months now having all been warmer than average.

   MSLP of 1014.6 Mb was very much average, +0.1 Mb above, with pressure never excessively high (highest being 1025.1 Mb), most dominant during the warm spell of 21st-26th, but otherwise periods of low pressure were truncated by high pressure briefly ridging over the UK. Subsequently, apart from the 4th, rain was never prolonged nor heavy, falling on just 14 days for a final total of 61.9 mm, some 50.8% of average here at Maulds Meaburn.

   We also avoided the thunderstorms that caused issues further south during the 17-20th when humidity levels rose uncomfortably due to the effects of a 'Spanish Plume'.

   Overall a mean minimum of 10.37°c and a mean maximum of 21.49°c saw the temperature some 0.8°c above the 1981-2010 average, making it the warmest July since 2013. The highest maximum temperature recorded was 28.1°c (25th), the lowest minimum 4.9°c (6th).

   At the Met' Office site at Newton Rigg a mean maximum of 21.4°c and a mean minimum of 10.2°c made it the 14th warmest July in a series back to 1914, with one the same temperature.

   It was the driest July since 2001 and rainfall locally was very varied in terms of the percentage of average that fell, it ranged from 44% at Newton Rigg to 114% at Kirkby Thore. At Newton Rigg (31.0 mm) in a series back to 1914, it was the 8th driest July (with two also having the same total - 3 years of incomplete data).

   Figures from the Environment Agency’s rainfall sites were, (figure in brackets being the monthly average for 1961-90)   ‘Data kindly provided by the Hydrometry and Telemetry team of the Environment Agency (Penrith)’:

   Kirkby Thore 45.4 mm (39.8 mm)

   Brothers Water 134.0 mm (142 mm)

   Nunwick Hall 39.2 mm (65.8 mm) and

   196.6 mm at Seathwaite Farm (Borrowdale - 203 mm).

  1st - 2nd    The month started on a fine note as a weak ridge of high pressure (HP) (1023) sat over the UK with the 1st seeing plenty of sun and which at 22.2°c (72°f) was ideal. Ahead of low pressure (LP) in the Atlantic that was moving east, the 2nd was a cloudier day and with a steady breeze, although remaining dry until late in the evening.

  3rd - 8th    Low pressure would then arrive from the Atlantic and control the weather for the next few days in what was the month's most unsettled spell, although improving later in the period. Several LP systems lay to the northwest of the UK with an associated cold front moving south overnight 2nd/3rd giving a little rain, but the 4th would be a poor day.

   More frontal systems moved east during the 4th bringing the month's wettest day. The rain persisted throughout the day, continuing overnight into the 5th to give a total of 23.9 mm, the 5th then slowly improving, finally to a sunny end of the day as those fronts cleared east.

   During the period the temperatures would fall back to 17-19°c, although the 3rd and 4th were very mild overnight at 13-14°c.

   The 6-8th were then just a case of avoiding any showers circulating on troughs in the LP, but these were infrequent and not prolonged nor heavy and we still enjoyed some good sunny spells. The 6th starting a little chillier with a month's low of 4.9°c (40.8°f).

  9th - 11th    Whilst LP lay to our east, HP ridged in from the west and held that LP at bay and by the 10th that HP was the narrowest of wedges now holding at bay LP to both our east and west, it was a truly magnificent effort!

   It did introduce a northerly flow, but the days whilst a little breezy, became warmer and enjoyed plenty of sun. The 9-10th ranged 22-23°c, but the 11th peaked at 24.1°c (75.4°f), although clouding over later in the day.

  12th - 13th    Would the good weather last into the weekend and the village fete (12th) - yes, just! The 12th started sunny, but clouded over ahead of a series of fronts associated to LP southwest of Iceland. The rain when it arrived at 1900 Hrs was light, although with a heavy shower during the early hours of the 13th, but with a minimum temperature of 14.2°c it was an uncomfortably warm night. The 13th then improved to sunny intervals after the fronts cleared, becoming slightly fresher behind with a very weak ridge of HP moving in.

  14th - 20th    Unsettled through the period with several frontal systems associated to LP northwest of the UK giving some rain, albeit becoming warmer and with some sunnier spells at times.

   The weak ridge of HP from the 13th collapsed on the 14th allowing frontal systems to push through. This brought a day of continuous light rain on the 14th, becoming murky later in the afternoon and which was also the month's coldest day at 17.2°c.

   After a clearer and slowly improving day on the 15th, the 16th saw more rain (5.6 mm) as another cold front moved east, but we now entered a significantly warmer spell.

   HP from the continent extended over the UK and with HP also north of the UK and LP to the southwest, this all caused warm and moist southerly air from Spain to be drawn up over the UK, the so called 'Spanish Plume'. Initially the 17-18th saw sunny spells, but the humidity increased overnight into the 19th (which with a minimum temperature of 15.5°c was most uncomfortable), creating showery conditions during the 19th which also remained uncomfortably humid. However, whilst these conditions are well suited for thunderstorms, we at least avoided them as they tended to stay further south.

  21st - 26th    Initially HP from Iberia pushed north over the UK, but for the majority of the period the HP that had been over Scandinavia now pushed south over the UK and the days fell settled, dry, sunny and HOT.

   Whilst the period 17-26th saw every day over the 20° mark, the five day period of 22nd-26th saw every day over 25°c - whilst July 2013 was much warmer overall than this July, it only managed to string three such days together (although it had ten days over the mark in total).

   Winds fell very light easterly and the skies were big and blue, the 24-25th being cloudless to start, but 27.1°c on the 24th was followed by what might well be the year's warmest day, the 25th notching up 28.1°c (82.6°f) - it was truly the height of summer and coincided with the first week of the school holidays.

   The 26th would be the last hot day in the period, but which remained sunny until a cold front northwest of the UK slowly moved east giving a brief spell of heavy rain (5.2 mm) in the evening and which also marked the boundary with cooler and fresher air.

  27th - 31st    With LP northwest of Scotland and the cold front now to our east, we at last had something a little fresher and more comfortable and whilst the 27th may have failed to attain 20° it was still more than pleasant.

   Whilst LP was sat over southwest Scotland on the 28th, the LP broadened out to give another fine and sunny day, peaking at a more than acceptable 23.4°c - but now the 29th!

   The 29th was then cooler and typical of the last few days of the month. A weak occluded front moved east during the day, but any rain didn't even wet the ground. However, at just 19.4°c it failed to attain 20° - the oddity of this is that in my six years of temperature records the 29th has never attained 20°c, not even once, whilst every other day of the month has done so, at least once.

   The month then finished that little bit cooler, generally cloudy and with a spell of rain overnight into the 31st.

   Rainfall totalled 61.9 mm for the month, with rain recorded on 14 days of which 10 were 'Wet days' (1.0mm +).

   The Mean Temperature for the month was 15.93°c      --      The Mean Max' was   21.49°c     --      The Mean Min'   10.37°c.

   We had 0 Air Frosts in the month (year 12)                  --      Grass frosts totalled 0 (year 49).

   The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 15.8°c on the 5th and 7th        to      a high of 18.8°c on the 26th     --      with a monthly mean of 17.1°c

   The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 13.5°c on the 1st-5th and 8th     to      a high of 15.0°c on the 27th to 31st     --     with a monthly mean of 14.1°c

COMPARISONS:-

   * July 2014 rainfall was 50.8% of the July average for 2007 - 2013

   * July 2014 was 1.09°c warmer than the July average for 2009 - 2013 and 0.8°c warmer than the local long term average 1981-2010

 * The 3 month mean for May/June/July 2014 is                    TEMP'    13.68°c         --          RAIN    190.9 mm


  *                     May/June/July 2013 was                   TEMP'    13.11°c         --          RAIN    250.9 mm

  *                     May/June/July 2012 was                   TEMP'    11.90°c         --          RAIN    349.7 mm

  *                     May/June/July 2011 was                   TEMP'    12.22°c         --          RAIN    248.0 mm

  *                     May/June/July 2010 was                   TEMP'    12.59°c         --          RAIN    155.6 mm

  *                     May/June/July 2009 was                   TEMP'    12.87°c         --          RAIN    311.2 mm

  *                     May/June/July 2008 was                                            --          RAIN    212.5 mm


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                            * 2014     To Date                   TEMP      9.48°c         --         RAIN    800.1 mm

                            * 2013  Jan - July                   TEMP'     7.59°c         --         RAIN    513.6 mm

                            * 2012  Jan - July                   TEMP'     8.16°c         --         RAIN    601.3 mm

                            * 2011  Jan - July                   TEMP'     8.58°c         --         RAIN    668.9 mm

                            * 2010  Jan - July                   TEMP'     7.50°c         --         RAIN    314.2 mm

                            * 2009  Jan - July                   TEMP'     8.67°c         --         RAIN    650.7 mm

                            * 2008  Jan - July                   TEMP'                    --         RAIN    723.7 mm