After a couple of unsettled spells 3rd-6th and 9-12th, July became increasingly settled and with it dry and warm and particularly hot during the 17th-23rd when every day saw the temperature above 25°c. The weather then broke down from the 27th, the month finishing wet and cooler.

  It was also very calm, the third calmest month recorded at this site, and this coupled with those hot conditions only served to make it feel hotter than it actually was. Whilst July was the second warmest of any month at this site, it only recorded the sixth equal warmest day. However, those seven days of 17th-23rd replaces the record of 'just' five days above 25°c - and whilst it was also warm at night, it was never excessively so, never higher than 13.9°c, but the 'heat-store' from the day made for some uncomfortable night's sleep.

  Thunder was heard on just two days, the second occasion on the 27th being followed by a spell of very heavy rain to finish with just over an inch. Apart from being very calm the ground became somewhat warm with the temperature at both 30cm (1ft) and 100cm (1 yard) being the highest yet recorded at this site.

  MSLP of 1014.3 Mb was -0.2 MB below the local average for the month and overall a mean minimum of 11.35°c and a mean maximum of 21.76°c saw the temperature 1.57°c above the twelve year average for this site.

  It was the warmest since 2013 and is also the second warmest of any month to that of July 2013 - the highest maximum temperature recorded during the month being 29.0°c (22nd), the lowest minimum 6.3°c (7th).

  Rainfall of 69.2 mm (Maulds Meaburn North 59.4 mm -- Castlehowe Scar 60.7 mm) was 68.3% of average for 2007-20, making it the driest July since 2018 and of the 15 now recorded, 3 have been drier and 11 have been wetter.

  During the month the following was recorded: thunder on two days (4th and 27th) -- The wind speed averaged 2.81 mph, with a maximum gust of 28 mph (5th and 28th).

  The Met' Office site at Newton Rigg - did unfortunately close during the month and is now no more.

  At Appleby in Westmorland rainfall of 91.1 mm represents 121.6% of its average (1856-2020) and made it the wettest since 2019 - in a record that commenced in 1856, 109 have been drier and 56 wetter.

  Rainfall totals across Cumbria were broadly below average, ranging 65-85% of normal and indeed Cumbria was one of the few counties in the UK that finished with totals below average. However, then there is Kirkby Thore! Just about the driest part of Cumbria and if it catches some sharpish showers then its total of 61.0 mm is actually 153% of its average. This was replicated at both Appleby and Warcop with much of the difference accounted for by a thunderstorm on the 4th.

  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 61.0 mm (39.8 mm)

  Haresceugh Castle (Kirkoswald) 61.93 mm (78.2 mm)

  Brothers Water 92.61 mm (142 mm)

  Orton (Shallowford) 77.4 mm (97.9 mm [average for 1967-2019])

  100.4 mm at Seathwaite Farm (Borrowdale - 204 mm [average for 1981-2010]) - making it the driest since 2005 and since the record commenced in 1845, 17 have been drier and 159 have been wetter.

  General Synoptic Report for the Month

   The month opened with high pressure (HP) to the NW of Scotland and the UK within a slack pressure gradient, which resulted in a couple of warm and sunny days, temperatures being well above 201°c.

  The next few days became unsettled with low pressure (LP) arriving from the SW and sitting out to the west of Eire. The 3rd was damp with rain in the morning and after a showery afternoon and more rain at night (7.4 mm) with a rumble of thunder just after mid-night (4th). There were further showers during the 4th and then more thunder between 15-1530h, but with a poor effort of a shower. However, further to our north-east that thunder was accompanied by some heavy rain and whilst Maulds Meaburn only totalled 6.0 mm on the 4th, at Appleby the total was 28.6 mm.

  It stayed mixed with 6.3 mm falling on the 5th, but the next two days were dry in spite of LP still being over the UK.

  The 10-12th all some rain or showers, but nothing prolonged or too heavy, 8.7 mm on the 10th being the most ... and then it turned dry, sunny and increasingly warmer, becoming very hot.

  A slack pressure gradient on the 13th brought a warm sunny day (21.7°c) and now with the ''Azores High' pushing north and eventually settling just to the west of Eire and becoming dominant over the UK. This HP would sit to our west for some time before finally moving north and east and exiting the scene on the 24th.

  The majority of the days enjoyed wall to wall sunshine and rising temperatures and it was also dry. The 15-16th saw temperatures at 24°c and then it got hotter still and probably too hot as from the 17th through to the 23rd every day saw the temperature rise above 25°c. This run of seven days with maximum temperatures above 25°c being a new record for this site; previously the most being five.

  The 27.7°c on the 20th was hot and then 27.2°c on the 21st made it five consecutive days above 25°c - and then it got hotter!! The 22nd was really quite unbearable with the mercury rising to 29.0°c (84.2°f) and which like the previous day had no air/wind to stir things up - the three days of 20-22nd had all seen the mercury above 80°f.

  And of course it was warm by night. Whilst overnight lows were actually not terrible, the 'heat store' from the day did make it uncomfortable and sleeping was an issue. At least late on the 22nd a wind began to stir and whilst the night was still warm, it did at least feel slightly fresher.

  Additionally, the period from the 13th to the 27th (15 days) had seen the temperature above 20°c every day.

  By the 23rd the HP was between Iceland and Norway, but still dominant and come the 24th it was over Norway when LP over Normandy pushed into south and central England bringing heavy spells of rain there, but which we avoided.

  However, come the 27th the UK was surrounded by areas of LP with two occluded fronts and a vigorous trough line now bringing a significant change to our weather. At 17h 27th the first spots of rain fell and was followed by a few distant rumbles of thunder ahead of a heavy spell of rain through to 1845h which followed by showers during the evening. Another spell of rain during the early part of the 28th, once again heavy during 06-07h saw 25.6 mm credited back to the 27th.

  Areas of LP would remain over or surrounding the UK for the rest of the month bringing further spells of rain or showers, although nothing as intense as that of the 27-28th. With the wind veering W-NW'ly the temperature also dipped for the 30th-31st with the 30th feeling chilly at 15.5°c.