July saw the continuation of June's disheartening cyclonic weather as the wet and dull theme lasted all month. July offered little, even when the temperature climbed the days were cloudy, close and muggy - the position of the Jet Stream as never had more mention and even when it re-aligned itself late in the month we did not reap any benefit whatsoever.

   Sunshine was very much at a premium and under such cloudy skies day-time maximums were much depressed and virtually 2.0°c below average. But, as with June, night time minima held up under those same cloudy skies. Also, since 2007 (inclusive) only July 2011 has 'failed' to record 100 mm+ of rain.

   Rainfall totalled 110.3 mm (4.34 inch), falling on 25 days and whilst daily totals were not especially high, particularly after the 10th, we simply did not get a break and to date, summer is yet to happen.

   Making comparisons with the Met' office site at Newton Rigg (Penrith) from 1961, using the averages for the standard period 1971-2000 (mean temperature of 15.0°c and 62.1 mm of rain), 38 July's have been warmer, 11 have been colder, with 1 having the same mean temperature. In the same period 4 July's have been wetter.

   Without a break the first half of the month was dominated by a continuing stream of Low pressure (LP) systems that brought rain virtually every day. The first few days of the month were typical in that as one area of LP cleared the UK, there was another waiting to take its place. These LP systems tended to be slow moving and had numerous weather fronts circulating off them.

   The 1st at 14.6°c (58.3°f) was the month's coldest day under leaden skies, the LP that had brought rain overnight being replaced by a new LP system that brought more organised rain of 8.0 mm on the 2nd, courtesy of an upper occluded front carrying warm and moist air.

   Whilst remaining unsettled the 3rd-5th did see the temperature climb and they were also rather muggy days with 22.9°c (73.2°f) on the 5th the month's warmest day and which also saw a brief but heavy thundery shower in the late morning.

   The rainfall total was steadily building and it wasn't until the 7th that we had dry day. LP was still nearby, south west of the UK, but we stayed clear of any weather fronts and whilst the temperature rose to 22.2°c we only enjoyed some brief sunny intervals.

   That LP to the SW then slowly tracked NE from the 8th, moving into the North Sea, which, with HP over Greenland, saw us sat between weather systems and hence drew down a colder northerly airflow of Arctic origins.

   But the LP was responsible for the 10th being a miserable day with rain lasting all day (22.0 mm) and hence being the month's wettest day; the temperature was also held back at just 14.9°c.

   The 11th saw rain in the morning as a weakening cold front cleared and then the rest of the day through to the 13th became quieter and drier as we moved into a slack area, although with a falling pressure gradient and hence LP was never too far away. The nights of 12-15th were also that bit cooler and all just over 5°c.

   The 16-19th saw another series of LP systems that had a connecting waving front bring more rain. The 16th whilst not overly wet was dreary and the 17-19th were at least fortunate to see the rain arrive late evening, leaving the day-times cool and cloudy; 15.3°c on the 19th (repeated on the 20th) is some 4°c down on the average for July.

   The 20th at least remained dry as HP nudged in from the Atlantic and this HP became established over the UK and kept the weekend of the 21st-22nd dry. Any sunnier spells came on the 21st, although both days started well but tended to cloud over.

   By now the much discussed Jet Stream had moved further north, but not far enough north for our liking and whilst the south of the UK became hot and sunny, from the 23rd to the month's end LP was back in charge.

   However, the 23rd-25th saw a very confused picture locally, some locations such as Penrith enjoyed fine warm and sunny weather on the 23rd, yet a few miles down the road strong winds accompanied torrential rain. On the 23rd a deep (975 Mb) LP system positioned near Iceland had a cold front trailing off it and this front became stuck over us as HP to our south prevented the front progressing further. The mountains of the Lake District were an additional block as well to the cold front and hence east, not west, was best.

   Here at Maulds Meaburn the 23rd-24th were 'rainbow chasing days' as a fine drizzle accompanied sunny intervals, especially throughout the morning, but whilst not particularly warm, the 23rd-26th had all been rather close and muggy; but now it became much cooler.

   The month ended under the influence of an unstable Polar Maritime air mass as LP became fairly static to the north west of Scotland. This brought a succession of fresher, showery days and whilst there were some occasional sunny intervals a temperature of just 15.9°c (60.6°f) on the 29th, was in many ways typical of the month and the summer so far - hugely disappointing.

   The 31st started with the month's coldest temperature of 4.3°c (39.7°f) and with some sunny spells looked promising. But yet another LP was approaching from the Atlantic and the cloud soon increased and rain finally arrived later in the day.

   Since 2006 July as certainly been a disappointment and not what one would hope for from 'High Summer'.

   Rainfall totalled 110.3 mm for the month, with rain recorded on 25 days of which 20 were 'Wet days' (1.0mm +).

   The Mean Temperature for the month was 13.77°c      --      The Mean Max' was   17.46°c     --      The Mean Min'   10.07°c.

   We had 0 Air Frosts in the month (year 39)      --      Grass frosts totalled 0 (year 87).

   The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 14.6°c on the 2nd      to      a high of 17.1°c on the 9th     --      with a monthly mean of 15.9°c

   The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 12.7°c on the 1st-4th      to      a high of 13.7°c on the 30th      --      with a monthly mean of 13.3°c

COMPARISONS:-

   * July 2012 rainfall was 88.75% of the July average for 2007 - 2011

   * July 2012 was 0.08°c colder than July 2011      --      0.84°c colder July 2010      --      1.07°c colder than 2009

  * The 3 month mean for May/June/July 2012 is                   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                   TEMP'                     --          RAIN    212.5 mm


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                            * 2012     To date                   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