Monthly Weather Summary

June may have finished drier than average and sunshine totals weren't too far below average as well, but overall it was fairly uninspiring; another poor month. And the main reason will be for the fact that it was rather cool, especially during the first half, with only a few days of warmth 20th to 26th.

And on a virtual loop is the fact that just like the months before it, MSLP would finish below average, by 2.5MB, with high pressure only making brief appearances. With the Jet Stream forced further north than usual it allowed for cooler winds from the NW to have greater influence over our weather.

The mean maximum temperature for the month was notably depressed, by -1.28°c, and apart from the 1st (max' of 19.9°c) when high pressure was over the UK allowing the month to start on a summery note, it wouldn't be until the 17th when the daily maximum temperature would attain the seasonal norm'.

Indeed many of the days even failed to attain 15°c with the 12.8°c on the 5th being the month's lowest day-time maximum. During this time night-time minima also tended to be below the average, but not significantly so as often there was a cloud cover. However, on the 13th with just a partial cloud cover during the night, the minima fell to 3.1°c which was sufficient enough for there to be a ground frost of -1.0°c.

After the first three days of the month were dry, showers affected the 4-7th with a little more rain on the 10th. Dry again 11-12th, before a wetter period 13-16th as low pressure to the west of Eire pushed fronts across the UK. The 13th saw 7.5 mm, the 14th was actually sunny in the afternoon after showers in the morning, but the 15th was grey throughout with rain at times, the 8.5 mm that fell not being anything of note, but it would be the month's wettest day.

Whilst it did generally become warmer from the 17th, it was only really the 24-26th that saw any meaningful heat and at last there was also some decent spells of sun. It also coincided with the driest part of the month when from the 17-25th there was only a spell of rain 1830-1930 hrs on the 18th and a shower in the evening of the 21st.

However, that warmth 24-26th wasn't 'hot', the 26th providing the month's highest maximum of 24.7°c (76.5°c) - the rest of the month would now revert back to type!

A deep depression to the west of Eire tracking NE from the 27th would see the return of cooler conditions with cloud and showers and it was also quite breezy. Each of the 27-30th would have day-time maxima stuck just above 15°c, albeit with the cloud cover night-time minima held up in double-digits.

With a mean minimum of 8.60°c and a mean maximum of 16.95°c June 2024 saw the temperature 0.74°c below the fifteen year average for this site. This saw it being the coldest June since 2015 and since the record commenced (2009), twelve have been warmer and three have been colder.

The split in mean temperature from the first half of the month to the second was quite pronounced. The first half saw a mean temperature of just 10.9°c with the second half actually just over a degree above average at 14.6°c.

The highest maximum during the month was 24.7°c (76.5°f - 26th) and the lowest minimum, 3.1°c (37.6°f - 13th) -- there was one relatively late ground frost on the 13th.

At the Met' Office site at Shap a mean minimum of 7.9°c and a mean maximum of 16.3°c saw the monthly mean temperature exactly on average. It was the coldest June since 2019 and since the record began (1993), seventeen have been warmer, twelve have been colder and two years were exactly the same.

At Maulds Meaburn rainfall totalled 51.1 mm (2.05 In), this being 63.2% of the average for 2007-23, making it the driest June since 2021. Since the recorded began (2007), six have been drier and eleven wetter.

Locally rainfall at Maulds Meaburn North was 53.3 mm and at Castlehowe Scar 62.3 mm. At the Met' Office site at Shap, rainfall of 77.0 mm represents 76.8% of its average making it the wettest June there since 2022. And since the record commenced (1989), 17 have been drier and 18 wetter.

Figures from a selection of Environment Agency's rainfall sites were, (figure in brackets being the monthly average for 1991-2020) 'Data kindly provided by the Hydrometry and Telemetry team of the Environment Agency (Penrith)':

At Appleby in Westmorland rainfall of 53.5 mm (LTA of 58.5 mm) represents 91.5% of its average (1856-2023) and made it the driest since 2021 - since the record commenced, 80 have been drier and 88 have been wetter.

Seathwaite Farm (Borrowdale) 181.4 mm -- (184.1 mm [average for 1845-2023]) represents 98.5% of its average - making it the wettest since 2022 and since 1845 when the record commenced, 98 have been drier and 81 have been wetter.

During the month the following 'days of' were recorded: nothing at all -- the wind speed averaged 7.03 mph, with a maximum gust of 40 mph (27th).

We had 0 Air Frosts in the month (year 23) -- Grass Frosts totalled 1 (year 57).

The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 13.5°c on the 16th to a high of 18.5°c on the 27th -- with a monthly mean of 15.2°c

The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 12.5°c on the 12-18th to a high of 14.2°c on the 28-29th -- with a monthly mean of 13.0°c

This makes the Jan' to June period of 2024 0.91°c warmer than the average for 2009-23 and with 141.7% of average rainfall for 2008-23

June was broadly a drier than average month across the county, in some cases much drier, but within the LDNP the final totals were much closer to the LTA and in some cases an above average fall was recorded.

As demonstrated on the anomaly map below, the driest locations were found in an area around Workington on the west coast, where Seaton recorded just 50% of its LTA, but more broadly on the Furness peninsula. This saw Palace Nook (Barrow) record both the lowest monthly total (32.3 mm) and the lowest percentage fall (49.9%). Rainfall totals in around Carlisle were also on the low side with Cumwhinton to its SE only recording a fall of 38.4mm.

Within the LDNP averages tended to be above 90% but at a few (4) locations went above the 100% mark; Mickleden in the Langdales with 124.5% and Thirlmere (127.9%) being the wettest.

Whilst the Met' Office are currently quoting Mickelden as having had the greatest (51.2 mm) 24Hr fall in the UK on the 13th, the 'honour' actually goes to Coniston Copper Mines with 62.5 mm on the same day.

WET START TO 2024 - The first half of 2024 has certainly been wet and at some locations June has been the first drier than average month of the year. But how does 2024 compare?

Due to the length of the records at Appleby In Westmorland (1857) and Seathwaite (1845) we find the following:


	Appleby In Westmorland 			Seathwaite
1860						 2054.3 mm
1872						 2230.6 mm
1903		612.2 mm                                  
1928		649.5 mm			 2086.9 mm
1972						 2067.5 mm
1990		612.3 mm                                  
2002						 2323.0 mm
2020						 2302.4 mm
2024		577.7 mm			 2045.0 mm

Therefore at Appleby In Westmorland the first six months of 2024 have been the 4th wettest and at Seathwaite it has been the 7th wettest

June's Rainfall Anomalies % June's Temp' Anomaly