August: The last summer month of 2012 also proved to be another disappointing summer month as the mean maximum temperature was 0.3C below the long-term average. Conversely, the mean minimum was 1.2C above the long-term average due to the considerable cloud cover at night, as well as the day time, reducing heat loss. The maximum was recorded on the 19th at 27.5C, well below the August record of 35.2C set in 1990. Rainfall was the most notable feature with a total of 108.8mm making it the fourth wettest August since my records began in 1984, the record being made in 1992 with 139.5mm. Interestingly, high totals were also recorded in recent years with 104.3mm in 2008 and 107.7mm in 2012. There were very heavy daily falls of rain during August with 22.7mm, 19.1mm, 14,2mm and 12.5mm on the 29th, 4th, 5th and 15th respectively. Thunder was noted on three days and a thunderstorm broke on the 21st. Fog occurred on one morning.
Summer: The mean of 15.8C was 0.2C below the long-term average. As occurred in August, the mean maximum was below the long-term average, a considerable -1.4C, but the mean minimum was 0.9C above the long-term average. Again the the major feature was the considerable rainfall. With a total of 328mm, it was the wettest summer period that I have recorded at 183% of the long-term average and supercedes the previous record of 305mmm set in the summer of 2007.
The weather station of Marlborough, Wiltshire
