SUMMARY OF CLIMATOLOGICAL READINGS FOR 2000

Location: Tawfield, (Wooden Hill), Great Hollands, in the SW part of Bracknell.

( NGR: SU 854 667; Lat=51^o 23' 30" North: Long=00^o 46' 28" West )
Altitude 80 m
(temperatures degC; rainfall/melted snowfall mm; snow depths cm)
Readings based on climatological day 0900 to 0900 UTC

Notes on individual months:
January: DRY & OFTEN SUNNY; NO REAL SNOW. FINE/FROSTY MORNINGS. MILD START AND END - NOTABLY MILD NIGHTS END OF MONTH. Maximum temperatures read on the these days occurred during the following nights: 20, 27, 28; Note the two very mild nights at the end of the month; Rainfall on the day of highest total (03/0900 to 04/0900) occurred mainly in the period up to 03/2359 - i.e. mostly on the 3rd; Rainfall measured 28/0900 to 29/0900 heavily attenuated by the strong (Force 6 occasionally F7) winds, which were from a direction coming directly over the house - see details on the website; In a notably dry month, most of the rain fell in the first half, with 2/5 of the monthly total in the one period as noted above. Rain/snow showers mixed night 13th/14th; 'wintry' showers daytime 22nd, particularly afternoon, with snowflakes, snow pellets and ice pellets all observed. Sharply gusty wind with latter event as well. Some wonderfully frosty/bright mornings towards end of the month before a sharp switch to notably mild conditions.
February: MILD, OFTEN WINDY (BUT WITH A FEW NIGHT FROSTS). SNOWLESS. Although technically very 'mild' at the start of the month, the often rather brisk/gusty wind felt quite cold. 10th: The maximum of 9.6degC in fact occurred during the first couple of hours after 0900 on that day, before a sharply defined cold-front moved through late morning to allow temperatures to drop by several degrees. 22nd: temperatures rose during the night 22nd/23rd, from the 'early' night min of 0.9 to 8.3 degC at 0900 on the 23rd. A few consecutive nights of frost second half of month, but daytime temperatures always recovered to above-average values. Mild month overall, though the wind often a feature as noted earlier.) The last 5 days accounted for 36.5mm/circa 50percent of the monthly total. The rainfall credited to the 24th (16.9mm) occurred mainly in the period 24/1600 to 25/0100GMT. ) (A nasty little start to the day on the 25th - when cloud cleared to allow temperatures to fall quite smartly and roads/pavements etc., were liberally covered in ice. A lot of cirrus observed during the month that was noted as being due to condensation trail spread. Often windy - though not 'damagingly' so. Just a passing sleet shower to remind us that February is supposed to be a winter month! )
March: MILD OVERALL (BUT COLD/BREEZY LAST FEW DAYS) & DRY. THREE MORNINGS OF FOG. From the 7th to 16th and again from 19th to 24th, daytime temperatures consistently above 11 degC. Night 7th/8th to night 9th/10th minima equal to or above 10degC. A dry month, but not exceptionally so. Over half of the total fell overnight 2nd/3rd accompanied by a strong wind. Rain/snow - mixed showers during 1st; Despite the markedly above average temperatures, a short period just after mid-month saw some gloomy days with unrelenting cloud cover; 20th, 21st and 22nd - all three days with early morning fog, locally dense (i.e. < 50m) (only 2 at 0900z though); During afternoon 22nd, wind dead-calm mid-afternoon in strong sunshine - most unusual (usually with strong sunshine, local differential heating will set up thermally driven wind flow); 26th (PM) heavy showers about with sharp hail shower (>0.5cm diameter) observed Met.Office covering car windscreens - but none here on the SW edge of Bracknell; 27th to 30th: persistent overcast, occasional drizzle and a cold/raw wind.
April: VERY WET! FIRST MONTH FOR SOME TIME WITH BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ALTHOUGH RECOVERING SECOND HALF. Maximum credited to the 15th actually occurred overnight 15th/16th (a miserable damp, cold day on the 15th with sleet/slight snow; A month of two halves! First 15 days generally below average - often notably below, then marked switch to above average temperatures, particularly showing up in the night minima. From evening 2nd to 0900 4th total precipitation=50.8 mm [ 34% of monthly total. ] Includes some sleet/snow - but most of it persistent, heavy rain. 12th: sleet/snow, occasional moderate snow after midnight 12th until about 0500 GMT. 15th: occasional moderate sleet/slight snow early in the day - no accumulation - became rain much of day thereafter on the 15th; 17th: very unstable day with frequent showers of hail accompanied by thunder from late morning. Snow/sleet days same as January, February & March combined. Notably wet - the rain just kept coming. The high total helped by the heavy/persistent rain event early in the month.
May:NOTABLE THUNDERSTORM 7th; WARM PERIODS FIRST HALF, COOLER LATER WITH MORE RAIN, OFTEN HEAVY. SECOND CONSECUTIVE NOTABLY WET MONTH. Day temperatures above 21degC 13th to 16th; two warm nights this period as well with minima 14.1degC on 14th/15th and 13.9degC 15th/16th. 7th: this rainfall was recorded during the 'Bracknell' storm. 47.1mm of rain / melted hail fell during the storm 07/1840 to 07/2020, the greater part of which fell in 55 minutes: 07/1900 to 07/1955. I am certain that this is an underestimate, as the hail blocked the gauge for a while, and some 'spill-over' must have occurred. Hail observed well in excess of 1 cm diameter, with maximum (noted) here of 1.5 cm. Locally though, diameters well in excess of 2.5 cm have been claimed; 19th: at least three separate hail events - all diameters < 5mm though; 26th-28th: a lot of rain about in two phases: 26/0900 to 26/2100 16.5mm & overnight 27th/28th with 19.8mm. Second consecutive notably wet month.
Undoubtedly, the great event of this month was the great 'Bracknell Storm' [ more details here ]on the evening of Sunday 7th. Local small lake and several underpasses were flooded in the Great Hollands, Birch Hill, South Hill Park areas, with some properties flooded requiring fire brigade assistance. The whole area is a naturally low-lying region, which before the development of this part of Bracknell (from 1970 onwards) would have been part of the Windsor Forest - all 'older' established habitation being at higher elevations of Easthampstead and Bracknell itself. The building of underpasses also helps to 'funnel' large quantities of water through and to inhabited areas - hail blocking the drains also a factor; slight dust deposit noted on the morning of the 17th, after a slight fall of rain (tr) the previous evening - not 'Saharan' dust though as trajectories would not support that - probably 'local' soil/dust input at some point;
June: A FAIRLY DRY MONTH. SHORT VERY WARM SPELL JUST AFTER MID-MONTH. Notes relating to temperature & allied observations: 1st: Maximum occurred at the 02/0900UTC observation; 24th: Maximum noted was actually due to already rising temperatures in strong sunshine on the morning of the 25th; the maximum on the 24th was 16degC. Note half of the days achieved temperatures at or above '70degF'. Despite the lack of sunshine in the latter part of the month, temperatures overall above average, particularly at night. 20th: thunder heard from medium level instability 0830-0840, and again 0930-1015 - generally, a poor month for well-developed 'Cb-type' thunderstorms (i.e. not a one!);can never remember observing so many days with marked 'mammatus' type clouds - period 23rd-26th every day.
July: CLOUDY/BREEZY/DAMP FIRST HALF; WARM SECOND HALF; THUNDERSTORMS AROUND END-MONTH. Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: 4th: rain began 04/18GMT continuing through night 4th/5th, often moderate, becoming light by 05/09GMT: total rain this event=11.5mm. 14th to 27th: apart from some drizzle & rain (0.1mm) overnight 22nd/23rd, a lengthy dry spell. 28th: 0945 tr; 1040-1100 Cb moving west-to-east, thunder heard; 1115 pr; 1140 tr; 1205 tlR; 1320 pR; 1540 tR; 1600 tR. [ no hail observed any of this day's storms ] total rain these events=14.7mm.) 29th: pr(slight)/tl(slight)r(slight-moderate) 1745 to 1830GMT. A month of mixed fortunes - rather disappointing first half with many days near-full cloud cover. Warmed up thereafter, but we missed some really heavy thunderstorms around the 28th/29th.
August: DRY, WARM & REASONABLY SUNNY. HEAVY RAIN LATE MONTH. Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: 2nd: 1315-1445, heavy rain shower=6.5mm; 3rd: 0945-1150, squally showers, thunder, hail (<5mm dia.), 1220-1900, further thunder/heavy rain - in short bursts; 25th/26th: tl(slight rain) 25/2300 to 26/0100 .. medium level activity only - vivid lightning. A lot of dry weather; significant rainfall in two 'bursts': 2nd/3rd (10.7mm) & late 25th to 28th (12.5mm)
September: WARM, ESPECIALLY NIGHTS. SHORT FINE SPELL 2ND WEEK. WET 2ND HALF. Notes relating to temperature & allied observations: The 24hr maximum noted for the 7th (19.2degC) actually occurred during the night 7th/8th; In addition to the high night minimum noted on the 12th, the value for the night 14th/15th was just 15.8degC. The 19th was a miserable day, with rain from midday, often heavy. Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: The 19th was the wettest 24hr period since 7th May, 2000 [ the 'Bracknell Storm' ]. For the 48hr period 18/0900 to 20/0900, rainfall=35.5mm (2/5 of monthly total). 20th: Heavy rainshower/sharply squally winds 0945 to 1015GMT (notably vigorous convection this day evident from TCu/CB development); 24th: 1140 to 1200 thunderstorm/moderate rain. Some notably damp/dewy nights towards the end, with heavy dewfall. Additional comments on the weather in September, 2000 A month of two-halves as regards rainfall: just 15.4mm up to 15th ( 18 % of monthly total), and a lot of that occurred evening & overnight; Plenty of rain thereafter - see notes earlier. Fine/warm spell 9th - 13th: maxima 9th=21.6, 10th=25.2, 11th=22.7: note that the minima night 11th/12th 16.6degC.
October: VERY WET (FOLLOWING A WET SEPTEMBER); SEVERE GALE END OF MONTH. Notes relating to temperature & allied observations: 24hr. maxima credited to the following dates actually occurred during the following night: 17, 22, 26, 27: Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: (Z=GMT/UTC) 01/1900Z to after 02/0000Z: r/R=6.0mm; 05/1445Z to 05/1545Z t,tlr(slight),tlhr(<5mm dia.),tl; 06/2300 to 07/1300Z=11.5mm; 09/0930Z to just before dawn 10th r/R=18.4mm; total rainfall 09/0900Z to 12/0900Z=36.2mm; 20/1530Z to 21/0600Z r, ocnl R much of time with bulk of 26.6mm recorded falling in period 20/2000Z to 21/0400Z, i.e. 8 hr; 23rd: heavy/squally showers 12Z to 16Z; 28/0645 to 28/0730Z heavy rain; 28/15Z to 28/19Z: periods of heavy, squally rain/showers; 29/15Z to 30/0745Z: almost continuos r/R to produce the 51.6mm(*) recorded: of this circa 22mm fell in the period 29/15Z to 29/21Z, with the remainder during the following, very wet & windy night. Intense rainfall 30/0400 to 30/0530Z; Over the period from early hours 27th to dawn on 30th, 76.3mm of rain fell, some 43 % of the monthly total; (*NB: the gauge would be well within the 'eddy-envelope' generated by the house for a considerable part of this time due to the high/squally winds - considerable caution should therefore be exercised before quoting this value too widely, or without mentioning the possibly significant errors.): Additional comments on the weather in October, 2000 6th: thunder at various times between 1445Z & 1545Z, plus hail at one point; 12th: tr(slight) 1245 to 1315Z; A very windy night 29th/30th, with BF7 ocnl BF8 much of time, and a period between 30/0400 and 30/0530z of BF8, temporarily BF9, accompanied by heavy rain/sharp squalls. No damage in immediate vicinity & across much of south Bracknell relatively minor impact: e.g. unsafe fences & a few branches down, though some 'estate' roads were temporarily flooded. More widely though, the rainfall, on top of that earlier in the month (and the notably wet September), caused significant problems.
November: ANOTHER WET MONTH (TO END A RECORD-BREAKING WET AUTUMN). NOTABLY MILD LAST FEW DAYS. Notes relating to temperature & allied observations: Maxima credited to the following dates actually occurred during the following night: 10, 24, 27, 30; Minima credited to the following dates actually occurred during the preceding day: 11: Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: 02/0630 to 02/1045Z r/R=17.8mm; 05/1430 to overnight 05/06 [ ceased by 0600 ] r ocnl R=29.3mm; 06/1500Z to late PM 6th pr/r off and on=17.6mm; During the 30 day period ending 07/0900Z, total rainfall=224mm: assuming an estimated average rainfall this period of 58mm, this represents circa 380% of 'normal'-this period included 8 days >=10mm and 3 days >=25mm in standard/09-09z observing periods; 11/1000Z to 12/0100Z r/R=13.7mm; 15/2200Z to 16/0800Z r/R=7.4mm; 25/0900 to 25/1500Z r/Rq=9.3mm; 27/1500 to late PM=9.1mm; heavy overnight rain 30thNov/1st Dec & r during AM 1st (up to 0900GMT)=12.4mm: Additional comments on the weather in November, 2000 Wind 05/06 ocnl BF7, accompanying r/R; Notably mild end to the month with 24hr maxima for the period 27th to 30th exceeding 11degC.
Some figures relating to autumn, 2000 overall. (September, October & November) Total rainfall=404.3 mm (using estimated climatology for this site, this represents about 250% of the 1961-90 average. ) Number of days 24hr (09-09GMT) precipitation >=0.2: 60 >=1.0: 45 >=10.0: 13 >=25.0: 3 Average rain per day of >=0.2mm: 6.7mm (or roughly just over a quarter of an inch per event). Thunderstorm events did *not* contribute in a major way to the overall total, with 3 such occasions, contributing (roughly) 12mm.
December: WET; EXCEPTIONALLY MILD FIRST HALF, WINTRY LAST WEEK. Notes relating to temperature & allied observations: temperature rose steadily through the night 30th/31st, with air temperature value at 31/0900=+0.8degC. Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations: total rainfall various events 03/0900 to 06/0900 Z=24.6mm; rain-day total 7th=17.5mm, bulk of which fell 07/1700 to 08/0200Z; 14.0mm recorded for rainday 12th, mainly from r, ocnl R period 12/1200Z to 12/2030Z; the merest hint of sleet as general precipitation faded out around 25/1100Z; snow 28/0300 to 28/0500Z=3cm depth / equivalent rainfall=2.2mm; no more than 5 minutes of light snow early afternoon (1545Z) 31st as precipitation started. Total rainfall for 24hr 31st Dec to 09z 1st Jan=13.4mm, most falling after 31/1900Z: this event ensured that for the year, we (just) exceeded 1000mm. Additional comments on the weather in December, 2000 After the 23/0900Z observation, mist thickened to fog/very low cloud - not counting at the standard observation time; most lying snow on 31st had melted by about 1300Z, i.e. well before any significant rainfall had set in.

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