SUMMARY OF CLIMATOLOGICAL READINGS FOR 2002

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

IMPORTANT: SEE NOTE RE: THERMOMETERS ON INDEX PAGE FOR READINGS AUGUST 2002 ONWARDS : IN PARTICULAR THE 'DAYS ABOVE/BELOW SERIES WILL BE DISCONTINUED FROM THAT MONTH.

Notes on individual months:
January: COLD/FROSTY START, DRY 1ST-HALF; THEN WET, MILD, OFTEN WINDY.
Notes (re: temperatures): 4th: 24hr max. 6.7degC occurred at 05/0900Z; Max 04/0900 to 04/2100Z=+2.1; 5th: 24hr min. -4.8degC occurred at 04/0900Z; 12th: 24hr max of 08.4 degC occurred at 13/0900Z; 16th: 24hr max of 08.9 degC occurred at 17/0900Z; 19th: 24hr max of 10.4 degC occurred at 20/0900Z; 24th: technical max. occurred before midday - falling off thereafter; 31st: 24hr max. 11.8degC occurred at 01/0900Z FEB; Fourteen 24hr periods this month with maxima equal/greater than 10degC. Notes (re: precipitation): 10th: 0435-0500Z prhq (peak activity, including small hail ~ 0450Z) total rain this event=3.9mm; 10th: late AM to mid-afternoon r(slight)/ocnl r=2.9mm; 23rd: 24hr rainfall=7.9mm, wettest day since 8th Nov; 25th: r(slight)/ocnl r much of 24hr 25/09Z onwards; 26th: r/ocnl R 1245-1330Z; 28th: r/Rq 0200-0300Z (CF passage); 28th: prkq (sharp squalls) 1000-1045Z - wind up to F7/8; 30th: r(slight)/ocnl r off & on much of period 09Z to 21Z; 31st: r(slight)/r from 1630 to 2030Z, with short/squally r/R period around 2000Z; 31st (night) more rain to 01/0900Z. Notes (re: thunder events):(none) . Additional comments on the weather in January, 2002 4th: m/f (ocnl d) from 04/2100Z as major airmass change occurs over ground chilled/hoar-frosted for about a week; 5th/0900Z - although top few mm of soil now moist/de-frosted, a solid/frozen layer underneath; 27th & 28th: ground waterlogged; 28th: prkq (sharp squalls) 1000-1045Z - wind up to F7/8; NB: no snow/sleet observed at all this month!
February: WET/MILD WX CONTINUES, OFTEN WINDY: QUIETER/COLDER MID-MONTH.
Notes (re: temperatures): 10th: maximum 12.4degC occurred 11/0900Z; 16th: minimum -2.3degC was the reading at 15/0900Z, night min. 15th/16th ~ -0.5degC; 18th: maximum 8.8degC occurred 19/0900Z; 24th: maximum 10.9degC occurred 25/0900Z; Notes (re: precipitation): 3rd: r(slight)/r much of period 0900 to 2200Z, with ocnl R 1700 to 2100Z: v.slight rs observed ~2130Z as heavy rain eased; 13th: from mid-afternoon to 1900Z pr/Rq, isol tr (see below)=4.7mm; 19th: r(slight) from ~15Z, ocnl r from ~19Z; 19th/20th (overnight): windy/squally, r/ocnl R; 20th: prq 17Z onwards, slight rain/snow mixed as shower ceased ~ 1735Z - slight slushy covering on conservatory roof at 1740Z; 23rd: light showers sleet/snow mixed or snow from midday to early evening; 24th: r(slight)/r from mid-morning to ~ 18Z; 25th: r(slight)/r/dr much of day, with r/R overnight 25th/26th & prq 0815-0835 all=17.4mm for wettest 24hr period; 27th: 1437Z ph (snow pellets) - mixed spherical & conical shapes, 1450Z ph(slight)s(slight); Notes (re: thunder events): 5th: tlr(slight)/ocnl r 1330-1345, 13th: ~1700Z sharp CG, r/Rq; Additional comments on the weather in February, 2002 night 14th/15th air-min=-2.5, first air-frost since 12th Jan!; 25th/26th (night): periods of r/R with F7/8 winds for a time, the strongest winds ~ 0400 to 0630Z; Ground waterlogged on occasions last few days of month.
March: WET SPELL MID-THIRD; LENGTHY DRY/FINE SPELL FROM 21ST.
Notes (re: temperatures): 14th max. recorded at 15/0900Z; 15th min occurred sometime around mid-afternoon of the 14th, when light sleet was observed; 15th max. recorded at 16/0900Z; Notes (re: precipitation): 9th: slight shower rain/small hail ~ 1225Z; 12th/13th: r for several hours overnight=5.2mm; 14th: r(slight)/r much of day, rs(slight)~ 1515Z, followed by r/R overnight 14th/15th - total ppn=8.4mm; 17th: r(R) early hours to 07Z; also r(slight)/r from 19Z to ~22Z; 18th: r(slight) 0815Z, soon r(R) until ~1045Z, then pr off & on until early evening; 31st: after 9 consecutive dry 24hr periods (longest dry spell since July 2001), the rain returned from 31/0730Z to about 11Z; Notes (re: thunder events):none; Additional comments on the weather in March, 2002 9th: squally winds, F6, temporarily F7 (after F1/2 at 0900Z) 1100-1500Z as vigorous depression passed across central Britain; 11th/12th thick f overnight, but cleared by 0600Z; 13th/14th: Winds F7(ocnl F8) overnight & period just after dawn; 28th (circa 05-08Z) f/F, cleared by 0900Z; By far the bulk of the rain occurred in the middle-third of the month (10th to 20th), followed by a notable dry spell.
April: NOTABLE DRY SPELL: COOL/WET, WINDY BREAKDOWN END-MONTH. 
Notes (re: temperatures): 30th: maximum occurred at 01/0900Z May; Notes (re: precipitation): 26th: prolonged dry spell ended with r(slight) ocnl r between 26/0445Z to 26/0830Z; rhq ~ 26/1250Z & again 26/1350Z, after the latter, local, intermittent power cuts; 27th/28th: overnight r/ocnl R & strong winds=9.9mm; 28th: prq off & on during day; 28th/29th: ir/pr with strong winds overnight; 30th: rain much of daylight hours (including early evening), followed by mid/late evening pr. All rainfall noted for 30th did actually fall on the 30th! Notes (re: thunder events): 18th: 1529Z tlr, after morning/early afternoon of sharp showers; Additional comments on the weather in April, 2002 6th: strong or near-gale winds much of day; 26th: 1350Z for about an hour, after strong local thunderstorms (but none here) significant power 'brownout' / 'blackout' episodes; ( NB: period 0900Z, 21st March to 0900Z, 25th April: 03.4 mm, over these 35 days; No. of days >=0.2mm this period: 03 days. Although the April rainfall was not far off the "average" (approx. 87%), this statement conceals the fact of a prolonged dry spell affecting the bulk of the month! Over 80% of the monthly rainfall occurred in the 3 day period 27/2100Z to 30/2100Z.)
May: MIXED: SHORT DRY/WARM SPELL MID-MONTH, OTHERWISE UNSETTLED.
Notes (re: temperatures): 5th: temperature circa 10/11 degC much of day with brisk/chill N wind; 26th: day-max=12.2degC - the max. of 12.8degC for the 24hr period was the 'as-read' value at 27/09Z; Notes (re: precipitation): 6th (early hours to ~ 06Z) r(slight/ocnl mod); 7th: r/R from about 01Z, becoming slight drizzle/rain by 07/05Z, which, with ocnl moderate bursts, lasted until about 07/11Z; 13th: r(slight)/ocnl r from 03Z for much of day; 17th: r(slight)/r late evening; 20th: rain, ocnl r/R from about 1930Z, petering out around midnight; 21st: r/R from circa 1600Z; 23rd/24th: overnight r/R; 24th: prq during day interspersed with strong sunshine; 25th/26th: r/ocnl R from circa 20Z to 05Z (total rainfall ~ 15mm); 26th: pr/ocnl pR from circa 07Z, with ph/H ~ 1400Z; 30th: frq showers off/on 09Z to 18Z; Notes (re: thunder events): 3rd: although some vigorous storms noted in area, none here, though distant Cb cal observed to SW & N from 1830Z until dusk; 20th: single, prolonged 'sheet' lightning observed circa 2200Z, with distant thunder there-after, amongst ocnl heavy rain; Additional comments on the weather in May, 2002 17th: F6, isol F7 gusts from late morning to mid-afternoon in association with unstable medium-level activity; 24th: sharp squalls associated with heavy showers to F7;
June: WET FIRST-HALF; DRIER, SOME WARM SPELLS SECOND HALF.
Notes (re: temperatures): 7th: maximum of 15.7degC occurred at 08/0900Z - the 7th was a thoroughly miserable day; Notes (re: precipitation): 5th: r/ocnl R from ~ 10Z to 18Z=19.9mm, further r/R evening/overnight to give total for 24hr from 05/0900Z=32.4mm; 11th/12th overnight: rain most of night; 18th: ~ 0430Z pr/R for about 10mins; 21st/22nd: r(slight)/r late evening & overnight; Notes (re: thunder events): 10th: tlr(slight) ~ 1120Z, followed by moderate rain (but thunder ceased); Additional comments on the weather in June, 2002 Although by monthly total rainfall, it was above-average, the second half of the month contributed just 8.7mm, or some 12 % of the total. The fall of 32.4mm for the rain-day of the 5th accounted for just under half of the monthly total. Some notably chilly nights at the end of the month.
July: WET/COOL START; WARM THEN HOT 13TH-29TH. TROPICAL RAIN 31ST.
Notes (re: temperatures): (none); Notes (re: precipitation): 1st: pr/R 1545-1600Z; 2nd/3rd: persistent rain from 02/18Z to 03/09Z; 3rd: frq pr(slight) 10-18Z; 4th/5th: ocnl r overnight; 5th: pr/R for around 15mins around 1930Z; 8th/9th: r(R) overnight (11.4mm) + 9th: r > r(slight) (0.2mm) until about 12Z=11.6mm in about 12hr; 10th: pr PM; 11th: pr off/on through day; 31st: 0845Z to approx 11Z pr/pR/pR²=31.2mm; further pr/pR² from 1645Z to 1730Z=24.7mm, giving total for the two events of: 55.9mm - this from rainfall that occurred in around 3hr duration. Notes (re: thunder events): 29th: t 15Z to ~ 17Z (no ppn) - Cb cal/cap with great vertical extent to west/northwest; 31st: tlr(slight) 1535 - 1600Z: (NB: the two episodes of heavy/torrential rain this date were NOT associated with thunder: see previous section.) Additional comments on the weather in July, 2002 11th: Land Devil observed ~1230Z (For more details on this event ... click here); Note prolonged dry, often warm, latterly hot spell from 13th to 29th; well over 2 weeks of very pleasant, if not necessarily always sunny weather.
August: THUNDERY DOWNPOURS FIRST HALF: OFTEN FINE/DRY THEREAFTER.
Notes (re: precipitation): 3rd/4th: ocnl r overnight; 4th: pr late PM; 5th: pr/ocnl t late AM onwards; 7th: total rain from temporarily intense rainfall (but infrequent lightning/thunder) 1800Z - 1915Z=30.7mm; 8th: rain early hours, and 0630Z - 0905Z=14.4mm: total for rain-day of the 7th (i.e. 07/0900 to 08/0900Z)=45.1mm, the greater part falling in an accumulated period of under 4 hours; 8th/9th (evening & overnight) r; 10th: tlr/R 1740Z-1800, then pr/pr(slight) to 1835Z=10.5mm; 19th: r(slight)/ocnl r 0430-0530 & again ~ 0800Z; 20th: ~1410Z pr/R; 21st: pr ~ 04Z; 24th: pr/r, ocnl tl 1930-22Z=9.8mm; Notes (re: thunder events): 5th: t(no ppn) ~1300Z, tlr(slight) 1342-1355Z; 7th: t 1752Z, tlr/R/R^2 1800-1930 (see ppn/above), tl(rain csd) 1955Z, t csd 2005Z; 8th: tl(slight)r 0705Z-0745Z (odd 'rumbles' only); 10th: tlr/R 1740-1800Z; 24th: tl(slight) between 1930 & 2035Z, never very intense lightning - main focus well to SW); Additional comments on the weather in August, 2002 Although by total rainfall, it was a 'wet' month, (89mm), half of this amount fell in a total of just under 4hr on the 8th/9th (see above).
September: WET DAY 9TH; THEN DRY/ANTICYCLONIC/MILD REST OF MONTH. Notes (re: precipitation): 6th/7th: period of moderate r (3.2mm); 9th: r(slight)/r much of day 09Z-20Z, with period r/R 17Z - 1930Z when much of total of 20.6mm fell; Notes (re: thunder events):(none); Additional comments on the weather in September, 2002 A dry month overall: from the 10th to the 30th (20 days), only 0.1mm of rain fell. The 20.6mm credited to the rain-day of the 9th accounted for 80% of the monthly total, and much of that fell in the period 09/17Z to 09/1930Z.
October: FINE/DRY FIRST TWO WEEKS: AUTUMNAL WET/WINDY BREAKDOWN 13TH. Notes (re: precipitation): 13th: r(slight) began 13/0845Z then r(slight)/r, ocnl R 13/0900Z to 13/19Z, then d(slight)r(slight) ocnl r(slight)/r thereafter through evening & night to at least 14/0900Z: total rain in rain-day 13th=17.9mm, with at least 10mm in period 09Z to 17Z; 14th/15th: rain (varying from slight to heavy) from overnight 14th/15th, through much of daylight hours 15th=21.4mm, with 5.3mm for the rainday 14th & 16.1mm for rainday 15th; 18th: r(slight), ocnl r began 18/0730Z; 20th: r(slight)/r from about 11Z .. continuing through day & following night 20th/21st; 21st: pr(slight)/r much of day; 22nd: r/pr until about 14Z; 25th: pr(R) 25/1620 - 1630Z, other showers through day; 30th: d/r(slight), ocnl r much of day & overnight 30th/31st; Notes (re: thunder - none). Additional comments on the weather in October, 2002 13th: a thoroughly miserable, cold day, but not excessively windy - probably up to BF7 for a very short time in afternoon, otherwise BF5 or BF6; 27th (major wind-storm nationally England/Wales): BF6/7 after midnight (associated with moderate rainfall), possibly short-period BF8 270300 to 270400Z, then, after a temporary easing, winds increasing from ~08Z to general BF7(8) until early afternoon, but gusts notably stronger as instability deepened, moderating to BF5/6 by 15Z: Minor damage - a few tiles, larger boughs off trees, much twig/leaf fall, and some trees down within the local area. [ NB: Period 10 Sep to 10 Oct incl.; total rainfall=1.4mm ]
November: VERY WET; NOTABLY MILD (ESPECIALLY BY NIGHT). Notes (re: precipitation): 1st: r(slight)/r much of day; 2nd: r(slight)/r(R) from 02/10Z to 02/20Z (14.1mm); 6th: r(slight) soon r(R) from early hours 6th to ~15Z that day (total ppn=20.7mm, i.e. within 24hr but not part of the standard '09-09' day); 8th: r(slight)/r from just before dawn until ~17Z, ocnl R; 10th: r(slight)/r since early hours=7.8mm at 09Z reading (rain/drizzle petered out ~ 12Z); 11th/12th: overnight heavy rain/squally wind; 13th/14th: r(slight) soon r from 13/19Z lasting through night, ocnl R=19.5mm; 14th/15th: r/pr overnight; 15th/16th: pr/tlr evening (see below); 16th/17th: r overnight & at 17/0900Z; 20th: r/dr from early hours to early afternoon; 20th/21st (night): r(slight)/r to at least 21/09Z -> r during PM; 21st/22nd: pr/r overnight; 22nd: ocnl pr plus 22nd/23rd: pr/r overnight, with pr/pR up to 23/0900Z=total of 19.9mm; 23rd/24th (overnight): pr; 24/0745Z to 24/0810Z tlr (see below), then r from 0830Z until ~ 10Z (including pR); further pr until mid-afternoon; 28th: pR during afternoon; 1st Dec: (included in Nov. rainfall) r(R) 0600-0830Z; Notes (re: thunder events): 14th: l 19Z/tl(slight) 20Z - 2045Z; 15th: tl(slight) 1910Z & 2215Z ... both days CC activity only, and 'isolated' discharges only, not frequent/major 'light-show'; 24th: tl(slight) accompanied by slight rain 0745Z (single 'flash/bang' only), then pr > r; Additional comments on the weather in November, 2002 ground 'saturated' on many days through the month; Overnight 13th/14th, very windy for a time, at least BF7; 15th/16th: dense fog for a time, but thinned somewhat by 16/09Z; 25th: of/m,id(slight) much of day ... fog thickened quickly evening 25th, but had cleared (freshening wind) by 26/09Z;
December: ANTICYCLONIC/STRONG EASTERLY EARLY; MILD/VERY WET LAST THIRD: Notes (re: precipitation): 4th: r(slight), ocnl r 09-12Z; 10th: is(slight) at 09Z, v.slight sh rest of morning from thick/OVC StSc; 12th/13th: overnight r; 14th: r(slight) soon r from 16Z -> r(R) overnight 14th/15th=11.2mm; 20th: r(R) from early afternoon to ~19Z; 21st/22nd: r/R from evening 21st overnight 21/22nd to dawn 22nd (=20mm); 24th: r early hours & again 2130-2200Z; 25th/26th: r(R) overnight; 26th: pr/r much of day/evening then r(R) overnight 26th/27th giving total rainfall in 24hr from 26/0900Z: 14.9mm; 29th: r(R) from early hours until circa 13Z, then d/r (slight) off and on to 30/0900Z; 30th/31st: virtually continuous rainfall carrying on from previous - with r,ocnl R from late AM 30th until 30/2100Z, total in 12hr up to then=26.1mm; further slight rain overnight, ceased by dawn 31st with total in rain-day of 30th=27.0mm; overnight r(ocnl R) 31st Dec/1st Jan & ocnl r(slight) up to 01/0900=15.6mm; Notes (re: thunder events):(none); Additional comments on the weather in December, 2002 12th: f for a time PM; 13th: f/F developed AFTER 09Z thickening generally by midday - lasting to late evening, but lifting in freshening wind to thick/OVC St, m by 14/0900Z (hence no entries for 09Z fog above); 20th/21st (overnight) f/F overnight, lifted to m/ST by 0900 21st .. hence no entry above!; From 22nd, lawn area saturated most of time - excessively so last few days of month.

RETURN TO DATA INDEX PAGE