Spring 2008

HDR image of Jacob's Ladder Beach
HDR image of Jacob's Ladder Beach on a warm and humid late May day after a spell of heavy rain.
Summary for  Spring 2008
Mean Max: 15.0ºC (+1.9ºC)
Mean Min: 6.1ºC (+1.0ºC)
Mean: 10.6ºC (+1.5ºC)
     
High Max: 27.9ºC 11th May
Low Min: -2.9ºC 7th Apr
Mean Grass Min: 3.6ºC  
Grass Min: -6.7ºC 5th Mar
     
Rain Total (gauge): 243.9 mm (147%)
Rain Total (tipping bucket): 203.6 mm (123%)
Rain Days >0.2 mm: 50 Days  
Rain Days >1.0 mm: 34 Days  
Max 24 hrs: 22.4 mm 22nd Mar
Days without any rain: 33  
     
Air Frost: 8 Days  
Ground Frost: 26 Days  
Snow Falling: 1 Days  
Snow (50%) @ 9am: 0 Days  
Thunder Heard: 9 Days  
Hail <5 mm: 8 Days  
Hail >5 mm: 1 Days  
Fog @ 9am: 1 Days  
     
Total Monthly Sunshine: 525h:22m  
Total Monthly Sunshine: 524.5 Hours  
Most Sunshine in a Day: 13h:49m 8th May
Average Daily Sunshine: 05h:42m  
Sunless Days: 6 Days  
Cloudless Days: 8 Days  
Total Possible Sunshine: 1264h:33m  
Percentage of Total Sun: 42%  
     
Mean Soil Temp @ 30 cm: 10.5ºC  
Min Soil Temp @ 30 cm: 5.8ºC 23rd Mar
Max Soil Temp @ 30 cm: 18.1ºC 13th May
Mean Soil Temp @ 100 cm: 8.1ºC  
Min Soil Temp @ 100 cm: -  
Max Soil Temp @ 100 cm: 13.5ºC 17th May
     
Mean 10 Min Wind >39 mph: 0.0 Days  
N: 10.68 Days  
NE: 15.48 Days  
E: 10.13 Days  
SE: 7.78 Days  
S: 9.22 Days  
SW: 7.40 Days  
W: 16.14 Days  
NW: 11.42 Days  
Calm: 11.23 Days  
Mean Wind: 5 mph  
Max Gust: 58 mph 10th Mar
     
Mean Cloud Cover: 59%  
Mean RH @ 9am: 0%  
Rain Duration >0.1mm/hour: 130.8 Hours  
Frost Duration: 49.0 Hours  
Max Frost Duration in a Day: 9.0 Hours 8th Apr
     
Mean Sea Temperature: 10.9ºC  
Normal for Month: N/A  
Max Sea Temperature: 15.6ºC 31st May
Min Sea Temperature: 8.8ºC 23rd Mar
     
Mean Pressure: 1010.7 hPa (-4.8 hPa)
Max Pressure: 1036.8 hPa 5th Mar
Min Pressure: 961.1 hPa 10th Mar
     
Max Dewpoint: 15.3ºC 13th May
Min Dewpoint: -5.9ºC 7th Apr
Mean Dewpoint: 5.2ºC  
     
Max Humidity: 92% 29th May
Min Humidity: 37% 14th May
Mean Humidity: 72% (-7)

Another Spring with temperatures warmer than normal with all months this year so far being warmer than normal.

Rainfall was above average in all months.
A snow flurry on the 6th of April was the first snow recorded falling at this location in over two years.
Sunshine levels were generally above normal.
Soil temperatures struggled during the cold nights recorded in early April but after that they recovered quickly and in May they were above normal.
Winds were dominant from the NE sector during the latter half of Spring, especially during the whole of May. The 10th of March was notably windy.
The frostiest spell of the year so far actually occurred in early April. The 8th of April had a minimum of -2.9°C making it colder than any night in January or March and was only beaten by one colder night night which occurred in February (-3.2°C).
Sea temperatures remained above normal throughout the Spring.
Mean pressure was below normal and indicative of the generally unsettled nature of this Spring.
Notably low dewpoints caused by dry air from the nearby Continent during  early May.
Relative humidity was below normal and indicative of the lack of Atlantic air masses, especially during May.
Graphs for Spring 2008
 

Figure 1. Temperature and Rainfall for Spring 2008.
Figure 2. Sunshine, air pressure and mean wind speed for Spring 2008.
Figure 3. Wind direction for Spring 2008.
Figure 4. Sea Surface Temperature (SST) for Lyme Bay for Spring 2008.
Figure 5. Wind run, gusts and air pressure for Spring 2008.