Annual Review of Weymouth's weather 2012

The 30-year period of averages currently in use by the Meteorological Office is 1981 to 2010.

All data is recorded using standard Meteorological Office equipment, thermometers that are tested and certified, rain gauges and sun recorders, set on a standard site inspected by the meteorological office. On any one day the temperature, rainfall and sunshine in different parts of the Borough can vary greatly, readings are often queried by people using untested and improperly installed equipment.

The temperatures below are the monthly averages, specific daily data can be found on the What was it like page.

The Met Office divides the year up into precise 3 monthly periods:

• Winter: December January February
• Spring: March April May
• Summer: June July August
• Autumn: September October November

Summary

End of winter: Rainfall 133.8mm, 60% of the 30-year average, Sunshine 102.4% of the 30-year average. Due to warm December and January average temperatures were above the seasonal average.

End of Spring: Maximum and minimum temperatures above average, sunshine 118% and rainfall 135% of average.

End of Summer: Sunshine 4% down whilst rainfall 41% above average, minimum temperatures well above average but maximum temperatures slightly below average.

End of Autumn: Sunshine Average, Rainfall up by 67%, temperatures just below average.

Sunshine

The average annual sunshine is 1855 hours 18 minutes, 2012 saw a decrease in sunshine in a year that was pretty bad all over the country recording just 1768 hours and 24 minutes, the sunniest day was 24th July with 14 hours and 42 minutes.

Rainfall

At the beginning of the year Water Boards were concerned with the lack of rainfall, their fears were about to be reversed; the average annual rainfall in Weymouth is 744.8 millimetres, 2012 almost doubled this to 1133.5 mm, 611.3 mm above the 30-year average. January, February, March and May were all drier than average whilst all other months have exceeded the monthly average. April, June and July each trebled the average, making this the wettest year since 1960 and the second wettest since 1880. However during the Olympic Games there was a respite in the weather much to everybody’s relief.

Wind

The prevailing wind for Weymouth is from the southwest, 135 days the wind came from the southwest quadrant, 49 days came from the southeast quarter, 98 from the northeast direction, 82 from the northwest and 2 days were calm at the 0900 observation. Gale force winds, i.e. wind at a speed of 34 knots or more, for a period of 10 minutes, or for gust exceeding 43 knots occurred on 29 occasions, gusts occurred more frequently but not for extended periods. The highest being 57 knots on 3rd January.

Temperatures

Average Max
The months at the ends of the years were all above the average temperature and the summer months cooler than average. The warmest day was 27th July at 25.5 oC.

Average Min
All months except February were above the 30-year average, the highest minimum temperature was on 27th July at 18.5 oC

Air frost

The air temperature dropped to zero or below on 12 days, most of these were in February. Lowest air temperature was -4.0oC on 3rd February.

Ground frost

Occurred on 49 occasions throughout the year, January 5 times, February 17 times, March 8 times, and April 4 times, 4 in November, and on 11 occasions during December, the lowest ground temperature was -8.4oC on 7th February.

Sea

The sea temperature is measured in Weymouth Bay from the Pleasure Pier, (and is mainly recorded for the convenience of the bathers, whether they be local or visitors), the temperature of the water in the bay varies considerably from day to day depending on tide and wind, the rate of cooling and warming is a lot slower that of the air temperature, and in the winter is often a lot warmer than the air temperature. The temperature is measured 1 metre below the surface. The sea temperature was mainly above the 30-year average, and 12th August raised the mercury to 17.2 the highest recorded.

Thunder

No occurrences of thunder were recorded.under was only noted 7 times once in January, 3 times in May, once in June and on 3 occasions in August.

Hail

Hail was recorded 4 times once each in January and December and twice during April.

Snow

Snow, a rare phenomenon in Weymouth was even rarer and did not fall in 2012.

Fog

Fog is 'wet air', not to be confused with haze, which is 'dirty but dry air'. When assessing visibility, fog reduces visibility to 1000 metres, whilst thick fog brings visibility down to 400 metres. Fog was observed on 11 occasions at the morning observation. Mist and haze was present on several occasions during the year.