Whilst slightly warmer, duller and wetter than average, August was an uneventful month, predominantly south westerly and quite uninspiring. Whilst measurable rain only fell on 13 days it tended to be heavy when it did fall, giving a final total of 121.3 mm.

   After an indifferent start, the Bank Holiday weekend enjoyed warm and sunny weather, after which the month ended fairly flat with cloud and drizzle common. Indeed ten days in the month also recorded a 'Trace' of rain (less than the 0.2 mm which is classed as measurable) due to the occasional light shower or drizzle.

   MSLP at 1014.9 Mb was marginally above average, but the month was typified by ever changing conditions with no pressure pattern able to become established for more than a few days at a time. This saw the mean maximum temperature for the month only just above average but with the mean minimum 1.0°c above.

   The Met' Office have kindly provided their own data for Newton Rigg (Penrith), mean maximum of 19.12°c, mean minimum of 11.20°c (month 0.58°c warmer than average) and rainfall of 53.8 mm (77% of average) and we find that it is the warmest August since 2004 and the driest since 2010. In a series commencing 1914 August has beeen warmer on 18 occasions and colder on 76 occasions (data is unavailable for 5 of the years). In the same period August has been wetter on 68 occasions with 27 drier (data unavailable for 4 years).

   Figures from the Enviroment Agency’s rainfall sites were, (figure in brackets being the monthly average for 1961-90): Kirkby Thore 92.2 mm (68.5 mm) , Brothers Water 215 mm (198 mm) and Nunwick Hall 76.0 mm (78.4 mm) - ‘Data kindly provided by the Hydrometry and Telemetry team of the Enviroment Agency (Penrith)’.

   Taking all the rainfall figures together it was wetter than average locally, apart from the immediate area around Penrith!

   1st - 5th    The month's warmest day at 25.1°c (77.18°f) came on the 1st as even though low pressure (LP) dominated, warm and moist air was drawn up from the continent. The warm front and its rain (credited back to the 31st) associated to that LP cleared north and then the day was hot and humid.

   With LP in charge rain was never far away, but once the rain bearing fronts cleared east we did see a little sunshine, the 2nd especially. But the rainfall totals were heavy, particularly the 5th which was very wet with 26.1 mm (39.6 mm at Shap and 42.0 mm at Warcop) as a multi centred LP system lay south west of the UK and which had a series of rain bearing fronts extending north east from the centre.

   6th - 8th    A weak ridge of high pressure (HP) quietened things down during this period and the 7th and 8th were pleasantly warm with some weak sunshine, although the night's fell quite cool.

   9th - 13th    This period became changeable with no dominant weather pattern in control and consequently the days became a little cooler although rainfall totals were relatively light. Indeed through to the 21st day-time temperatures would remain at or just below the seasonal average.

   14th - 17th    A broad ridge of HP on the 14th was shunted east by a frontal system arriving off the Atlantic giving another 17.1 mm of rain on the 15th.

   The 16th was a quieter day behind the fronts of the 15th before a new area of LP arrived during the 17th to give another 15.3 mm of rain on what was a poor, dank day.

   18th - 20th    HP built and pushed north out of France although with a fresher westerly flow which kept the temperatures on the cool side particularly the 18th.

   21st - 24th    But just as that HP had become established over the UK it was replaced by another LP system that sat north west of the UK and extended several associated fronts out over the UK to give an overcast and drizzly day.

   Overall this was another changeable spell, but the temperature rose once again with the 22nd/23rd in the mid 20°'s before another area of LP arrived off the Atlantic late 23rd/24th to give yet another soaking (17.6 mm) and a cool day on the 24th.

   25th - 28th    Whilst never fully in control, HP ridged in from the SW and the days once again became warm and dry, 24°c on the 26th being the best of the period and which started perfectly clear with cloudless skies and which brought an excellent end to a decent Bank Holiday weekend, despite its poor start.

   But this tended to be the exception as weak or decaying fronts tended to sit over the north west of the UK, giving cloudy and hazy conditions for the majority of the days.

   29th - 31st    The month then ended with a dip in the temperatures, becoming quite fresh as LP once again took over. With HP our south west and LP to our north west this drew in brisk westerlies that created the fresher feel and indeed the month's coldest (15.3°c) day-time maximum came on the 31st.

   But despite several LP systems moving across the UK and fairly flat weather, rainfall was limited to just a little drizzle.

  Finally    With August bringing the meteorological summer to an end, since 1914 Newton Rigg has experienced its 10th warmest summer (data unavailable for 9) and in the same time 62 summers have been wetter and 32 drier (data unavailable for 5) - Maulds Meaburns comparisons can be seen below.

   Rainfall totalled 121.3 mm for the month, with rain recorded on 13 days of which 12 were 'Wet days' (1.0mm +).

   The Mean Temperature for the month was 15.09°c      --      The Mean Max' was   18.99°c     --      The Mean Min'   11.19°c.

   We had 0 Air Frosts in the month (year 68)              --      Grass frosts totalled 0 (year 100).

   The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 15.8°c on the 20th         to      a high of 18.8°c on the 2nd - 3rd     --      with a monthly mean of 16.8°c

   The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 14.2°c on the 31st      to      a high of 15.6°c on the 6th      --     with a monthly mean of 14.6°c

COMPARISONS:-

   * August 2013 rainfall was 117.2% of the August average for 2007 - 2012

   * August 2013 was 1.04°c warmer than the August average for 2009 - 2012 and 0.5°c warmer than the local long term average 1981-2010

  * The 3 month mean for June/July/August 2013 is              TEMP'    15.04°c         --          RAIN    291.2 mm


  *                     June/July/August 2012 was              TEMP'    13.38°c         --          RAIN    402.4 mm

  *                     June/July/August 2011 was              TEMP'    13.17°c         --          RAIN    244.1 mm

  *                     June/July/August 2010 was              TEMP'    13.97°c         --          RAIN    199.8 mm

  *                     June/July/August 2009 was              TEMP'    14.34°c         --          RAIN    349.6 mm

  *                     June/July/August 2008 was              TEMP'                                RAIN    325.2 mm

  *                     June/July/August 2007 was              TEMP'                                RAIN    355.7 mm


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                                * 2013    To Date              TEMP'     8.55°c         --          RAIN    634.9 mm

                                * 2012  Jan - Aug              TEMP'     8.97°c         --          RAIN    744.8 mm

                                * 2011  Jan - Aug              TEMP'     9.20°c         --          RAIN    777.6 mm

                                * 2010  Jan - Aug              TEMP'     8.26°c         --          RAIN    373.2 mm

                                * 2009  Jan - Aug              TEMP'     9.44°c         --          RAIN    760.3 mm

                                * 2008  Jan - Aug              TEMP'                    --          RAIN    861.7 mm