July 2011 day by day

July 8th: it was another unsettled day for many with thunderstorms developing quite widely by the afternoon across the east Midlands and the east coast between th Wash & Humberside in particular. There were a couple of tornados reported as well, one at about 9.30am in Bognor Regis (W Sussex) where in Linden Road and the surrounding area there were a number of houses damaged and another in Westhoughton near Bolton (Lancs). Here the tornado hit a housing estate shortly before 1545 BST, with reports of some roof tiles being blown off. 

July 10th : One third of the way through July and temperatures have been near average with above average rainfall and sunshine.

July 13th/14th: Some rather cold nights for July in places. The 13th saw -2C on the grass at a number of locations in Scotland and just -0.8C at 2m at Kinbrace (Sutherland). By contrast Norwich (Norfolk) didn't fall below 15C. On the 14th it fell to 2.0C at Sennybridge (Powys) & Redesdale (Northumberland) with a grass frost of -1C reported at Woodford (Cheshire).

July 15th: Half way through the month and it's still not been too bad overall, despite peoples perceptions. Temperatures have been quite near average across England and Wales so far, with rainfall and sunshine also near average for many areas, though it has been notably wetter in the northwest. Having said that some wet and windy weather looks likely over the weekend with an unusually deep low for July likely to move across the country into the western North Sea.    

July 16th-18th: A very unsettled period as a deep low ran across the UK and into the North Sea. There were some notably high rainfall totals in the period in the north and north west in particular; Capel Curig in North Wales reported 173mm in the 72 hours to 06Z on Monday 18th. Southern Scotland was notably wet as well; Eskdalemuir reported 71mm in the 48 hours to 18Z on the 17th.  It was rather windy in places too, Perranporth (Cornwall) gusted to 56kts (64mph) at 04Z on the 17th. Some notably heavy thundery showers developed across the east and SE on Sunday 17th as well, proving a nasty experience personally for me as I was caught out walking in a nasty thunderstorm with torrential rain and hail, 600ft up on the South Downs near Lewes with no shelter for miles. It involved crouching face down for half an hour to alleviate the lightning risk, which was striking just a few hundred metres away at times. 

July 24th: A rather quiet uneventful week for most, with rather showery weather predominating and never too warm anywhere.Overall though the months temperatures so far remain fairly close to average according to the Hadley CET, as do the sunshine amounts, though it has been quite wet.  

July 25th: Finally, a rather warmer day for some was on offer, temperatures reached 23-24C in places and Hurn (Dorset) reached 25.0C

July 28th: another few warmish days though nothing exceptional for July, it must be said. Yesterday however it was Aviemore (Highlands) that rose from 4.1C at dawn to 25.0C by day, to be the warnest place in the UK. This was the warmest temperature so far in Scotland in July. Exeter was 25C today.

July 31st A warm dry end to the month for many.