Hi Norman

After looking at the yearly rainfall amount (1971 - 2000) for many places
around England, it seems that July is generally the driest month with a very
bizarre but pronounced increase in rainfall for June, Greenwich is a typical
example:

Mar 42
Apr 45
May 47
Jun 53
Jul 38
Aug 47
Sep 57
__________________
Nick G
Thorverton, Exe Valley, Devon
50 m amsl
"Norman Lynagh" wrote in
message ...
In message , Nick G
writes
Don't forget that over much of the country June is the driest, or one of
the driest months of the year, on average, and that there is a
significant
upwards jump in average rainfall amounts in July with a further increase
in August. The amount of increase from June to July increases across the
country from SE to NW.

Down here in Devon, this June seems to have been one of the best I have
ever
known. My memory of most Junes is cool and unsettled with 1983, 1989, 1995
and 2003 being the exceptions.

Studying the rainfall patterns for this part of the world, July and August
are the driest months, reasons given by some literature is that it is due
to
less thundery activity when compared to the rest of the UK. I would be
more
inclined to think that it was due to the SW of England being nearer and
under slightly more influence of that oh-so-close Azores high pressure
which
seems to haunt with intent just to the south and west of the UK during
these
months.
__________________
Nick G
Thorverton, Exe Valley, Devon
50 m amsl

I don't have up-to-date figures immediately to hand but the 1931-1960
rainfall averages (mm) for June/July/August in your neck of the woods a

St Mary's (Scilly) 49 61 64
Bude 48 72 75
Exeter 48 55 69
Falmouth 58 72 77
Hartland Pt 50 76 83
Ilfracombe 56 82 92
Newquay 47 72 70
Plymouth 53 70 77

For 1931-60 June was clearly the driest of the 3 summer months. There may
well have been a change in more recent years - Figures anyone?

Norman.
(delete "thisbit" twice to e-mail)
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
Chalfont St Giles 85m a.s.l.
England