An historical perspective on the climate statistics
for Coventry during August 2007

Temperature

With a mean monthly temperature of 16.3C, this has been the coolest
August in Coventry since 1993 (15.1C). Only two August months have
been cooler than August 2007 since 1988 (1992 & 1993).

However, it is interesting to note that all four Augusts between 1985
and 1988 were cooler than this year, so perhaps our expectations for
August have been raised unduly by recent warm months at this time of
year. Remember that August last year was quite cool, even in our
warmest summer on record.

This has become the second month in succession with average
temperatures (-0.3C) below the 30-year mean for Coventry; this is the
first time this has happened since February and March 2006.

Rainfall

In this wettest summer on record, August has actually recorded less
rainfall (49.9mm) than normal (75%) in Coventry.

It has become the driest August in the city since 2003 (24.8mm).

With 20 dry days in the month, it is interesting to note that 98% of
the month's rainfall in a nine day period midmonth from the 11th to
19th of August.

Nevertheless, the first eight months of 2007 have been the wettest
such period on record (709.3mm); in a data series dating back to 1870,
the previous highest total was 706.6mm in 1912.

Interestingly, we have already recorded more rainfall in the first
eight months of 2007, than the annual total for each of the past four
years.

Sunshine

This has been the sunniest August (210.7hr) in Coventry since 1998
(227.6hr).

Only two August months have recorded more sunshine than August 2007 in
the past 16 years (1995 & 1998).

Surprisingly, only 16 August months have recorded more than 200 hours
of sunshine since 1894.

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station
Coventry UK
www.bablakeweather.co.uk