On 30 Sep 2003 19:38:16 GMT, (JJCMayes1) wrote:

See:..........

http://www.metoffice.com/corporate/p...r20030930.html

Thanks for this Martin.
Well well - journalists will have to rewrite their stories and record books
now. Have to confess, I was keeping quiet about this - I was minding my own
business in the Met Office archives at Bracknell about 10 days ago when the
postman arrived. He delivered a parcel. It contained a maximum thermometer. It
was the faversham thermometer (I kid you not!!) after having been tested and
found to be sound. I assume the Met Office have done something similar to the
observer (connection to lie-detector??). I expect they are dusting off a glass
case to display the thermometer right now...... :-)

Hehe...

How can an observer not phone in such a remarkable temperature on reading it
the following morning?

Indeed!. Unless he *did* phone it in but the Met Office kept quiet
about it. They did say in August that not all the readings were in. If
he didn't, I'll be suspicious of it unless its an automated station
read periodically. Would love to know more about the circumstances.
The excess over the old Cheltenham record (1degC) simply amazes me.

Is the media still interested in this story though? In
our fast-moving news agenda, cold weather is topical in the next few days, not
hot (irony intended here!...). Will people still refer to newspapers of mid
August going on about Gravesend?

For a while but you can be sure that word will get out... it's quite a
coup for the owners of the home of the National Fruit Collections:
http://www.brogdale.org/html/visit_us.html

Some background for people who don't know the exact location:

Brogdale is just South of Faversham, half a mile due West of M2
junction 6, about 100 metres South of the M2 carriageway. Altitude is
41m amsl and it's 5 miles North of the North Downs summits (170m to
200m amsl). So, in the lee of the Southerlies that day, which may
explain the record.

I for one would visit the site if in the area, so it's bound to be
good for business if and when the news gets out. No mention of the
record on their website, yet. It's a MUCH nicer location than
Gravesend Broadness

--
Dave