August was a chilly wash-out, but Marlborough’s summer was saved by a better-than-average June and July, according to town meteorologist Eric Gilbert.
Only eight days in August – all of them at the beginning of the month – hit the 30-year mean, according to Eric, who has been taking recordings at his Windrush weather station since 1984.
Many days in the month were several degrees below the long-term average. The mean was 1.7C below the long-term average so it is not surprising that it was the coldest August since 1993. The maximum day temperature was 25.2C, which was the lowest maximum since 1986.
There were only 11 dry days in the month, and the total rainfall for August of 101.4mm was 157 percent of the norm.
It was the eight wettest since 1984 with August 1992 holding the record when the total precipitation was 139.5mm.
However, says Eric, June and July produced above average temperatures so although August was cool, the mean for the three summer months was 0.3C above the 30-year average.
The total rainfall for the summer was 186mm, just 4mm above the 30-year average.
In the longer term, the consecutive eight months from January to August have produced a total rainfall of 787mm, which is the highest total since Eric’s records began.
“It is interesting to note,” says Eric, “that there are only three years that have totals in excess of 700mm, all recent years – 727mm and 707mm in 2009 and 2008 respectively.”