January to November 2003 dry spell
Rainfall totals January to November
The information below has been taken from the Met Office Hadley Centre precipitation series.
It is interesting to note that the 24-month period starting May 1995 and ending April 1997 for England & Wales had only 1399.4 mm of rainfall (this was the 3rd driest 24-month consecutive total in the series, only just short of 24-month spells around 1783 and 1853). In comparison, the current 24 consecutive month total starting December 2001 and ending November 2003 is 1822.7 mm. Average 1961-90 rainfall for 24 months would give 1830.2 mm.
| Area | Rainfall (mm) | 1961-90 average (mm) | Rainfall as % of average | Compared to previous Jan-Nov totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Scotland | 492.1 | 684.0 | 72% | 2nd driest in series, driest being 1955 with 487.6 mm, series back to 1931. |
| NE England | 536.9 | 701.4 | 76% | 6th driest in series, driest being 1989 with 497.7 mm, series back to 1873. Driest since 1989. |
|
NW England & N Wales |
705.4 | 909.9 | 77% | 5th driest in series, driest being 1955 with 614.0 mm, series back to 1873. Driest since 1964, when 691.2 mm was recorded. |
| Scotland | 969.9 | 1215.6 | 80% | 2nd driest in series, driest being 1955 with 870.8 mm, series back to 1931. |
| Northern Ireland | 740.3 | 926.1 | 80% | 3rd driest in series, driest being 2001 with 722.8 mm, series back to 1931. |
|
SW England & S Wales |
722.4 | 905.8 | 80% | 9th driest in series, driest being 1921 with 590.1 mm, series back to 1873. Driest since 1964, when 661.5 mm was recorded. |
| England and Wales | 661.3 | 819.7 | 81% | 13th driest in series, driest being 1921 with 552.8 mm, series back to 1766. Driest since 1964, when 625.7 mm was recorded. |
| Southern Scotland | 1006.5 | 1230.8 | 82% | 6th driest in series, driest being 1955 with 858.0 mm, series back to 1931. Driest since 1973, when 973.5 mm was recorded. |
| SE England | 532.7 | 647.9 | 82% | 13th driest in series, driest being 1921 with 353.4 mm, series back to 1873. Driest since 1973 when 471.7 mm was recorded. |
| Northern Scotland | 1215.4 | 1434.4 | 85% | 10th driest in series, driest being 1941 with 1014.3 mm, series back to 1931. Driest since 1976 when 1203.5 mm was recorded. |
| Central England | 496.2 | 583.2 | 85% | 24th driest in series, driest being 1921 with 362.2 mm, series back to 1873. |
Station data January to November 2003
Based on data available on 8 December 2003 (top three driest).
| Station name | Rainfall (mm) | 1961-90 average (mm) | Rainfall as % of average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoeburyness (Essex) | 360.8 | 460.7 | 78% |
| Met Office London | 372.9 | 481.2 | 77% |
| Hereford Credenhill (Herefordshire) | 377.5 | 589.0 | 64% |
Averages have been estimated where a 30-year record is not available.
January to November 2003 rainfall maps
