7/8 July 2004
Strong winds/heavy rainfall
The second half of June and early July were generally unsettled, with a deep June depression passing over England on 23 June 2004.
Another depression coming up from Spain/France, caused high wind speeds and heavy rainfall on 7/8 July 2004. This was followed by heavy showers/thunderstorms over parts of England on 8 July 2004.
Six-hourly animated synoptic charts
This unseasonably bad weather resulted in problems for power supplies, on roads and on the railways. There were also flooding problems near Wittering on 8 July 2004, which recorded over 100 mm in just 18 hours, which is double their July 1961-90 average, though much higher amounts have been recorded over the UK over much shorter durations.
United Kingdom extreme weather
Winds
Highest hourly mean wind speeds - 7 and 8 July 2004
The table and map below uses wind data available on 9 July 2004 (only stations with small amounts of missing wind data over the two days have been used, and no adjustments have been made for stations which do not have a standard effective height of 10 metres). Data are provisional, and have not yet been fully quality controlled.
| Low-level stations (below 200 metres) |
Station elevation | Mean hourly wind speed (knots) |
Hour ending | Any other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Berry Head, Devon |
58 m | 44 |
7 July 2004 19:00 |
Previous highest July value was 41 knots on 25 July 2003. Digital data records back to 1994. |
|
Donna Nook, Lincolnshire |
8 m | 37 |
8 July2004 07:00 |
Previous highest July value was 35 knots on 10 July 2000. Digital data records back to 1995. |
|
Mumbles Head, near Swansea |
32 m | 36 |
7 July 2004 22:00 |
Highest July value is 39 knots on 11 July 2001. Digital data records back to 2000. |
|
Holbeach, Lincolnshire |
3 m | 34 |
8 July2004 02:00 |
Previous highest July value was 27 knots on 1 July 1992. Digital data records back to 1992. |
|
Langdon Bay, Kent |
117 m | 32 |
7 July 2004 13:00 |
Highest July value is 35 knots on 4 July 1990. Digital data records back to 1985. |
|
Culdrose, Cornwall |
78 m | 32 |
7 July 2004 21:00 |
Highest July value is 38 knots on 23 July 1990. Digital data records back to 1977. |
Map of highest hourly mean wind speeds - 7 and 8 July 2004
Highest gust speeds - 7 and 8 July 2004
The table and map below uses wind data available on 9 July 2004 (no adjustments have been made for stations which do not have a standard effective height of 10 metres). Data are provisional, and have not yet been fully quality controlled.
The highest known gust speed any where in UK during July is 81 knots (93 m.p.h.) at Lizard on 29 July 1956.
|
Low-level stations (below 200 metres) |
Station elevation |
Gust speed (knots) |
Hour ending |
Any other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Berry Head, Devon |
58 m | 62 | 7 July 2004 21:00 | Previous highest July value was 54 knots on 25 July 2003. Digital data records back to 1994. |
|
Brixham, Devon |
8 m | 60 | 7 July 2004 21:00 | Previous highest July value was 49 knots on 25 July 2003. Digital data records back to 1997. |
|
Culdrose, Cornwall |
78 m | 59 | 7 July 2004 22:00 | Previous highest July value was 51 knots on 7 July 1991. Digital data records back to 1977. |
|
Mumbles Head, near Swansea |
32 m | 55 | 7 July 2004 22:00 | Previous highest July value was 52 knots on 11 July 2001. Digital data records back to 2000. |
|
Camborne, Cornwall |
87 m | 50 | 7 July 2004 23:00 | Previous highest July value was 47 knots on 7 July 1991. Digital data records back to 1979. |
|
Donna Nook, Lincolnshire |
8 m | 50 | 7 July 2004 06:00 | Previous highest July value was 45 knots on 10 July 2000. Digital data records back to 1995. |
Map of highest gust speeds - 7 and 8 July 2004
Rainfall
Rainfall information - 7 July 2004
The following table, consists of the data which were available from our real-time network on 8 July 2004, and shows the highest rainfall totals for various periods on 7 July 2004. Data are provisional, and have not yet been fully quality controlled.
| Rainfall station | Rainfall total (mm) | End date/time of rainfall and length of duration | Approx. return period (years) | Any other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Guernsey Airport (CI) |
62.5 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 24 hours |
- | - |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
56.6 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 24 hours |
16 | Sixth wettest day on record (09 to 09 GMT), and 2nd wettest day for July. Wettest day was 10 July 1968 with 79.2 mm. Digital records back to 1957. |
|
Jersey Airport (CI) |
51.9 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 24 hours |
- | - |
|
Andrewsfield, Essex |
43.8 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 24 hours |
Not significant | - |
|
Wattisham, Suffolk |
36.0 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 24 hours |
Not significant | - |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
52.6 |
8 July 2004 09:00 - 12 hours |
22 | Fifth highest standard 12-hour value recorded in any month (4th highest in following 12-hour period), and 3rd wettest for July. Wettest standard 12-hour period recorded in any month was 64.1 mm on 10 July 1968. Digital 12-hour records back to 1957. |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
55.2 |
8 July 2004 04:00 - 8 hours |
24 | - |
Twelve-hour standard period is defined as 09-21 GMT or 21-09 GMT.
Please Note: The return periods have been calculated using the Flood Estimation Handbook method. This gives the likelihood of recurrence at any time of year, rather than for the month in question only. Return periods less than 10 years have been noted as insignificant in the above table.
Rainfall information - 8 July 2004
The following table, consists of the data which were available from our real-time network on 9 July 2004, and shows the highest rainfall totals for various periods on 7 July 2004. Data are provisional, and have not yet been fully quality controlled.
| Rainfall station | Rainfall total (mm) | End date/time of rainfall and length of duration | Approx. return period (years) | Any other Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
52.9 |
8 July 2004 21:00 - 12 hours |
23 | Fourth highest standard 12-hour value recorded in any month, and 2nd wettest for July. Wettest standard 12-hour period recorded in any month was 64.1 mm on 10 July 1968. Digital 12-hour records back to 1957. |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
51.0 |
8 July 2004 15:00 - 2 hours |
80 | Highest 2-hour total since hourly digital records began in 1980. |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
31.0 |
8 July 2004 15:00 - 1 hour |
35 | Wettest hourly value since hourly digital records began in 1980. Previous highest hourly total was 27.5 mm on 7 August 2002. |
|
Wittering, Cambridgeshire |
20.0 |
8 July 2004 14:00 - 1 hour |
Not significant | - |
Twelve-hour standard period is defined as 09-21 GMT or 21-09 GMT.
Please Note: The return periods have been calculated using the Flood Estimation Handbook method. This gives the likelihood of recurrence at any time of year, rather than for the month in question only. Return periods less than 10 years have been noted as insignificant in the above table.
Extra information on Wittering
Wittering recorded 107.4 mm in 19 hours on 7/8 July 2004, which is an approximate return period of 150 years. This volume of rain has not been previously recorded over such a short time frame at Wittering for any month.
Over the first 8 days of July, Wittering recorded 121.5 mm, which is 246% of their 1961-1990 July average rainfall.
A short account from the Senior Met. Officer at Wittering, which gives further insight into the event.
"The thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon was very localised indeed. I suspect only a few square miles were affected, the area centred on RAF Wittering. The A1 road is adjacent to our entrance and was closed for a while.
"The whole base was flooded with several buildings affected. Ground stroke lightning was also a feature with several "hits" on the base resulting in damage to electronic equipment.
"The thunderstorm was not advected from elsewhere but appeared to develop over Wittering in a short space of time and then hardly move. Some hail was observed but nothing too intense. The rain was just like standing under a waterfall."
Advertisement
