After a hot and humid start to the month, when record daily maximum temperatures were recorded at several stations across the country on 1 July, it has been a fairly average month so far for the UK as a whole. However, on a regional scale there are some contrasts.

Using figures up to 15 July, mean temperatures have been close to or above average, with counties in eastern and southeastern England highest relative to average.

Meanwhile, for rainfall there are more notable variations, with eastern parts of England having received around or less than half the amount of rainfall that would be expected by mid-month. For example, Surrey and Sussex have both recorded less than 20% of the month’s average rainfall with 7.8mm and 9.9mm respectively. By the 15th of the month you would normally expect around 48% of the whole-month average.

This is in comparison with parts of Eastern Scotland where some places have already recorded more rainfall than the whole-July average. Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire have already seen rainfall in excess of July’s average at 79mm and 106.6mm.

After the hot, sunny start to the month there have been periods of unsettled weather, with weather systems arriving from the Atlantic bringing rain or showers at times. This has been interspersed with drier, sunny spells.

With west or southwesterly winds dominating, there have been some rather cloudy days in the south, leading to mild nights.

The table below shows figures for the 1-15 July. You would normally expect about 48% of the full-month average for sunshine and rainfall at this point in the month.