Sheffield's heatwave doesn't last in '˜topsy turvy' July

A mini heatwave was the meteorological highlight of a '˜topsy turvy' July, with an average temperature of just 17.2C in Sheffield.
Sun worshippers enoying Sheffield's glorious weather, Sheffield, United Kingdom on 19 July 2016. Photo by Glenn Ashley PhotographySun worshippers enoying Sheffield's glorious weather, Sheffield, United Kingdom on 19 July 2016. Photo by Glenn Ashley Photography
Sun worshippers enoying Sheffield's glorious weather, Sheffield, United Kingdom on 19 July 2016. Photo by Glenn Ashley Photography

The weather station at Weston Park, run by Museums Sheffield, recorded a high of 30.5C last month. Last year had the hottest day on record at 32.7C.

But Sheffield also had its coldest July day since 2001, when a temperature of 7.2C was recorded. The lowest ever July temperature was 4.1C in 1887.

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A total rainfall of 37mm meant July was drier than the average of 51mm, but slightly better than last year’s total of 35.7mm.

Curator of natural science at Weston Park Alistair McLean said July was a ‘topsy turvy’ month.

“There wasn’t really much in the way of long-term records broken. The main thing to say is that at the beginning of the month we had those quite low temperatures overnight, then at the back end it started to get really warm.

“It’s the second year we have had a temperature of 30C. Before last year it was quite a long gap.”

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Mr McLean said it was difficult to say why temperatures had risen so high, albeit briefly, for two years in a row.

“We have been getting quite a bit of rainfall because of the El Niño climate cycle,” he said. “But whether the warm temperatures are as a result of that we don’t know.”

The rest of the week looks likely to continue in a similar vein, with patches of sun appearing in mostly cloudy skies. A high of 21C is forecast for Saturday.

Mr McLean said: “We can’t really make a forecast for the rest of the month, but fingers crossed that it will dry out again.”

n Follow the Weston Park weather station on Twitter @WPWeather.