Despite three failed attempts at 30C and a well above average month, it’s also been a rather disappointing June, particularly so for southern counties of England. Rainfall has been near double the June average across the south while Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland has been pretty dry and well below average.
Monday was of course the longest day of the year, however Southern England didn’t get the memo as heavy rain and fresh to strong winds spread north from France and held the thermometer widely in the rather poor 12-14C range from Cornwall to Norfolk, even further north where it was sunny, it only managed to reach the 15-17C range.
The solstice was no picnic for the rest of the UK as can be seen in the maximum temperature, only main difference was the much sunnier north. Temperatures just didn’t particularly respond.
Credit: Meteoceil
It was so cool in southern counties Monday that for some, it was a cooler summer solstice than winter solstice back on 21 December! Pretty amazing when you think about that…
Credit: Weather & Radar UK
A max temp of just 14.3°C at London Heathrow makes it the first #SummerSolstice to not reach 20°C since 2008 (19.3°C), the coldest since 1977 (14.0°C) and the second coldest on record/since 1973. Today was unusually and unseasonably cold. pic.twitter.com/NihWx3by0p
— Official Weather UK ??????? (@OfficialWXUK) June 21, 2021
Then came yesterday morning and despite minimal darkness, the clear, calm, dry air allowed for unusual radiational cooling and near to below freezing temperatures for several spots across the north.
As soon as the sun set last night, the dry, windless air quickly cooled and settled at the base of several Highland Glens. Prior to sunrise (4am), several villages hit 0.
Credit: Meteoceil
Altnaharra, Sutherland fell to -2.4C which marked the UK’s coldest June night since -3.5C was achieved at Loch Glascarnoch on 5, June, 2012. It looks like it’s the coldest such reading for this late in the year since 1981.
The morning after the #Solstice and with a minimum of at least -2.4°C at Altnaharra, the UK has just observed it's coldest June morning since 2012. pic.twitter.com/npB018AAKI
— MarkVoganWeather.com (@MarkVogan) June 22, 2021
A few other spots dipped below freezing yesterday with Loch Glascarnoch hitting -2C, Tulloch Bridge hit -1.8C.
After the cold start, temperatures rapidly climbed under the strong summer sun. I drove past Loch Glascarnoch at around 5.10am when it was registering -2C, by the time I drove back past it, it was up at 12C by 8.30am.
Tain climbed 20C within 12 hours.
Credit: Meteoceil
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