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13
Every month from January to April and from June to September was
brighter than usual last year, while both March and August established
new records. June was the sunniest month (255.7 hours), and
December the dullest (34.4 hours). The number of days with
measurable sunshine (three minutes or more) was 294, as compared
with the normal of 290. Each of June's first eight days yielded at
least 12½
sunny hours, and June 7th gave the greatest daily duration
for the year—14.5 hours, or 88 per cent, of the maximum possible.
The mean temperature of 1933, 49.9 deg., was 0.9 deg. above the
average for the twenty years 1910-1929, and about 1.7 deg. above
what is computed to be the true average for the district. A remarkable
period of persistent warmth set in during the early spring and
continued with little interruption until mid-autumn. Each month
from March to October proved warmer than usual. The mean
temperature of the meteorological summer (June to August) was
63.6 deg., 3.7 deg. above normal, and had only once been equalled or
exceeded in the Observatory records. This occasion was in 1911,
when the corresponding figure was 63.7 deg. The monthly values for
these two memorable summers are here appended for comparison :—

It will be seen that in each instance August was the hottest month, by
a narrow margin over July, which ordinarily gains that distinction.
Both the first two and the last two months of 1933 were, on the
whole, cold. December was notably severe, giving a mean temperature
of 33.3 deg.—6.7 deg. below normal. Ground-frost occurred on
every night (a very uncommon event), but did not attain exceptional
intensity. There were only three days on which the Sheltered
thermometer rose to 40 deg., and the absolute maximum, 42.7 deg. on
the 22nd, was 4 deg. lower than that of any other calendar month
back to 1910. In all probability this was in Hampstead. as in other
parts of London, the coldest December since 1890.