By Mike Trigger

July 2023 was a lot wetter but only slightly cloudier and slightly cooler than average.

Weather patterns during July were dominated by a series of Atlantic low pressure centres moving across the UK bringing very changeable conditions. At the start of the month WNW winds brought showers to parts of SW England but on the 4th a small low pressure centre moved through the channel producing a period of heavy rain across the district. The briefest of ridges on the 5th and 6th was swept away as a low developed to the W of Scotland by the 7th with a further quite deep low just SW of Ireland on the 8th. Ahead of these low pressure centres, winds turned more southerly and this lifted temperatures a little. Despite a rise in pressure, weather fronts brought spells of wet weather which culminated in another period of heavy rain on the 10th. This was followed by showery intervals before a deepening low pressure centre moved into the Irish Sea and brought some extremely wet weather across the district on the 14th. Showery weather and W to NW winds followed but subsequently a build of pressure brought the driest and warmest period of the month between the 17th and 21st. The 22nd was fairly wet and cool for most parts as a further Atlantic low pressure moved across the UK, then to be followed by further lows and a changeable weather pattern through to the end of the month.

In terms of statistics:

The temperature for the month averaged out between 16 and 17 Celsius, about half a degree below the thirty-year average. The warmest day was the 19th when temperatures widely reached 24 Celsius and in one or two spots managed to climb just above 25 Celsius. Around the district most places had at least 20 days when afternoon temperatures exceeded 20 Celsius. The coldest morning was on the 26th when the temperature dropped to between 5 and 9 Celsius.

Rainfall totals in the Teignmouth and Dawlish area ranged from 80mm to 120mm, more than double the average rainfall for July. There were 8 to 15 days with 1mm or more of rain which compares to the average of 7 days but there were about 10 to 15 days with no significant rain which is close to the average number. There were three days with 10mm or more recorded (4th 10th and 22nd) but the wettest day was the 14th when between 30 and 40mm of rain was recorded across the district.  

There were several windy spells including the 15th 22nd and 27th.

Sunshine of around 170 to 200 hours was 10% below the average.

The sea temperature at the Dawlish wave buoy fell back to 15 Celsius at the start of the month, probably due to cooler NW winds, but rose irregularly to between 16 and 17 Celsius after the first week of July.