I realised this morning that I haven't had my central heating on for 3 months. I usually leave it on the thermostat through summer and it flicks on nearly every day. That may change soon as it does feel a bit chillier this morning which is what made me think about it. Should have made a bit of a saving at least! February and March were a killer though so it does balance out. 

I do hope we can get a couple more weeks of decent weather out of this summer to end on a settled note. 

That's dependent on where you live.

Here in NW England, we had a largely excellent May (barring about 7-10 days somewhere round the middle), a superb June and a brilliant first two-thirds of July. I think for late May through to early July, this region had amongst the very best conditions in the whole UK (along with much of Wales, West Midlands, Western Scotland and Northern Ireland)

Since then, it's been mixed. There's been some fine weather days without doubt, and the temps have largely held up easily above average (sometimes very much so) - but it's been mostly cloudy and, of course, the odd rainy day. If the whole summer had been like the late-July to now period, I'd probably be giving it a 6.5 or 7 out of 10.

But after a near three months of amazing summer weather, the 'more average' weather of the past 3 weeks feels like a clunky come-down. Feels like a front-loaded summer.

I think much of Scotland and the far NW of England have had it worse than 'down' here, too.

For you SE'eners (and the south and east of England generally), the perception I got from reading posts on here is that the weather improved through July after an overall very good May & June, and there hasn't been the proliferation of cloud over the past 3 weeks or so, and certainly less rain down there. So your take on the summer is going to be different.

Whereas I realised over half of last month's £53 electricity bill was spent on air-conditioning! It's very much worth it though, retiring to a room with cool, low-dewpoint air blowing over you is heavenly. It's great for sleeping, too, aside from the loud "thrmm" noise and even louder clunks as it turns on and off. I will still aim for "proper" air-con, but with new windows needed and new electrics too, it's not going to be any time soon.

Meanwhile it's what I'd consider close to a perfect summer's day now. The humidity is gone, it feels fresh albeit still with relatively strong sunshine. There's a breeze and there are scattered clouds. Why couldn't the rest of summer have been like this? :P

I have to agree with this. Definitely a frontloaded summer that has just petered out gradually. I'd say each week has been a little bit worse than the previous one since mid July. I think people maybe don't realise (or care about) the amount of cloud there has been away from the SE since mid July and generally more mixed picture. That's not to say it's been bad. Just not the endless blue skies, drought and heat that we had previously. Our weeks have been more 2 or 3 days of sun, 2 or 3 days of cloud and 2 days of showers recently. Temperatures have held up well though and the sunny days have felt hot which has helped redeem the end of July slightly.

May 8/10
June 9/10
July 7.5/10
August I'm fearing will be more of a 6/10

Overall if you include May, I'd probably say we have had an 8/10 summer

Manchester Summer Indices

Summers in order with the best at the top 

1976 301
1995 298
2018 292 (up to 7th August)
1983 278
1955 277
1911 274
1984 271
1959 269
1975 268
1949 267
1989 262
1947 255
1933 251
1901 249
1921 249
2003 247
2013 247
1925 246
2006 246
1996 245
1935 243 
2018 242 <------if rest of August records zero sunshine, rain everyday and a mean maximum of 15C

Given the MO, I'd say it's unlikely this summer will pip 1995. Probably hold onto 3rd place, though.

(As a general observation, before we had kids the timing of a long spell of excellent summer weather was less important; now they're both well into their school years, I've become far more conscious of it)

Manchester Summer Indices

Summers in order with the best at the top 

1976 301
1995 298
2018 290 (up to 11th August)
1983 278
1955 277
1911 274
1984 271
1959 269
1975 268
1949 267
1989 262
1947 255
1933 251
1901 249
1921 249

2018 248 <-----if rest of August records zero sunshine, a mean maximum of 15C and rain everyday

Having spent June & most of July 1976 doing a weekend commute from Kent to Manchester, and then living in Kent in 1995 so in a position to compare from experience, I'd expect a similar index for the SE to show a clearer lead for 1976.

Manchester Summer Indices

Summers in order with the best at the top

1976 301

1995 298

2018 285 (up to 15th August)

1983 278

1955 277

1911 274

1984 271

1959 269

1975 268

1949 267

1989 262

1947 255

2018 252 <-------------------if rest of summer records a mean max of 15C, zero sunshine and rain everyday

Might be clinging on to that 3rd spot soon! Hopefully we get some form of half decent spell before the end of August though.

Probably for JJA, but I think 2018 would be ahead (and first) for MJJA.

Manchester Summer Indices

Summers in order with the best at the top 

1976 301
1995 298
2018 284 (up to 16th August)
1983 278
1955 277
1911 274
1984 271
1959 269
1975 268
1949 267
1989 262
2018 256 <----if rest of summer records zero sunshine, rain everyday and a mean maximum of 15C

But . . . but . . . what if 2018 is the new 1975 and we go onto having a drier than average winter?

Mmmmmmmm.

That might actually be quite good news for those of us who want a cold winter.

The last two winters were drier than average in this part of the world (although January of this year was a bit wetter than average), but a drier than average winter would have a better chance of also being a cold winter, than a wetter than average winter.

Having said that though, a dry winter would only really be good news for me if it wasn't so dry that we couldn't get any snow, because we still need something to be falling out of the sky in order for that to fall as snow.

Given that we are coming to the end of a dry summer in this part of the world though, that would certainly raise a few eyebrows if we were to get yet another dry winter as well after that.

This summer has been excellent in my neck of the woods, although it started in April and May got even better, then it continued through to July. August has been a bit of a let down compared to the previous three months but in other years I’d have been happy with it as it’s been warm with very little rain.  So at least the kids have been able to get out during their school hols without it being spoilt by wet days.  

We’ve missed out on the thunder storms, which is unusual for us and disappointing for me as I love a good storm.  I’m a bit miffed that the summer CET is unlikely to beat any records because I think it’s tried so hard!    

We camped in Cornwall in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011,2012 !, 2013 and 2014.

Gave it up as it was either wet and windy or too cool.

The 8 hour drive west has been replaced with an 8 hour drive south instead. The results are significantly better as you can get south of La Rochelle and into the sunshine.

I drive 6 hours due South from Calais and get to my holiday home near Macon. Not quite as many sunshine hours as Charente and more thunderstorms, but seriously hot most years. Just driving back from Dover now.

This last 3 weeks the mean max at Macon has been roughly 31C and mean min 18C. Only downside has been the plague of wasps and hornets, though I think it’s been bad in Britain too.

2 more hours South from there and you’re on the outskirts of Valence and the start of the Midi. 2 hours East and you’re in the Alps. 2 hours West and you’re in, well, the middle of nowhere.

Don't rate the summer climate of France. Only the extreme south (Provence and Cote d'Azur) is good enough for my tastes. 

Last time I was in France in summer 2010 I stayed just south of Carcassonne and the weather was not to my liking at all. Far too cloudy and evenings too cool. It was quite frankly dreadful on several days like drab summer days in the Highlands. One day was overcast with a high of 19C. Another it was pouring rain and 16C so took a trip to Collioure on the coast where there was some type of foehn effect and it was sunshine and 28C. Only problem was there was a howling wind too like nothing I've experienced anywhere except the Isle of Skye.

As for Cornwall, I went there in April 2007 and enjoyed glorious sunshine. The owner of the place I was staying said the weather is always better then and usually dreadful in August when all the tourists come.

Jeez. 

I think you might moan even at a Greek island, even though they sometimes don't see a single cloud for 2-3 months.