Somone did just that and posted the picture here, most likely in this very thread. Can't remember who it was but if you search back I'm sure you will find it.

It is on page 37, 4th post down. Posted by James

 

I'm tempted next time I go into Cambridge to take a photograph of the Botanical Gardens Weather Station. Hopefully they'd let me as I am a member of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Anyway I'd like to know just out of academic curiosity what it looks like.

Just don't mistake it for one of these . . .

---

 

Somone did just that and posted the picture here, most likely in this very thread. Can't remember who it was but if you search back I'm sure you will find it.

IMO it was impossible to tell from the photo.

I don't know why it is proving so difficult to get an answer to a very simple question TBH. The grass border is either 1.5m wide all the way around the Stevenson screen or it isn't. 

Edit: the Google 3d view helps. The imagery appears to be from 2019 and to me it looks as though the grass border is more than 1.5m.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Cambridge+University+Botanic+Garden/@52.1939569,0.1286754,62a,35y,90h,39.61t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d8709dc9b6fa03:0xeddc913f0dc06549!8m2!3d52.193364!4d0.1275918?hl=en-GB&authuser=0

 

---

Of course, one relevant point to this whole debate that could apply to any weather-station whose location had not drastically changed for a few years is that it also broke its own record, which even if warmer than other local stations, is still a significant observation.

 

IMO it was impossible to tell from the photo.

I don't know why it is proving so difficult to get an answer to a very simple question TBH. The grass border is either 1.5m wide all the way around the Stevenson screen or it isn't. 

Edit: the Google 3d view helps. The imagery appears to be from 2019 and to me it looks as though the grass border is more than 1.5m.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Cambridge+University+Botanic+Garden/@52.1939569,0.1286754,62a,35y,90h,39.61t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d8709dc9b6fa03:0xeddc913f0dc06549!8m2!3d52.193364!4d0.1275918?hl=en-GB&authuser=0

 

You can right click and 'measure distance' on Google from a PC. I measure it at pretty much dead on 1.5m at the shortest distance

 

You can right click and 'measure distance' on Google from a PC. I measure it at pretty much dead on 1.5m at the shortest distance

They could of course move the screen into the centre of that patch, it does look a little odd like that, even if the 1.5m distance has been maintained. I guess with this being a botanic gardens and all, cultivated & uncultivated areas are going to be constantly changing.

 

---

That's one thing that bugs me with all this. The met office have an army of would be data collectors, probably for free, if they just took the time etc to implement it. I for one would gladly provide data with the right equipment, at no cost, because it's my love of the information and extremes that fuels it all.

---

They could of course move the screen into the centre of that patch, it does look a little odd like that, even if the 1.5m distance has been maintained. I guess with this being a botanic gardens and all, cultivated & uncultivated areas are going to be constantly changing.

It's not usual to have the screen 1.5m from one edge of the defined area, because it needs it to be sufficiently far away from other instruments e.g. the rain gauge.

This is the 5km grid Average Maximum Temperature for the UK on 10th August 2003 showing just SE England with Brogdale highlighted

(click in the image for a bigger version)

It can be seen that the Brogdale area is somewhat split off from the main area of higher temperature and a number of nearby cells are 2 -3 degrees C lower

As was mentioned earlier, this could be the effect of local topography and not an erroneous reading

This is Met Office data but they do not explain how these 5km cells are populated. They obviously include local stations in the area but here must also be quite a bit of averaging, projection and interpolation to get full coverage of the 10,000 or so cells which make up the UK

 

---

That's one thing that bugs me with all this. The met office have an army of would be data collectors, probably for free, if they just took the time etc to implement it. I for one would gladly provide data with the right equipment, at no cost, because it's my love of the information and extremes that fuels it all.

Yes - please Met Office if you’re reading this, send me some top notch equipment and I’ll happily take readings for you. 

---

The met office said the overall overnight minimum record didn't go, however Brogdale shows a minimum of 24.3c in the 24hr period of July 25th to 26th

 

http://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/view?&reportId=8082001&siteID=25668314

 

Where are you finding that reading? As far as I can tell this is the 0900Z data for |July 26 and it shows a minimum of 20.0C, with 24.3C the reading at 0900Z.

 

http://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/observations/details/201907263foef47xtye6ucrdyyb96sccar

 

The highest minimum was for 23-24 July, at 21.3C: http://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/observations/details/20190724o6e55hpqdre6ucrdyyb96sp8dh

 

 

 

---

It can be seen that the Brogdale area is somewhat split off from the main area of higher temperature and a number of nearby cells are 2 -3 degrees C lower

As was mentioned earlier, this could be the effect of local topography and not an erroneous reading

This is Met Office data but they do not explain how these 5km cells are populated. They obviously include local stations in the area but here must also be quite a bit of averaging, projection and interpolation to get full coverage of the 10,000 or so cells which make up the UK

The cells to the immediate north are Sheppey, so yes - they would be a fair bit lower due to the cooling effect of the marshes and the Swale.

As I keep saying, it's the local topography that results in Faversham (and Sittingbourne, to the west, for that matter) being a hotspot IF the conditions are right. Take it from a local!

---

Hi all.

Just back from France. We missed the exceptional UK heatwave but experienced 41c (106f) near Angers on the car thermo.

Catching up on my stats imagine my shock at seeing 39.2c as my max on the 25th July.

My first reaction is an erroneous reading.

However...Langdon Bay reached 35.9c that day at 130m asl jutting out into the Dover Strait. I normally record 3 degress warmer than that location.

A couple of questions.

How did IDJ and Whether Idle compare that day ? If my reading is accurate then I expect to see a T2M of 38+ from my local buddies who are located at sea level close to the shoreline.

I'm trying to piece things together but mysteriously Wundermap had a number of local weather stations out of action that day.

Thanks 

---

Hi all.

Just back from France. We missed the exceptional UK heatwave but experienced 41c (106f) near Angers on the car thermo.

Catching up on my stats imagine my shock at seeing 39.2c as my max on the 25th July.

My first reaction is an erroneous reading.

However...Langdon Bay reached 35.9c that day at 130m asl jutting out into the Dover Strait. I normally record 3 degress warmer than that location.

A couple of questions.

How did IDJ and Whether Idle compare that day ? If my reading is accurate then I expect to see a T2M of 38+ from my local buddies who are located at sea level close to the shoreline.

I'm trying to piece things together but mysteriously Wundermap had a number of local weather stations out of action that day.

Thanks 

Hi Steve, 

Can't be sure, but I think Ian's Vue went up by like 3C in an Hour from 35C to 38C sometime after 3pm. He was quite uneasy about it like you are with yours. Mine up here got to 37.6C but although in open space and over grass is in full sun (cant odds it).

---

 Hi Steve, 

Can't be sure, but I think Ian's Vue went up by like 3C in an Hour from 35C to 38C sometime after 3pm. 

Thanks Snowhoper. That's really useful to understand.

Hopefully Whether Idle and Ian can verify soon.

It sounds as there was some sort of event that turned a very hot day to an historic day down here on the corner. The max occured at 17:01hrs. Unfortunately due to the lack of Met Office official stations around here means we'll never know.

 

---

Were there any record minimums recorded?
I recorded 21.0c min Thr/Fri night which is the highest I have ever recorded. Missed this thread from Friday morning onwards due to being away. 

---

Were there any record minimums recorded?
I recorded 21.0c min Thr/Fri night which is the highest I have ever recorded. Missed this thread from Friday morning onwards due to being away. 

I believe the Scottish record minimum went. 20.9C minimum at Achnagart on 25th/26th. https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1154680158105800704

 

---

Thanks Snowhoper. That's really useful to understand.

Hopefully Whether Idle and Ian can verify soon.

It sounds as there was some sort of event that turned a very hot day to an historic day down here on the corner. The max occured at 17:01hrs. Unfortunately due to the lack of Met Office official stations around here means we'll never know.

 

Temps rose quickly from early in the day then quite a few places experienced cloud cover for an hour or so around 3 o clock (edit: just looked through thread and cloud started around 1 o clock) that afternoon and a bit of rain, which cooled it down slightly.  It looked like we might not get to the record but once it cleared temps started to rise even further, so most places peaked at teatime. 

To get an idea of what it was like, it really would be worth reading this thread!  I know it’s a long one but reading it will help you understand and I think Ian and WI might have posted their temps.  Go for it Steve!  

---

 I think Ian and WI might have posted their temps.  Go for it Steve!  

I've got a couple of hours spare later... I'll give it a trawl Caz 

---

I think there was a period of 1-2 hours on the afternoon of Thu 25th when the flow not only aligned perfectly with the hottest part of N. France, during the peak of the day's heat - or close to it, but was also orientated such that it crossed close to the shortest possible stretch of water on the way over to SE England.

So it's possible that a wedge of over 40*C heat was shifted rapidly across to the far SE of England, only having time to cool into the very high 30s by the time it reached Folkestone.

---