2013 was a much drier year than soggy 2012 – at least until December’s storms struck. Askham Bryan College’s ‘weatherman', Mike Elliott, gives the rundown on the past year.

WATER difference a year makes! 2012 was one of the wettest years since Askham Bryan College’s records began before the Second World War, with more than 35 inches, or almost 900 millimetres, falling in the first 11 months – a foot more than in an average year.

But the first 11 months of 2013 turned out to be slightly drier than normal, with rainfall amounts totalling about 515 millimetres or 20 inches – about two inches less than in an average year. The city also saw its hottest August day in ten years.

Senior science technician Mike Elliott, who records information such as rainfall levels and temperatures on a daily basis at the college, said the highest maximum temperature was August 1 with 30 degrees Centigrade.

“This was the highest in August at least since 2003, when it was 30.8, although June 2011 got to 30.5 degrees,” he said.

“The lowest temperature was January 17 with -8.9 degrees and snow on the ground.”

The stats show 46.7 millimetres (mm) fell in January, slightly below the monthly average of 50 mms, and February saw only 23 mms.

March was much wetter, with 64.8 mm, but April was again very dry, with only 13 mm, which compared with an astonishing 163 mms in April 2012. May saw 54.5 mm, but June experienced only 29.3 mm, and July 32.3 mm.

Surprisingly, August was one of the wettest months of the year, with 76.4 mms, but September’s total was down to 35.1 mm.

The wettest month of the year was October, with 89.8 mm, with November seeing a more modest total of 50.4 mm, which compared with 113mm in November last year.