www.soxlamps.com: UK archive weather

Snow in Minera, Wrexham, UK, Feb 2007.Find out the weather in the UK for a day in the past!

Ever wondered what the weather was like on a particular day? Was the summer of 2006 really all that hot?

This is an off-shoot of the main website, where you can find out basic weather information (maximum/minimum temperature, sunshine and rainfall) for any day from a past year. All data is FREE!

The data (both summary and full versions) is taken from several weather stations around the UK, mostly amateur; the data is reproduced with the kind permission of the original observers. It is available here for viewing: if you wish to reproduce it, please credit these original observers. Many thanks to them! Also available is data from my own weather station.

There are three types of weather file available for viewing/downloading:

1. Detailed archive weather information from sites around the UK

Download the full data file (free of charge): UK weather (public web) 1976-2012.xls

The data is in a similar format to the table shown above. The following stations are included:
Armagh, Northern Ireland; Brampton, Cumbria, England; Buxton, Norfolk, England; near Dundee, Scotland; Penzance, Cornwall, England; Rochdale, Lancashire, England; Royston, Hertfordshire, England; Strathspey, Scotland; Wokingham, Berkshire, England.

I have a fairly good overall picture of the UK, but there are a few areas that are not yet covered, so I would be very interested to hear from any observers who would be happy to be included in this database. I have searched out as much information as possible, but weather data is not available from all stations for all years.

The distribution of weather stations is as shown in the map on the left.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION/ OWNERSHIP OF DATA:

Armagh data from http://climate.arm.ac.uk/ © Armagh Observatory. Brampton data © http://www.bramptonweather.co.uk (Paul Crabtree). Buxton data from http://www.feedsoft.clara.co.uk/buxton-norfolk/weather.htm (Dr Charles Briscoe). Dundee data from http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/britweather.htm © Prof. Trevor Harley, Univ of Dundee. Penzance data from http://www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/weather.html (Graham Easterling). Rochdale data from http://www.clmbl.plus.com/ (Allen Buckley). Royston data from http://www.iceni.org.uk/ (Richard Barker). Strathspey (Cromdale) data from http://www.strathspeyweather.co.uk/ (Bill Cuthbert). Wokingham data from http://www.woksat.info/wwp1.html (Bernard Burton).

An example of the format of the data is shown below.
      Armagh, N. Ire Brampton, Cumbria Buxton, Norfolk near Dundee Penzance Rochdale, Lancs Royston, Herts Strathspey, Scotland Wokingham, Berks      
Year Day Month Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Max Min Rain Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Sun Max Min Rain Sun Year Day Month
2006 1 7 23.9 11.3 0.0 9.6 24.4 9.6 0.0 11.2 25.5 7.7 0.0 14.8 24.0 9.0 0.0 24.8 12.5 0.0 29.6 14.2 0.0 8.9 28.5 15.0 0.0 15.5 22.7 5.2 0.0 6.5 29.6 10.7 0.0 13.9 2006 1 7
2006 2 7 23.4 12.2 0.7 2.8 28.6 12.0 0.1 8.1 30.9 10.2 0.0 15.1 21.0 11.0 12.0 26.2 17.0 0.1 30.2 16.6 33.1 6.8 30.8 18.0 0.0 12.7 24.2 8.4 2.0 5.9 31.6 16.5 0.0 13.2 2006 2 7
2006 3 7 21.8 11.8 0.1 11.0 25.5 13.0   8.2 28.0 11.3 0.0 13.8 18.0 14.0 0.0 21.0 18.1 2.2 29.6 14.8 0.0 12.2 31.0 14.5 0.0 16.1 14.6 11.9 3.4 0.0 31.0 13.7 0.0 13.9 2006 3 7
2006 4 7 25.2 12.9 0.0 5.6 24.2 12.9 0.0 11.4 28.9 11.4 1.6 12.1 19.0 12.0 0.0 23.5 15.3 0.0 28.2 14.1 0.0 10.3 29.7 13.7 0.0 7.9 24.6 11.2 0.0 6.5 30.5 15.3 4.4 11.4 2006 4 7
2006 5 7 25.6 15.8 0.0 8.0 28.2 11.8 17.7 8.3 24.4 13.0 0.1 3.6 25.0 12.0 0.0 20.9 11.0 0.2 29.8 16.8 0.9 7.0 24.7 15.2 0.3 2.2 28.0 8.8 0.0 7.9 21.9 15.3 6.8 0.1 2006 5 7
2006 6 7 22.2 13.3 0.1 2.0 23.8 14.7 1.4 6.6 23.9 14.5 0.0 0.5 25.0 13.0 2.0 21.8 15.4 1.4 26.2 17.9 0.0 2.7 25.0 17.0 0.0 3.5 25.8 14.6 0.0 6.7 24.9 17.1 0.0 4.0 2006 6 7
2006 7 7 20.6 11.3 0.4 7.3 18.8 13.2   5.0 23.9 16.4 3.5 3.3 21.0 13.0 0.0 20.7 15.1 0.0 20.8 16.1 0.0 0.2 21.0 16.1 0.2 4.1 19.7 10.7 0.0 6.4 21.8 15.8 0.6 3.2 2006 7 7
2006 8 7 16.3 10.8 4.3 0.4 16.8 11.4 4.8 0.2 22.1 10.1 1.4 4.7 17.0 9.0 6.0 20.2 10.2 18.3 18.9 12.4 3.2 0.5 22.6 12.8 1.4 4.7 17.5 6.4 0.2 5.7 21.8 12.4 2.3 5.3 2006 8 7
2006 9 7 20.2 11.9 0.7 3.4 17.3 11.8 2.0 0.0 22.8 13.8 0.0 1.8 21.0 10.0 10.0 19.5 13.8 2.0 18.6 13.3 2.0 0.1 22.7 13.7 0.0 4.2 21.0 10.1 13.0 0.4 22.9 13.9 0.0 4.8 2006 9 7
2006 10 7 19.8 11.4 2.0 1.9 20.8 10.3 1.9 8.0 25.3 13.0 3.0 6.8 18.0 8.0 1.0 18.7 15.8 1.1 22.3 11.1 0.0 4.4 23.5 12.9 2.0 2.9 17.5 6.7 0.2 2.9 22.1 14.4 1.7 0.2 2006 10 7
2006 11 7 19.2 9.9 0.2 4.7 17.9 10.0 0.0 6.3 23.9 17.2 0.0 11.4 19.0 10.0 0.0 21.1 12.0 0.0 20.9 13.0 0.0 7.5 25.4 16.2 0.0 12.3 17.8 9.0 0.0 3.0 24.4 15.2 0.0 14.1 2006 11 7
2006 12 7 19.7 13.5 1.2 4.5 17.7 12.4 0.8 0.2 27.4 7.8 0.0 12.0 18.0 13.0 0.0 21.8 12.8 0.1 24.5 11.0 0.0 9.1 27.7 12.0 0.0 15.9 19.9 8.5 0.0 4.7 26.0 10.3 0.0 15.4 2006 12 7
2006 13 7 18.9 7.3 0.1 5.2 20.3 7.6 0.0 8.6 19.7 11.3 0.0 9.4 22.0 6.0 0.0 21.6 15.5 0.0 23.1 12.2 0.0 15.7 23.5 13.3 0.0 7.0 17.7 5.9 0.0 6.6 23.6 12.0 0.0 6.1 2006 13 7
2006 14 7 22.7 5.9 0.0 15.2 22.8 7.0 0.0 12.7 19.6 8.8 0.0 7.0 21.0 7.0 0.0 22.7 14.4 0.0 24.7 10.3 0.0 15.5 23.9 8.6 0.0 14.4 23.1 2.0 0.0 13.6 24.0 8.5 0.0 15.4 2006 14 7
2006 15 7 24.9 7.6 0.0 15.2 25.2 7.4 0.0 15.1 19.9 5.6 0.0 13.9 25.0 7.0 0.0 25.0 13.9 0.0 27.1 11.5 0.0 14.4 26.5 8.4 0.0 14.0 27.2 3.7 0.0 15.6 26.1 11.0 0.0 14.7 2006 15 7
2006 16 7 26.8 7.4 0.0 10.4 25.0 8.4 0.0 14.8 26.5 9.6 0.0 14.7 24.0 8.0 0.0 26.9 13.2 0.0 28.2 11.4 0.0 13.2 29.2 11.8 0.0 11.0 25.3 5.6 0.0 8.4 29.9 12.0 0.0 15.2 2006 16 7
2006 17 7 29.5 12.8 0.0 14.1 26.9 11.5 0.0 15.3 28.1 9.7 0.0 14.2 28.0 13.0 0.0 29.7 16.6 0.0 31.1 14.2 0.0 15.3 32.5 12.1 0.0 15.8 24.3 16.2 0.0 5.8 31.5 10.5 0.0 15.4 2006 17 7
2006 18 7 29.9 13.1 0.0 14.1 31.3 14.5 0.0 14.5 27.5 7.8 0.0 13.3 25.0 17.0 0.0 28.1 15.0 0.0 32.9 15.8 0.0 15.4 32.9 13.1 0.0 15.6 28.6 16.2 0.0 4.8 33.3 12.7 0.0 15.1 2006 18 7
2006 19 7 29.6 13.4 8.2 11.4 30.9 13.1   11.8 26.3 10.6 0.2 14.7 21.0 15.0 0.0 27.2 18.2 0.6 32.2 17.3 2.2 15.0 35.2 15.0 0.0 13.9 30.4 10.6 0.0 13.4 35.8 14.3 0.1 14.1 2006 19 7
2006 20 7 26.7 18.1 0.1 7.6 24.8 13.7   5.2 30.0 14.7 0.0 3.3 20.0 14.0 0.0 21.3 17.5 0.0 27.4 16.8 0.0 2.4 31.6 20.7 0.0 10.8 28.8 9.1 0.0 5.9 30.3 18.7 0.0 12.5 2006 20 7
2006 21 7 24.8 15.8 0.0 4.7 24.5 14.4 0.0 9.3 31.3 15.5 0.1 11.1 25.0 14.0 0.0 23.2 15.6 0.0 27.8 17.2 0.0 6.4 31.8 18.5 0.2 10.0 25.8 11.7 17.2 1.8 31.0 16.2 0.0 12.9 2006 21 7
2006 22 7 23.7 16.1 0.2 6.3 27.2 14.7 0.0 8.9 28.6 15.1 1.6 0.3 23.0 13.0 1.0 23.4 18.0 1.2 28.6 18.4 0.4 4.1 30.6 19.9 2.9 3.7 24.6 13.7 0.0 3.6 28.9 18.8 10.7 3.5 2006 22 7
2006 23 7 22.2 12.9 0.3 5.7 22.6 15.1 0.0 10.2 28.8 14.0 0.0 8.4 23.0 14.0 0.0 23.3 14.2 0.0 25.6 16.9 0.0 7.1 26.8 17.4 0.0 7.4 23.8 12.2 0.2 7.6 25.7 15.2 0.0 6.6 2006 23 7
2006 24 7 25.4 14.7 0.0 8.9 25.7 12.6 0.0 7.8 26.2 12.0 0.0 14.7 24.0 12.0 0.0 23.7 12.4 0.0 28.4 13.1 0.0 15.4 29.2 13.5 0.0 12.8 21.4 11.2 0.2 3.6 29.4 12.5 0.0 13.1 2006 24 7
2006 25 7 27.1 14.8 0.0 11.7 30.6 13.2 0.0 11.9 27.0 11.1 0.0 12.3 26.0 12.0 3.0 26.2 13.7 0.0 30.9 16.2 0.0 13.0 31.5 15.0 0.0 13.4 28.2 12.2 0.0 5.5 32.9 15.1 1.8 11.4 2006 25 7
2006 26 7 25.3 15.6 0.1 8.1 26.0 17.7 0.0 3.7 30.7 13.3 2.4 8.6 26.0 13.0 0.0 25.5 16.6 0.0 28.3 19.3 0.0 8.3 32.6 19.5 75.5 7.2 28.9 13.0 0.6 5.9 31.0 18.4 1.2 6.8 2006 26 7
2006 27 7 24.6 14.1 2.1 12.2 24.6 13.8 0.0 12.0 29.3 16.7 0.7 8.0 27.0 16.0 0.0 24.3 15.2 0.0 27.8 16.0 0.0 6.8 28.5 18.6 8.9 5.7 24.9 12.6 0.8 4.8 27.4 18.4 0.1 5.4 2006 27 7
2006 28 7 22.2 16.3 12.9 2.0 25.9 11.4 0.0 7.0 27.5 14.1 0.0 12.3 26.0 14.0 0.0 24.2 14.0 0.4 28.2 14.3 0.0 12.8 27.6 17.5 0.0 10.2 23.4 13.5 5.2 1.2 28.7 14.8 0.0 13.2 2006 28 7
2006 29 7 21.7 16.7 0.4 4.2 27.6 12.9 1.8 4.2 29.8 12.5 1.2 5.8 21.0 14.0 4.0 22.2 18.0 3.2 27.2 14.9 3.8 3.8 26.7 16.9 1.0 9.4 21.2 13.8 0.2 0.2 25.6 14.2 0.6 7.5 2006 29 7
2006 30 7 21.4 11.8 7.0 7.3 22.2 12.5 3.5 9.8 26.0 18.1 0.0 9.4 22.0 13.0 0.0 22.1 14.0 3.3 23.7 14.0 0.6 5.2 25.7 16.5 0.0 8.1 23.9 9.2 0.2 11 25.4 16.9 0.0 7.9 2006 30 7
2006 31 7 18.5 12.1 17.2 2.8 19.0 11.0 7.3 3.1 25.9 15.3 18.3 5.6 18.0 11.0 2.0 21.4 14.3 4.4 19.7 13.8 7.9 1.1 23.2 16.0 1.0 5.1 19.4 10.4 4.4 4.0 23.1 15.3 3.0 6.0 2006 31 7

If you enjoy using this weather data, why not take a look at the websites listed above? I can't take credit for the time and effort that has gone into obtaining this data (although I do collect some of my own), but I'll just take the credit for tracking down this data and bringing it all into one place!

Below is the full data file (in Excel format) for download — size 2.5MB; underneath is a sample of the data for July 2006. I hope to keep the full-data file updated on a monthly basis.

Download the full data file (free of charge): UK weather (public web) 1976-2012.xls

2. Summary archive file of historical England weather data  

To view the summary England archive file of historical weather data, click here

The data is averaged out from sites all over England, taken by amateur observers. Data from the 'full version' (detailed below) was used to make the summary version. To the nearest deg C, there is a fairly close match with the Met. Office.'s CET temperature series.

The data source is just an average taken over a large area of England. There can be regional differences in the weather on each day.

Although temperature, rain and sunshine are the main features of the weather, some days may have been dominated by other weather features not shown here, e.g. wind or fog. What is shown as 'rain' could in fact be snow if the temperature was low enough.

Colour highlighting has been used throughout, as explained below. The maximum temperature for each day determines the highlighting colour. Note that for example a temperature of 15°C can be highlighted in either yellow (15.0 to 15.4°C) or green (14.5 to 14.9°C) – any temperature between 14.5 and 15.4°C is rounded off to 15.

Temperature: 30.0°C and above – bright pink; 25.0 to 29.9°C - red; 20.0 to 24.9°C - orange; 15.0 to 19.9°C - yellow; 10.0 to 14.9°C - green; 5.0 to 9.9°C – light blue; 0.0 to 4.9°C – dark blue; -5.0 to -0.1°C - purple; -5.1°C and below – dark grey

Rain: any day of 15.0+mm - dark blue. Min temp: -5.1°C and below - dark grey. Sun: 12.0+ hours - bright yellow

To view the summary England archive file of historical weather data, click here

3. Weather data from my own site - Minera, Wrexham, UK

To view the data file, please click here. This data file is provided "as is" — i.e. it is the version I use and has not been formatted for the Internet; it is advisable to read the Notes section. The file is in Excel 2007 (.xlsx) format. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the data. You are free to make use of it as long as I am credited as the source of the data.

© Matthew Eagles 2007. Last modified 29th February 2012.

Contact:

Please contact me with any feedback — good bits, bad bits, links to other sites etc! This page is at an early stage and I am hoping I will be able to improve it in the future.

I currently work for Glyndŵr University, Wrexham, U.K. However, this website is not associated with Glyndŵr University or any other organisation.