Summer Days at Well Hill

		0	0	0	0	8	9	20	29	4	0	0	0
		Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2012

First day of summer was May 24th.
Last day of summer was September 11th.
There have been 70 summer days this year

Historical First Day of Summer and Summer Days

The average of the first day of summer is 19 of May. Each year is colour coded to indicate if the first day of summer in that year is earlier or later than the average first day of summer.

The average number of summer days in previous years is 75.6. Each year is colour coded to indicate if that year had less or more than the average number of summer days.

Year	First Day of Summer		Number of Summer Days
	Month	Day
1999	06	15	64
2000	05	14	57
2001	05	25	74
2002	06	02	66
2003	05	28	102
2004	05	16	85
2005	05	01	88
2006	05	04	102
2007	05	23	66
2008	05	05	65
2009	05	24	79
2010	05	21	72
2011	05	07	63
2012	05	24	70

Compare this graph with the 2011 and 2013 weather graph.

What are Summer Days?

A Summer Day is defined as a day when the average air temperature at Well Hill exceeds 16 Celsius (61 Fahrenheit). The temperature is not adjusted for height above sea level - it is the actual temperature at Well Hill.

Where is Well Hill?

Well Hill is at the western edge of Kent, about 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of London and close to Orpington, in England which is part of Great Britain (GB) which is part of the United Kingdom (UK). It is one of the highest points in Kent and the peak of Well Hill (TQ 497 631) is at 187 metres (614 feet) above sea level.

Keep abreast of environmental news at www.environment-watch.co.uk

From the BBC

Britain could be in for a big freeze, with the climate ending up more like central Canada, say scientists studying the world's oceans.

They have found evidence that the flow of cold water from the Arctic has decreased by 20% since 1950.

If the trend continues, the supply of warm water to northern Europe will decline, bringing a big chill.

The last time this happened, in the 11th to the 18th Century, northern Europe entered the Little Ice Age.

Such climate variations are thought to be caused by changes to a belt of water that moves heat and cold around the world, the global conveyor belt.

'Key' decade

The new research was presented at the British Association Science Festival in Glasgow.

In a research paper, Sarah Hughes of the FRS Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen, Scotland, said: "It seems that in the past the conveyor belt has stopped and started, sometimes as quickly as within one or two years.

"When it stops, northern Europe is cooled by about 5 C and we get a climate similar to that of northern Canada."

"The next decade will be a key one," she added.