With thanks to Muriel Lord for all the information contained on this page.
In the UK there are scores of Met Office rainfall observation sites where data is collected from their equipment by volunteers like us. The data then sent to the Met Office ultimately. We process this data for our own interest, calculating averages and drawing up charts etc.
The Environment Agency has automatic tipper rain gauges and has at last put all their readings on-line.
https://environment.data.gov.
You can click on the sites and find us at Chipping.
https://environment.data.gov.
Indicates it has been in place here over 30yrs. We've never seen the results in all that time. Staff used to call and download into portable computers. Data is now sent by wireless to the regional EA HQ at Bamber Bridge.
The manual gauge in the same pen has been used for over 50yrs. That provides a check for the automatic which can fail - eg blocked with debris, slugs etc.
Readings don't always match exactly. For instance, the automatic has a bigger funnel which catches drizzle better, but is taller and more exposed, so horizontal driving rain can drift over.
Now the legal disclaimer
“This data is the best available at present from a Met Office approved site. It has not yet been quality controlled by the Met Office therefore this data may undergo changes through further data quality control once received by them. This data is not admissible to support legal proceedings”.
https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/uk/7-day
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/gcw4hzu8k#?date=2020-02-23
Click Rain Data 1968-2020 for totals and graphs
Click Rain Data Total 1968-2021 for totals & graph
Click Rain Data 2021 for graph
2023 Rain Data Months & averages
monthly totals in mm so far
Over the last 12 months 1 Jun 2023 to 31 May 2024, we've had 2292.4 mm = 90.25 inch - 7.52ft.
Average same period is 1502.5 mm = 59.15 inch - 4.93ft.
On the 22nd May when it rained all day and night we had 70.8mm !
| MONTH | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
2024 |
| JAN | 78.2 | 124.8mm | 300.6 mm RECORD for Jan | 82.0mm | 180.1 mm |
197.2 mm |
| FEB | 73.4 | 333.2 (13.1") | 132.5 mm | 248.5mm | 48.8 mm | 184.8 mm |
| MARCH | 235.4 | 114.8mm | 162.9 mm | 34.9mm | 183.7 mm | 169.4 mm |
| APRIL | 53.9 | 24.3mm | 19.4 mm -- included an unbroken spell of 15 dry days. | 91.9mm | 75.3 mm | 141.3 mm |
| MAY | 92.0 | 37.6mm | 154.5 mm | 97.2mm | 28.8 mm | 157.3 mm |
| JUNE | 127.7 | 194.5 mm (Far above average for June) | 35.1 mm | 72.8mm | 113.4 mm | 80.3 mm |
| JULY | 132.3 | 266.0mm | 124.8 mm -- included an unbroken spell of 14 dry days | 97.2mm | 355.4mm | 87.1mm |
| AUGUST | 180.8 | 200.0mm | 113.1 mm | 59.9 mm | 102.10 mm |
138.2mm |
| SEPTEMBER | 294.5 | 93.3mm | 103.9 mm | 105.5 mm | 158.70 mm | 171.2mm |
| OCTOBER | 227.6 | 262.3mm |
252.8 mm -- included 65.2 mm rain on 31st! |
163.4 mm
|
224.8 mm The 74.6mm overnight 5th/6th was a big contributor |
|
| NOVEMBER | 101.0 | 191.4 mm |
130.2 mm. Storm Arwen on 26/27 brought us first snow of the year as well asdamaging N gales. |
191.9 mm |
1879 mm Already over 1700mm for the year! |
|
| DECEMBER | 208.0 (8.2" approx) | 167.4 mm |
231.3 mm Heavy rain Dec 29th and 30th totalled 72.5mm |
161.7 mm | 300.1 mm |
The total for 2023 was 1956.1 mm. Thus the 3rd wettest year in the past 54 years of daily recording.
Beaten only by 2012 with 1984.0 mm and 2020 with 2009.6 mm.
The spell July – Dec 2023 was the wettest 6 month period ever recorded here. The previous wettest for that period was in 2012.
Chipping Annual Rainfall 1969-2021
10 wettest years in ranking order
Year (mm) (inches)
2020 2009.6 79.1
2012 1984.0 78.1
2000 1947.4 76.7
2017 1936.1 76.2
1980 1862.8 73.3
2019 1804.8 71.1
1981 1784.1 70.2
2008 1774.0 69.8
2011 1770.2 69.7
2021 1761.1 69.3
2022 Rainfall
Total 1406.9mm
Comment on 2021 so far --
Total for 2021 to end of October is 1399.4 mm. Long term average for this period is 1174.0 mm
Total for 2021 was 1761.1 mm. That's 264.7 mm above the long term average.
2021 was 10th wettest year since daily recording started here 52 years ago.
There was a record wet January and a very wet October and December.
Apart from 1980 and 1981 all the years wetter than 2021 are since (and including) 2000.
Wettest January recorded here since gauge was set up in Sep 1968.
Included the wettest day ever recorded here -- 81.0 mm.
Apr -- 19.4 mm -- included an unbroken spell of 15 dry days.
So the total for 2020 was 2009.6 mm !!!!! that's 79.1 inches.
Amazing.
That smashed the previous annual record of 1984.0 mm in 2012.
Two months in 2020 were record breakers:- Feb and July
One attached chart shows where we are now with 2020 complete. The green line shows how variable and how wet the year was.
The other chart shows the run of years with the upward trend which the computer program detects.
Monthly Rain Averages 1969-2020
The annual average is1481.1 mm.
Wettest year Previously - was 2012 with 1984.0 mm, beaten by 2020 which had 2009.6mm
October 2020 One day alone gave us 50.9mm!
This was the 3rd wettest October in the last 50yrs, only beaten in 1980 with 374.0mm and 2000 with 393.4mm
October Average is 158.0mm
February 2020 total = 333.2 mm. (13.1 inches)
So it is a February record and 4th wettest month in Chipping since daily
readings started at Nan Kings in Sep 1968.
That's a third of a metre in one month.
Dec 208.0 mm (8.2 inches approx)
2019 total 1804.8 mm (71 inches approx)
5th wettest year in last 51yrs
Beaten by
1980 - 1862.8mm,
2017 - 1936.1mm,
2000 - 1947.4 mm
2012 - 1984.0 mm