1928

1928 was most notable for the Thames bursting its banks in January, leadng to the most etreme flooding of central London in memory.

January. The thaw of the Christmas 1927 snowstorm on the 3rd, combined with heavy rain in the first week of the new month, and a North Sea storm surge on the 6-7th, along with a very high spring tide, with northwesterly winds and the depression sitting over the North Sea, led to severe flooding of the southeast. The Thames burst its banks in several areas. When it broke its bankjs at Lambeth it demolished a stretch of wall 50 m long. Central London was particularly badly affected; it was said to be the most severe flooding of London in memory. It was reported that the Houses of Parliament stunk of dead fish. 14 people drowned, particularly in the poorer areas, and 4,000 people were left homeless. The estuary flooded over the banks of the Thames as far west as Hammersmith. There was also flooding around Balleter and Blairgowrie on the 22nd. It was a very wet month -indeed, it was the wettest January of the century in Scotland (600 mm at Loch Quoich; 394 mm at Eskdalemuir).

February. Some heavy rain in the first half of the month. On the 12th, a severe gale hit the UK. The weather became more settled from the 17th, with fine and mild days but some frosty nights.

March. A changeable month with some interesting extremes. On the 4th, 19C was recorded in the SE, but on the 11th, a blizzard hit the country and -9C was recorded in the London region.

April. A very variable month. Westerly winds gave a lot of rain in the north at the start. 19C widely on the the 9th, 3C at Lympne (Kent), on the 16th, with snow, and 24C widely on the 24th (e.g. Cranwell, Worksop) and on the 26th (Southport), as winds changed from NE to S. Thunderstorms on the 10th and 11th. The return of easterlies at the end.

May. Dry in the north and midlands. Sunny and warm in the first and last week, unsettled midmonth.

June. Unsettled, cool and wet.

July. Cool and wet from the 3rd to 6th, but then warm dry and sunny until the 26th. Many places went 20 days without rain. The temperature reached 92F (33.3C) in London on the 22nd. There were thunderstorms at the end of the month. A very dry month in Yorkshire overall, with just 9 mm at Pontefract. A very sunny month in the Midlands and east, but dull and wet in northern Scotland.

August. A mixed month: unsettled with some fine spells. There were some severe thunderstorms as well. Large hail caused damage at Barnstaple on the 28th.

September. Very sunny and dry month over England and Wales. 85F (29.4C) was recorded at Camden Square on the 8th. It was the sunniest September since 1910 across England and Wales and since 1906 in Edinburgh.

October. It was quiet and warm, with southerly winds at first, but then became wet and windy. On 22nd a small tornado travelled through London between Picadilly and Oxford Circuses.

November. The month started quietly with easterly winds. There were notable gales on the 16th, 23rd, and 25th, which caused some structural damage.

December. Changeable, although there were sharp frosts around the 9th and from 14th-16th.