[Chris Alder]

What a way to bring in July - how flaming awful!

[Ian Williams]

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Ian Williams - 28/6/2011 16:30 GFS 06Z shows a few cold nights in store from tonight down as low as 4C in some central parts, and 1 or 2C for the Highlands. Single digit minimums right up until Saturday. In fact Saturday morning showing 2C for Wales.

Awful indeed Chris, I find it almost inconceivable to get temps this low with the short hours of darkness, but though i would highlight it just in case, dont want frost bitten potatoes or tomatoes lol 

[Dave K]

NAE 12Z and UKMO don't drop the temperatures as low, although it is better to be forewarned!

[Pete Roberts]

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Ian Williams - 28/6/2011 16:51
Awful indeed Chris, I find it almost inconceivable to get temps this low with the short hours of darkness, but though i would highlight it just in case, dont want frost bitten potatoes or tomatoes lol 

Frosts throughout the year including summer? I agree, it is inconceivable and a sign that something is badly amiss with the UK's weather. Possibly something to do with the now quasi permanent NW/Northerly flow?

Minimum of 9C forecast here but bear in mind this is a maritime location.

Pete

[PaulKn]

It's not especially unusual to get reasonably low overnight temps at this time of year - frequent, no, but inconceivable? Hardly.

[Dave K]

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PaulKn - 29/6/2011 14:09 It's not especially unusual to get reasonably low overnight temps at this time of year - frequent, no, but inconceivable? Hardly.

"Wonderfully hot (18.2), particularly notable as part of the whole summer, as high pressure dominated the British Isles. It was even hot in Scotland; Wauchope (Borders) reached 32.4C on the 2nd. Even Braemar reached 30C on the 8th. 27C (80F) was exceeded somewhere in the country every day from 22 June to 16 July. Heathrow had 14 consecutive days above 31C between 23 June and 8 July. Somewhere in the country reached the 90s (32C) for 15 consecutive days from 23 June and 7 July. The summer was quite poor in the Western Isles, however, as fronts coming around the high affected the far NW. Cheltenham reached 35.9C on the 3rd, the highest corroborated maximum. Also very sunny: there was 318 hours of sunshine at Cromer. Fronts moved east on the 9th, bringing some rain to some places, and slighly cooler weather. While there were some high minima in urban districts, clear skies led to ground frosts in the country."

From JULY 1976! http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/british_weather_in_july.htm

[jonathanwebb]

The night 31 July to 1 August 1976 saw an air frost in several places in cent and southern England......long gone, though by the time many people will have been up and about! 

[Pete Roberts]

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jonathanwebb - 29/6/2011 15:48

The night 31 July to 1 August 1976 saw an air frost in several places in cent and southern England......long gone, though by the time many people will have been up and about! 

At the time I do remember looking at the extremes during the hot summer of '76 and was surprised at the time by how Tummel Bridge regularly recorded -2C overnight then 20+C daytime. I realised it was in Scotland but now I know exactly where I'm not surprised.

I don't remember gardeners here in NW England having to worry about frosts once May was out of the way.

Pete

[Bazmundo]

If you haven't already moved them indoors (amazingly enough), then tonight might be the time to - a slight frost possible but a much sharper one into Saturday and for a few nights thereafter?

As for any other tender shoots or flowers still having a go, I seem to remember reading that spraying them with water during the evening can actually protect them. The idea is that it's slows the thawing process when the sun comes up, which is the bit that does the damage. Never tried it mind.