2012 third wettest year on record

A very wet December made 2012 the third wettest year on record with a total of 1081.5 mm rainfall. There have only been two wetter years since records began in 1894 at the Maison St Louis Observatory: 1930 (1095.6 mm) and 1960 (1107.8 mm).

 

The year started very dry with rainfall totals in January, February and March well below average. However the tables turned in April with more than double the amount of rainfall expected. June was another exceptionally wet month with double the average rainfall. October and December were very wet with over 70% more rain than average, and May, July, August and November all had above average rainfall.

 

For Maison St Louis, the three month period from October to December was the wettest since records began with 510.9 mm of rain compared to the second wettest period in 2000 with 495.1 mm.  However, it wasn't the wettest consecutive three month period on record – this was the period from November 1966 to January 1967 when 568.9 mm of rain fell. September 2012 was the only month to experience near average rainfall. 

 

 

In terms of temperature, 2012 didn't produce any outstanding figures. The year as a whole was average, with a mean temperature of 12.1 °C, exactly matching the 1981 to 2010, 30 year period average. During 2012, January and March were the only months with above average temperatures. January in particular with above average maximum and minimum temperatures, whereas in March a slightly above average minimum was compensated for by exceptionally warm maximums resulting in an above average mean of 10.3 °C,  1.8 degrees above the period average. July on the other hand was cold with a mean temperature of 17.1 °C compared to the period average of 18.1 °C.

 

 

Sea temperatures measured in St Helier Harbour were above average, 13.0 °C compared to the average of 12.7 °C.

 

Sunshine at Fort Regent was below average at 2181.1 hours compared to 2209.7 hours. However, since 2004 there has been a change in how this is measured so recent records cannot be compared with earlier ones. Therefore the average is for the eight year period 2005 to 2012 rather than the standard 30 year period 1981 to 2010.