The total rain for 2016 was 969.5 mm - slightly below average. The wettest month in volume was November, although it only rained on 13 days. In January it rained on 22 days - 112 mm - but it meant that last January we had very little frost because of the mild wet weather.

The longest dry spell was in August when we had 14 consecutive fine days, followed by a 13 day spell in October. For the wettest day in 2016 we have to go to June when we 52 mm on the 15th.

I feel the last 12 months have been fairly average for the South West as far as the weather is concerned. Everyone has probably had a moan about too wet, too dry cold, hot, windy etc, but it really hasn't been that bad and we will at least do as well this year hopefully - even a bit better

Saturday the 10th was a really miserable day - very overcast all day, 15 mm of rain and very low cloud. We still needed lights on right through the day. More patchy fog as well

A dry week but getting increasingly cold - the temperature down to -4.3°C in our garden, and only rising up just above zero by midday, so not very pleasant for anyone. It was made worse towards the end of the week by freezing fog as well.
November gave us a total rainfall of 140 mm which is average for the month so no surprises there.

The December rain, over 10 years is 114 mm, and over 20 years 117 mm The wettest December was 1999 with 207.5 mm and the driest was 2010 with only 22 mm. But that was the winter with frosts from November 20th right through to the end of December - plus we had snow as well. Hopefully we won't have a repeat this year. Snow is lovely to start with but it hangs on too long and quickly becomes a nuisance for everyone except the very young.

A dry day for the Remembrance Service and Parade in the village and dry in most other places as well. Also dry again on Monday, but cloud cover seems to have prevented most of us seeing the much heralded Super moon.

It then rained on every day for the rest of the week, 55 mm in total. The forecast for the week ahead is not good, as far as rain is concerned anyway, more rain and high winds.

The average rainfall in November over 10 years is 139 mm and over 20 years 128 mm, the wettest November was in 2012 with 258 mm and it rained on 16 days and we had floods. The driest was 2001 with 65 mm over 12 days.

November has started dry but I"m expecting some rain this month as we've had 4 months with below average amounts of rain and Chew Valley lake is looking quite low now. We don't want to be short of water next Spring!

The nights continue to get colder - the lowest this week was 4°C on the 11th. It"s very unusual for us to have a real frost before November.

On Saturday the 29th we need to put our clocks and watches back 1 hour before we retire for the night as summer time ends at
2am Sunday morning the 30th - and in 21 weeks we can do it again in reverse. [There's cheerful for you! - Ed]

We are having to water pots and tubs as well as some plants and shrubs in the garden, as they are now showing signs of drought. I always feel a bit silly watering wearing while wearing a coat and gloves.

The average rainfall in October is, over 20 years 117 mm, and over 10 years 117 mm ( I checked it twice). The wettest October was 2013 with 196 .5 mm and it rained on 25 days . There are 2 contenders for the driest October - 1997 and 2015 - both with 66 mm. In 2015 it rained on 12 days, and in '97 it managed 66 mm in 6 days, so take your pick. I know which I prefer.

The week started with some light rain on Sunday and Monday and it was very humid and not very pleasant until Wednesday when it was warm and sunny again, but only briefly as it was damp again and on Friday night we had 17 mm of rain. I hope the sunny weather has not gone for good.

The total rainfall for August was 62 mm and it rained on 8 days plus some light drizzle on a couple of occasions so a good month really and nice and warm as well.

On to September which is usually still summer or it's winter come early. The last couple of years have been very good in September, mild and not too wet. Average rainfall in September is over 10 years 74 mm and over 20 years 72 mm. The wettest September was 182 mm rain on 18 days and the driest was 9.5 mm in 2014 when it managed to spread over days.

I like a good September - it makes the winter a bit shorter and is a good opportunity to get a bit of clearing up done, and gives a good excuse to be outside.

August did not start well, giving us 24 mm of and a rather chilly day to start the month, more rain on Tuesday, and cloudy with some light drizzle on Wednesday. It was dry for the rest of the week with a lovely warm sunny day on Saturday when the temperature went up to into the mid 20°Cs.

We had rain on only 9 days in July, totaling 30.5 mm, giving us the driest July since 1999. I think we were just lucky, as most of the rain this month was heavy showers and we missed them; other parts of the South West didn't.

August is not known for being a dry month - average rainfall over 10 years is 118 mm and over 20 years 107 mm. The wettest August was 2012 with 177 mm and it rained on 20 days. The driest was 2003 when it rained on 6 days with 15 mm.

This month is usually fairly wet as the averages show. It's sad that it has always been a major part of the schools' summer break as we often get better weather in June or September.

It is noticeable that the days are shortening. Today the sun rose at 5.32, and sets tonight at 8. 40. It seems to change so quickly now I'm older. I remember as a child summer went on for ever.

The total rain for June is 120mm, and in spite of the national figures, it is was nowhere near being our wettest June. If we discount the heavy storm on the 15th, our rainfall was average through rest of the month.

July averages as follows rainfall over 10 years 119 mm and over 20 years 96 mm. The highest rainfall was 218 mm in 2007 when it rained on 25 days and the driest was 1999 when it rained on 3 days, 11 mm in all

In the last 20 years there have been 3 occasions when we have had over 200 mm of rain in July. Hopefully, this won't be the fourth, and we will have some settled fine weather.

According to the national figures this is going to be the wettest June on record, but not here, unless we have a lot more rain over the next 4 days.

Not as warm this week. There was quite a lot of cloud and a chilly breeze, but still plenty of sunshine, so not too bad. The weather does seem to be unsettled again, so we could have some more surprises.

Temperature was varied, ranging from 11°C up to the mid 20°Cs. We are still getting a North East wind which is having a big effect on the temperature - unless we can find a wind break of some sort.

Hopefully we have at last got rid of that cold which seemed to go on for ever.

The Spring has been dry again this year. The wind from the North and East brings much drier weather than when it blows from the West, it is also much colder.

May average rainfall is - over 10 years 66 mm, and over 20 years 74 mm. The wettest May was 156 mm in 2006, when it rained on 23 days, and the driest was in 2001, with rain on 8 days - total of 36 mm. We should have had our last frost by now, but there are no guarantees with the weather.

The total rainfall for the week was only 5 mm; otherwise plenty of sunshine with the temperature up to 17.4°C in the shade.
There has been a lot of discussion about a supposed early spring, but I don't think it's been an early spring - rather a late, mild
winter - and then we went straight into spring without a break. .

April is always unpredictable anyway - one day warm, and the next day freezing with an icy wind - seems fairly usual weather for this time of the year. May will be with us in another week or so, and the weather should settle down once we have get past another Bank Holiday.

Total rainfall for the week was 23 mm, most of which fell during the night so didn't inconvenience us to much.The worst of the wind was on Sunday later in the afternoon and through the evening, which led to some of the recycling already out for Monday being scattered around the area, and a couple of wheely bins blown over, but all soon picked up, so no mess.

For those who don't travel over Wrington Hill to join the A370, the bluebells are starting to come out, a sight not to be missed - well worth a special trip as they won't last long once the leaves on the trees open out, and the woods become shaded they will be over for another year.

Now we are into April and the wind is coming from the West as is more usual for us here, and it's getting a little warmer. The average rainfall for April is over 10 years 62 mm and over 20 years 77 mm. The wettest April was 2012 when we had 212.5 mm and it rained on 23 days , and the driest was 2011 when we had 15 mm spread over three days (sometimes I don't believe the figures myself and I have to double check them).

Rain at the beginning and end of the week, otherwise dry and a little warmer as well. Good Friday was a lovely warm sunny day. Quite a large crowd joined the walk of Witness from the Chapel to the Church for the Good Friday service. It is very encouraging to see how many people join this visible statement of our belief.

A dry week with plenty of sunshine, although the cold wind rather spoils it sometimes. It was nice to get some work done in the garden at las,t as April is nearly here. It's not long now until the clocks go forward, which gives us an extra hour in the evening - although I prefer extra light in the morning. I like to make an early start in the summer.

We will be into March next week, - will it be a Lion or a Lamb? - I wonder! As the end of March is Easter this year, don't pack away your winter woolies quite yet.

At least we can say we had a frost, but we still managed to have 12 mm of rain and more is promised for next week.

Another 22 mm of rain in spite of becoming much colder, especially towards the weekend. Only in this country can we have frost in the morning and rain by evening, as happened again this week.

In 2015 the first frost was on the 18th, it then continued to be cold for the rest of January and into February. Unlike 2014 when there was no frost at all, just an awful lot of rain.

54mm of rain in the last week of 2015/ start of 2016 with rain on 6 days. this gives a total for December of 146mm. Taking us well above the December average, but nothing like the amounts which have fallen in northern England over the last few weeks.

The total rainfall for the year 2015 was 1032mm which is about average for our area. The longest dry spell was in April which was also our driest month. The most rain in one day was in February with 35mm, but the wettest month was December, which was also the only month to go well above the average for the month.

The temperature went below freezing in both January and February, but again there was nothing exceptional. The only snow was a shower at the end of January, soon gone.

In fact , the weather over the last year in our part of the world can only be described as average really, but when I look at what terrible weather events were happening to other people - average looks pretty good to me .