Climate
Colchester, is in one of the driest regions of the United Kingdom with average annual precipitation at 635 mm (25.0 inches), although among the wetter places in Essex. Colchester is generally regarded as having an Oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) like the rest of the United Kingdom. Its easterly position within the British Isles makes Colchester less prone to Atlantic depressions and weather fronts but more prone to droughts.
This is because like most areas in South-East England, Colchester's weather is influenced more by Continental weather patterns than Atlantic weather systems. This leads to a dry climate compared to the rest of the UK all year round and occasional (relative) extremes of temperatures during the year (occasional late 20°Cs/early30°Cs during the summer) and quite a few nights below freezing during the winter months (daytime high temperatures are seldom below freezing). Any rainfall that does come from Atlantic weather systems is usually light, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorms can take place during the summer. Snow falls on average 13 days a year during winter and very early spring.
The highest temperature recorded in Colchester was 36.1 °C (97 °F) in August 2003 (during the 2003 European heat wave), and the lowest was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in December 2010.
| Climate data for Colchester | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.7 (45.9) |
10.9 (51.6) |
14.2 (57.6) |
18 (64) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15 (59) |
10.3 (50.5) |
7.4 (45.3) |
14.8 (58.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.3 (37.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
7.7 (45.9) |
10.7 (51.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
8.1 (46.6) |
4.8 (40.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
6.9 (44.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 53 (2.09) |
44 (1.73) |
44 (1.73) |
44 (1.73) |
52 (2.05) |
54 (2.13) |
48 (1.89) |
57 (2.24) |
52 (2.05) |
70 (2.76) |
62 (2.44) |
57 (2.24) |
635 (25) |
| Source: 1981-2010 estimated average (records began in 1988) for COL station Colchester NE 2 | |||||||||||||
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