May 2026 Commentary

The weather in May was notable for some record-breaking temperatures during the last ten days while it was also the third month running with a rainfall total well below the average.

The month had started with some pleasant temperatures and fairly dry conditions before cooler conditions in the middle of May accompanied by some gentle showers ended with two days of fairly heavy rain. High pressure then built rapidly, on the edge of the Europe Heat Dome. Temperatures increased and there were four consecutive days with temperatures above 30C reaching 33C on the 26th which is certainly a May record for this century. The final few days of the month thankfully saw a reduction in temperature but at no stage did the village get any measurable rainfall, though parts of Dorset had electrical storms on one or two nights.

The average temperature in Cerne during May was 16.7C which is nearly 2 degrees higher than the average for the month over the last decade though only just above the figure for last year. The rainfall total was only 40.5mm (less than 2 inches), just about half of that received in May over the last ten years while more than half of that total fell on the 18th and 19th, just before the hot spell.

Spring, the months of March, April and May, has again been warmer and drier for the second year running when compared with previous years and the volunteers, who have been repairing The Cerne Giant, may have regretted their decision on some days.

On Thursday May 28th, The Times newspaper announced that many of the Cerne Giant's problems are due to "warmer winters and wetter summers." My figures from the last twenty years agree with the milder winter temperatures but though we have just had two dry Springs, records show that Autumn, Winter and also Spring have all experienced heavier rainfall totals, on average, while the totals during Summer have actually been decreasing. I wonder where the newspaper got its information?

Philip Spray