Dataset: Total Monthly and Annual Sunshine Hours at Rothamsted 1891-2024
- DOI: 10.23637/rmsTMASunHours1891-2024-01
- Experiment: Rothamsted Weather Station
- Files included in the download:
- DATA: Total Monthly and Annual Sunshine Hours at Rothamsted 1891-2024 (xlsx)
- Version: 1.0
- Keywords: climate - climate change - meteorological factors - Rothamsted Research - sun - thermometer - weather - weather data
- Author(s): Perryman, S., Scott, T.
- Publisher: Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
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Total Annual Sun Hours at Rothamsted 1891-2024
Summary
The dataset provides both the monthly and annual sun hours recorded at Rothamsted every year from 1891-2024. The figure shows a subset example of the data - the total annual hours and the mean annual hours. Summary data used for this chart are derived from daily data measured at Rothamsted Meteorological Station, this was done manually every day until 2004 when it was automated.
The annual total hours chart shows this is a general trend towards more sunshine hours per year, however, there was a period from 1963-1987 when total annual sun hours were generally lower than average.
Methods
Sun hours were originally recorded using a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder from the autumn of 1890. The sun's rays were focused onto a card (treated to prevent it from catching fire) and the brown scorch mark on the card was then measured. The cards are of varying lengths applicable to the time of year (winter, equinox, and summer). See the 'Media' tab for a photograph of the Campbell Stokes sunshine recorder.
Since 2004 weather measurements have been automated with sunshine hours being calculated from solar radiation using the Campbell-Stokes equation.
Technical Information
Total sun hours over 24 hours, 0000GMT to 2400GMT
Solar radiation is measured using a thermopile pyranometer manufactured by Kipp & Zonen, Netherlands. The models used are CM3 pyranometer (2004 to April 2022) and CMP3 (May 2022 onwards).
Location: Rothamsted Meteorological Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England 51.82 N 0.37 W 128 m asl.
Related Documents
- Macdonald, A. et. al. (2018) Guide to the Classical and Other Long-term Experiments :
- Scott (2015) The U.K. Environmental Change Network Rothamsted. The First 20 Years :
- Morecroft, M.D. et al. (2009) The UK Environmental Change Network: Emerging Trends :
- Penman, H. L. (1974) Rothamsted Weather :
- Yates, F. (1969) The Broadbalk Yields: Investigations into the Effects of Weather on Yields :
Related Datasets
Contributors
- Sarah Perryman: Data curator
- Margaret Glendining: Data curator
- Richard Ostler: Project leader
- Tony Scott: Data collector
- Nathalie Castells: Data manager
- Chris Hall: Data collector
- Andy Gregory: Project manager
Dataset Access and Conditions
Rights Holder
Rothamsted Research
License
This
dataset is
available under a Creative
Commons
Attribution Licence (4.0).
Cite this Dataset
YOU MUST CITE AS: Perryman, S., Scott, T. (2025). Dataset: Total Monthly and Annual Sunshine Hours at Rothamsted 1891-2024 Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK https://doi.org/10.23637/rmsTMASunHours1891-2024-01
Please review our How to Credit Datasets guidance for more information.
Conditions of Use
Rothamsted relies on the integrity of users to ensure that datasets are used appropriately and Rothamsted Research receives suitable acknowledgment as being the originators of these data. Please review the Conditions of Use before downloading.
Table Of Contents
An Excel file containing monthly and annual sun hours for each year and a chart of these data. Also contains summary charts.
The monthly and annual summary data contained in this spreadsheet are derived from daily data measured at Rothamsted Meteorological Station, Harpenden using MS Excel.
Verification includes checks for instrument errors, for missing data and outliers.
The original raw daily data is available, after registering, from the e-RA database. Please contact the e-RA Curators for an access password and further details, email: era@rothamsted.ac.uk.
There are a few missing daily records and these are indicated in the data file by a highlight.
Sarah Perryman has curated this data together. Tony Scott is the current weather station manager who manages the recording equipment and data collection. We acknowledge the many people over the last 134 years who have taken these sun hours recordings from Thomas Wilson and Edwin Grey in the 19th Century (see Credits for information on some recent recorders and contributors).
For an history of the Rothamsted weather station recording see the 'Information' tab.
- The dataset Total Monthly and Annual Sunshine Hours at Rothamsted 1891-2024 is a published dataset from the e-RA Database. e-RA is part of the Rothamsted Long-Term Experiments - National Bioscience Research Infrastructure (RLTE-NBRI), which also covers maintenance of the Long-Term Experiments, the Rothamsted Sample Archive and Rothamsted's environmental monitoring activities including the weather stations and its role in the UK Environmental Change Network
- The RLTE-NBRI is funded by UK Research and Innovation - Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UKRI-BBSRC) under award BBS/E/RH/23NB0007 (2023-2028). The RLTE-NBRI is also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust. e-RA has been part of a National Capability since 2012, previous awards from the BBSRC were Grants BBS/E/C/00005189 (2012-2017) and BBS/E/C/000J0300 (2017-2022)
- Please read the conditions of use.
For further information and assistance, please contact the e-RA curators, Sarah Perryman and Margaret Glendining using the e-RA email address: era@rothamsted.ac.uk