Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Uk_topo_en.jpg
Climate Controls:
Meso-scale: Cambridge itself is located in a flat portion of the British Isle but it climate is affected by the more mountainous and hilly western section of the island. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, Cambridge experiences a slight rain shadow effect because of these mountains and, as a result, receives less rainfall than the majority of the United Kingdom. Cambridge's climate is hugely impacted by the city's proximity to the Atlantic ocean and the Gulf Stream. As the temperature of the nearby ocean changes, the temperature of Cambridge fluctuates as well. The temperature of the sea dictates the atmospheric humidity of the city which, in turn, affects the amount of rainfall received. The Gulf Stream brings warmer water to the eastern side of the island, so Cambridge's temperature is higher than that usually seen in areas so far north. The presence of the Gulf Stream also results in less variance between the seasons in Cambridge. The River Cam flows through Cambridge but it has little to no effect on the local weather. Cambridge is not subject to severe weather such as tornadoes or hurricanes.
Micro-scale: Cambridge is situated approximately 50 miles northeast of London so any urban heat island effect suffered by London to not extend far enough to have a major impact on Cambridge's climate. Cambridge is a city but it is not as urban as London and is not an industrial city. It's a University town and, as such, it doesn't produce any great urban heat island effects. The main weather station is located within the University of Cambridge and is in the western side of town.
Source: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/weather/map.html
Since the weather station is not situated within the center of town, the effects from smog are minimal or even zero.
Historical Temperature Trends:
Data Source: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/weather/index-period-text.html
The data for the weather station at the University of Cambridge goes back to 1995 and the above graph shows the average, maximum, and minimum temperatures for January recorded in the city since then. Over the past sixteen years, January temperatures in Cambridge have experienced a slight increase but have since returned to previous averages. It appears that 2002 - 2004 were about the time when January temperatures were at their highest point and now the average temperatures seem to be on a cooling trend. The average, maximum, and minimum temperatures all seem to be following the same trends for temperatures record in January.
The above graph shows the average, maximum, and minimum temperatures for Cambridge in July over the past sixteen years. The patterns on this graph are not as clear and concise as on the graph for January temperatures. The average July temperature seems to have been fairly consistent over time with the slight exception of some cooling over the past four years or so. The average minimum July temperatures experienced a small decrease between 1990 and 2006 but have remained fairly static since then. The average maximum temperatures increased slightly between 1996 and 2001 but have seen a substantial decrease since 2001.
Koppen-Geiger Classification System:
According to the Koppen-Geiger classification system, Cambridge is in the Cfb category. This means that it has a temperate climate, is wet year round, and has warm summers. It is mild with no dry season and the average temperature of all months is lower that 22°C. There are one to three months where the average temperature is over 50°C and rainfall is consistent throughout the year.
Climograph (In Two Pieces):
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