The summer temperature maximum is reached in July with a 30-year average of 22°C. The average maximum for January is 6°C.
We have been recording weather data at the Botanic Garden since 1904 and supply daily figures to the Meteorological Office at Bracknell. Garden Curator, Dr Tim Upson, has co-authored a review,
100 years of Cambridge Meteorological Records which you can download from the link to the left.
We write up the daily records on the Information Board at the Garden, and publish monthly rainfall records (mm per month) here:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
| 2005 | 28.1 | 25.5 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 47.0 | 52.1 | 29.0 | 58.8 | 101.5 | 55.8 | 40.3 | 16.5 | 495.1 |
| 2006 | 17.8 | 26.6 | 34.8 | 29.2 | 66.2 | 19.2 | 44.6 | 66.4 | 53.2 | 48.4 | 61.4 | 42.4 | 510.3 |
| 2007 | 55.7 | 49.3 | 21.4 | 1.9 | 131.1 | 68.3 | 68.2 | 51.1 | 22.0 | 55.2 | 34.3 | 38.7 | 597.2 |
| 2008 | 56.9 | 14.9 | 71.3 | 42.8 | 64.1 | 33.7 | 50.8 | 84.8 | 61.0 | 49.3 | 76.0 | 21.4 | 627.0 |
| 2009 | 38.0 | 55.7 | 32.6 | 13.2 | 28.5 | 37.5 | 108.6 | 56.3 | 11.2 | 33.8 | 102.7 | 71.6 | 589.7 |
| 2010 | 44.0 | 65.9 | 21.4 | 11.2 | 27.7 | 39.3 | 23.0 | 136.4 | 55.1 | 55.2 | 26.0 | 22.7 | 527.9 |
| 2011 | 61.6 | 31.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 16.4 | 64.0 | 34.5 | 48.9 | 24.9 | 16.9 | 29.9 | 47.2 | 380.4 |
| 2012 | 42.2 | 20.8 | 22.0 | 102.2 | 51.4 | 105.9 | 130.3 | 76.1 | 30.1 | 78.5 | 64.4 | 88.8 | 812.7 |
| 2013 | 38.7 | 18.8 | 37.6 | | | | | | | | | | |
The soils of the Botanic Garden are silts and sands derived from the flood plain of the River Cam nearby. These soils are about 1 metre in depth and overlie a layer of chalk and flints. This soil is stony, light and free draining, and rapidly dries out after rain. The soil and soil water are alkaline in pH.
For informal monthly weather write ups from the Garden's 'Weatherman', please click below.
