01 April 2026
Two centuries of Reading weather stories and observations have been chronicled in a new book celebrating the town’s rich meteorological history.
Reading Weather and Climate since 1831, by Dr Stephen Burt, combines vivid historical accounts and contemporary photography from the past 200 years.
It also includes meteorological data from the 120 years of continuous weather observations made at the University of Reading, one of Britain’s longest continuous daily weather records, together with earlier accounts from central Reading dating back to 1831.
From the scorching summers of 1911, 1976 and 2025, great snowstorms in 1814, 1927, 1963 and 2010, devastating floods in 1894 and 1947, Reading’s very own climate stripe and even a fatal tornado at Reading Station in 1840, the full diversity of British weather is revealed within its pages.
Dr Stephen Burt, from the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, said: "Every daily observation is a small piece of the puzzle, and when you put them all together, they tell a remarkable story of how our climate is changing.
“Reading has been recording its weather for longer than almost anywhere else in Britain. I have spent much of my career immersed in those records, and the deeper you dig, the more surprises you find.
“Records like these help us understand what is normal, what is extreme, and what we might expect in the years ahead. This book is my attempt to bring that story to life for everyone."
Published as part of the University’s centenary celebrations, Dr Stephen Burt shared a first edition of his new book with Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate, when he visited the Reading University Atmospheric Observatory in March 2026.
The book is now available to buy for £15.00 plus postage costs.
Dr Stephen Burt is available for interview. Contact the University of Reading Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk to arrange.
Reading Weather and Climate since 1831 by Stephen Burt. University of Reading Press, March 2026. ISBN 9 780704 916197. 221 pp, 135 illus.
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