WHAT a washout! Official weather figures have confirmed what we already suspected.

Last month, Huddersfield was lashed by almost five times the average amount of rain for August.

Nationally, however, the summer of 2004 will not be recorded as one of the wettest since records began in 1766.

The wettest-ever was the summer of 1912, when England and Wales were deluged with an average of 410mm of rain. This year saw a damp June, July and August give rainfall figures of 280mm.

Huddersfield's August total, however, almost reached that national three-month figure. A total of 235.2mm of rainfall was recorded in the town last month. The norm is 51.8mm.

August's wettest day was Monday the 9th, with 70mm of rain - almost a third of the monthly total.

That torrential day was by far the wettest in any August since local records began.

Monday the 9th was also the third wettest day recorded by the Huddersfield weather station since 1990 (July 30, 2002, saw 70.2mm and January 23 in 1993 had 122.8mm).

More than double the average amount of rain fell in England and Wales during June, July and August, says the Met Office.

The last time it was wetter was in the summer of 1961.

Although wetter, the ``monsoon" month was also hotter.

Monthly mean temperatures reached 17.4 ºC (63.3°F) as against the average of 17.1ºC (62.7°F).

The warmest day was Sunday the 8th, with an average temperature of 24 ºC (75.2°F).

At the hottest point of that day the mercury rose to 30.3ºC (86.5°F).

The coldest day was Friday the 20th, with an average temperature of 12.2ºC (54°F).

The lowest minimum temperature of 7.9ºC (46.2°F) came on the last day, Tuesday the 31st.

Aside from the wider picture of a washout summer, August itself was the wettest month recorded in Huddersfield since January, 1993, and the third wettest month since records for the town began in 1990. The two worse months were January, 1993, when 257.5mm fell, and February, 1990, with 250.1mm.

Only nine days escaped rain. The driest spells lasted just two days - Friday and Saturday the 6th and 7th and Monday and Tuesday, the 30th and 31st.