My Preston husband's tracked the weather daily for 60 years – it's spot on for hanging washing out

Jim Lawson, 80, from Preston, began keeping hand-written records as a 14-year-old schoolboy in 1958 when encouraged by his mother.

Since then, he has maintained old-school, paper records, noting the maximum temperature, rainfall amount, relative humidity and air pressure each day.

Armed with thermometers, barometers, hygrometers and a Met Office standard rain gauge, he religiously takes the readings at 10am, 2 pm and 8pm daily.

The lowest temperature Jim ever recorded was back in January 1963 when the mercury plunged to a bone-chilling -17C.

The highest was 13 years later in the 1976 heatwave, when Jim recorded temperatures exceeding 33C.

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Over the years, Jim says he has noticed some weather patterns changing – with years now wetter than they used to be.

He said: "We do seem generally to be getting wetter years now, but it's not always the case.

"It's somewhat wetter. Instead of 900mm, we're now getting a metre of rain a year here.

"Generally, though not always, the first frost of winter and the last frost of winter seem to be coming later and earlier, respectively, but it’s not always the case."

His wife of 53 years, Margaret, 74, swears by his daily readings – saying they’re spot on for knowing when to hang the washing out.

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The retired grandfather-of-six refuses to make any long-term weather predictions, but did say he expects the weather to stay dry for the rest of the week.

The weather-obsessed former town planner watches the forecast on TV every day and says that a couple of times a year, the professionals' predictions don’t match up to his own.

He added: "Whether they're right or I'm right, I can't really remember.

"Short-term weather forecasting was always reasonably good, but it’s now to a much higher standard, so it’s rarely wrong.

"Just occasionally, now and again, I do find what I think will happen doesn’t, but it’s rare."

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His concerned mum, Izabelle, encouraged the hobby in the hopes he could serve as a meteorologist if war broke out, keeping him from being sent to the front lines.

Jim said: “I found the standard of maths that was needed – I was not coping well in that area. I knew it wasn’t for me.

“My interest was going to have to be a hobby rather than an actual career.”

The weather buff, who sent his readings to the Met Office for over 40 years, was even awarded a vase by the weather agency to commemorate his service.

Unfortunately, he had to stop submitting his readings to the weather agency eight years ago when he and Margaret downsized to a semi-detached bungalow, with the garden “too sheltered” by trees to meet the agency's high standards.

Because of this, not many of Jim's friends know about his hobby as he doesn’t want to draw attention to the fact that his readings no longer meet Met Office standards.

The retiree's ideal weather conditions are “above 20C, with a pleasant southwest breeze” – conditions which are rare in the northwest.

Jim added: “It’s an interest, and it helps to keep my mind young; it keeps the old grey matter going, and I’m grateful for it for that.

“It’s one very good reason, while I’m still fit enough, to continue doing it.”