Editing Swindon (section)

==Geography==
{{See also|List of places in Swindon}}

Swindon is a town in northeast Wiltshire, {{Convert|35|mi|km}} west-northwest of Reading and the same distance east-northeast of Bristol 'as the crow flies'.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Swindon,+UK&toplace=Bristol,+UK&dt1=ChIJ5eTbPU9EcUgRmpTF6Te_VqU&dt2=ChIJYdizgWaDcUgRH9eaSy6y5I4 |title=Distance between Swindon, UK and Bristol, UK (UK) |website=distancecalculator.globefeed.com |access-date=27 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427235128/https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Swindon,+UK&toplace=Bristol,+UK&dt1=ChIJ5eTbPU9EcUgRmpTF6Te_VqU&dt2=ChIJYdizgWaDcUgRH9eaSy6y5I4 |archive-date=27 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Swindon,+UK&toplace=Reading,+UK&dt1=ChIJ5eTbPU9EcUgRmpTF6Te_VqU&dt2=ChIJtz092XggdEgRlHn6zn-f4So |title=Distance between Swindon, UK and Reading, UK (UK) |website=distancecalculator.globefeed.com |access-date=27 April 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427235128/https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Swindon,+UK&toplace=Reading,+UK&dt1=ChIJ5eTbPU9EcUgRmpTF6Te_VqU&dt2=ChIJtz092XggdEgRlHn6zn-f4So |archive-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> The town is also {{Convert|26|mi|km}} southwest of [[Oxford]], {{Convert|65|mi|km}} south-southeast of [[Birmingham]], {{Convert|71|mi|km}} west of London and {{Convert|60|mi|km}} east of Cardiff. Swindon town centre is also equidistant from the county boundaries of Berkshire and Gloucestershire, both being {{Convert|8|mi|km}} away. The border with Oxfordshire is slightly closer, being around {{Convert|5|mi|km|0}} away.

Swindon is within a landlocked county and is a considerable distance from any coastline. The nearest section of coast on the [[English Channel]] is near Christchurch, {{Convert|56|mi|km}} due south. Meanwhile, the eastern limit of the [[Bristol Channel]], just north of [[Weston-super-mare]], lies {{Convert|53|mi|km}} to the west.

The landscape is dominated by the chalk hills of the Wiltshire Downs to the south and east. The Old Town stands on a hill of Purbeck and Portland stone; this was quarried from Roman times until the 1950s. The area that was known as New Swindon is made up of mostly Kimmeridge clay with outcrops of Corrallian clay in the areas of Penhill and Pinehurst. Oxford clay makes up the rest of the borough.<ref name="geology">{{cite book |author=Crittall, Elizabeth |author2=Rogers, Kenneth |author3=Shrimpton, Colin |title=A history of Swindon to 1965 |year=1983 |publisher=Wiltshire Library & Museum Service |isbn=0-86080-107-1 |chapter=Geology}}</ref> The [[River Ray, Wiltshire|River Ray]] rises at Wroughton and forms much of the borough's western boundary, joining the [[Thames]] which defines the northern boundary, and the source of which is located in nearby [[Kemble, Gloucestershire]]. The [[River Cole, Wiltshire|River Cole]] and its tributaries flow northeastward from the town and form the northeastern boundary.

* Nearby towns: [[Calne]], [[Chippenham]], [[Royal Wootton Bassett]], [[Cirencester]], [[Cricklade]], [[Devizes]], [[Highworth]], [[Marlborough, Wiltshire|Marlborough]], [[Witney]] and [[Malmesbury]]
* Nearby villages: [[Badbury, Wiltshire|Badbury]], [[Blunsdon]], [[Broad Hinton]], [[Chiseldon]], [[Hook, Wiltshire|Hook]], [[Liddington]], [[Lydiard Millicent]], [[Lyneham, Wiltshire|Lyneham]], [[Minety]], [[Purton]], [[South Marston]], [[Wanborough, Wiltshire|Wanborough]], [[Wroughton]]
* Nearby places of interest: [[Avebury]], [[Barbury Castle]], [[Crofton Pumping Station]], [[Lydiard Country Park]], [[Silbury Hill]], [[Stonehenge]], [[Uffington White Horse]]
* [[Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] in Swindon include [[Coate Water]], [[Great Quarry, Swindon|Great Quarry]], [[Haydon Meadow]], [[Okus Quarry]] and [[Old Town Railway Cutting, Swindon|Old Town Railway Cutting]]

===Climate===
Swindon has an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]), like the vast majority of the British Isles, with cool winters and warm summers. The nearest official weather station is [[RAF Lyneham]], about {{convert|10|mi|km}} west southwest of Swindon town centre. The weather station's elevation is {{Convert|145|m|ft}} in a rural setting, compared to the typical {{Convert|100|m|ft}} encountered around Swindon town centre, so is likely marginally cooler throughout the year.

The absolute maximum is {{Convert|34.9|C|F}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=1872 |title=1990 August maximum |access-date=28 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430200210/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=1872 |archive-date=30 April 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> recorded during August 1990. In an average year the warmest day should reach {{Convert|28.7|C|F}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TXx&stationid=1872 |title=1971-00 Annual average warmest day |access-date=28 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430200216/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TXx&stationid=1872 |archive-date=30 April 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> and 10.3 days<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=SU&stationid=1872 |title=1971-00 >25°C days |access-date=28 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430200235/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=SU&stationid=1872 |archive-date=30 April 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> should register a temperature of {{Convert|25.1|C|F}} or above.

The absolute minimum is {{Convert|-16.0|C|F}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=7&year=1982&indexid=TNn&stationid=1872 |title=1982 minimum |access-date=28 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430200239/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=7&year=1982&indexid=TNn&stationid=1872 |archive-date=30 April 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> recorded in January 1982, and in an average year 45.2 nights of air frost can be expected.

Sunshine, at 1,565 hours a year, is typical for inland parts of Southern England, although significantly higher than most areas further north.

Annual rainfall averages slightly under {{convert|720|mm|0|abbr=on}} per year, with 123 days reporting over {{convert|1|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain.

{{Weather box
|location = [[Lyneham, Wiltshire|Lyneham]],{{efn|Weather station is located {{convert|10.0|mi|1|abbr=out}} from the Swindon city centre.}} elevation {{convert|145|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present)
|collapsed =
|metric first = y
|single line = y
|Jan record high C = 13.7
|Feb record high C = 18.1
|Mar record high C = 21.1
|Apr record high C = 25.3
|May record high C = 26.6
|Jun record high C = 32.7
|Jul record high C = 34.9
|Aug record high C = 34.9
|Sep record high C = 29.5
|Oct record high C = 26.5
|Nov record high C = 17.2
|Dec record high C = 14.7
|Jan record low C = -16.0
|Feb record low C = -11.3
|Mar record low C = -8.0
|Apr record low C = -4.8
|May record low C = -1.6
|Jun record low C = 0.6
|Jul record low C = 3.8
|Aug record low C = 5.0
|Sep record low C = 1.5
|Oct record low C = -3.6
|Nov record low C = -7.8
|Dec record low C = -14.0
|Jan high C = 7.2
|Feb high C = 7.7
|Mar high C = 10.2
|Apr high C = 13.2
|May high C = 16.4
|Jun high C = 19.4
|Jul high C = 21.5
|Aug high C = 21.0
|Sep high C = 18.3
|Oct high C = 14.2
|Nov high C = 10.1
|Dec high C = 7.5
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 4.5
|Feb mean C = 4.7
|Mar mean C = 6.6
|Apr mean C = 9.0
|May mean C = 12.0
|Jun mean C = 14.9
|Jul mean C = 17.0
|Aug mean C = 16.7
|Sep mean C = 14.3
|Oct mean C = 10.9
|Nov mean C = 7.3
|Dec mean C = 4.8
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 1.7
|Feb low C = 1.6
|Mar low C = 3.0
|Apr low C = 4.7
|May low C = 7.5
|Jun low C = 10.4
|Jul low C = 12.4
|Aug low C = 12.3
|Sep low C = 10.2
|Oct low C = 7.6
|Nov low C = 4.4
|Dec low C = 2.1
|year low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 76.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 56.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 51.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 52.7
|May precipitation mm = 57.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 54.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 60.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 65.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 55.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 79.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 82.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 78.6
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 13.0
| Feb precipitation days = 10.9
| Mar precipitation days = 9.9
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 9.8
| Jun precipitation days = 9.3
| Jul precipitation days = 9.7
| Aug precipitation days = 10.2
| Sep precipitation days = 9.7
| Oct precipitation days = 12.4
| Nov precipitation days = 13.4
| Dec precipitation days = 13.3
| year precipitation days =131.7
|Jan sun = 60.6
|Feb sun = 78.9
|Mar sun = 124.5
|Apr sun = 172.9
|May sun = 210.9
|Jun sun = 205.2
|Jul sun = 215.2
|Aug sun = 192.7
|Sep sun = 154.1
|Oct sun = 112.9
|Nov sun = 70.7
|Dec sun = 54.4
|year sun = 1653.0
|source 1 = Met Office<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcnsfxv5m |title=Climate Normals 1991–2020 |publisher=MetOffice |access-date=14 February 2022}}</ref>
| source 2 = Starlings Roost Weather<ref>{{cite web |url=http://starlingsroost.ddns.net/weather/ukobs/temp_month_record_tmax_map.php 
|title= Monthly Extreme Maximum Temperature, Monthly Extreme Minimum Temperature
|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather
|access-date= 16 December 2024
}}</ref>
}}