Tuesday 18th August
Monday was the last of the heatwave days that saw the thermometer eventually rise to 27.3C at 16.52 during strong, late afternoon sunshine after variable cloud during the morning and early afternoon. There was a very strong burst of UV light at 12.30 that was at the top end of High and the second strongest this month. At the same time the peak solar radiation, not surprisingly, was also second highest this month at 1085W/m2. Cloudy conditions overnight provided a blanket to minimise the loss of warmth into the atmosphere hence the minimum of 16.7C at 00.08 was 4.9C above average. The back track of the radar showed cloud edging in from the north just before midnight and thickening, thus the minimum occurred so early in the night.

Tuesday arrived gloomy with low, thick cloud from the depression edging closer, that will be over the UK tomorrow. A cold weather front will cross the country today. The possibility of any precipitation is minimal, there is shower activity to the west over the moors but here it will be low cloud here until the sun begins to break through, probably mid-morning, hence the humidity at 08.00 of 92.4% was the highest this month.

The forecast track of the Jet Stream for the rest of the week shows a signifiant change in direction compared to recent weeks and months. By tomorrow it will begin to steer to the south of the UK thus putting us on the cooler northern side.

There are a few days of unsettled weather ahead as the depression moves from west to east of the UK, towards Scandinavia, whilst the Azores high tries to edge in from the west. This will produce days with sunny intervals and possible shower activity. With low pressure to the east and its associated air circulating anticlockwise, also the high pressure edging in from the west, with its air flow circulating clockwise, by the time we get to Friday the wind direction will have veered from west to come from the north, producing a very cool day compared to recent weeks.