Month: June 2023

The cooler, fresher weather behind the cold front began to be felt as the wind swung into the northwest on Thursday. The sunshine did push the thermometer to 22.4C, which was 2.2C above the average, but when the sun disappeared behind the clouds it felt distinctly cool in any breeze. The cooler airstream was noticeable overnight as the temperature sank to just 6.7C at 04.14 early Friday. This low was 3.4C below the average and the second coldest night in June after 6.2C on the 3rd.

Yet a further weather front, in fact there are two warm fronts close together, are spreading their advance cloud across the sky. This initially thin cloud cover meant that the temperature recovered to 13.1C at 08.00.

The equivalent loss of equivalent rainfall through evaporation from ground sources and plant life now totals 104mm against the month rainfall of 60.9mm.

The warm, moist air that the weather front brought on Wednesday saw the thermometer rise to 24.4C being 4.2C above the 39-year average. The low overnight of 13.5C was also above average +3.4C.

A few spots of rain were noted just after 16.30 on Wednesday as a small shower cell passed, but not measurable. A cold front arrived just before midnight that produced 3.8mm of rainfall that took the monthly total to 60.9mm being 6mm above the 39-year average.

However, the cold front produced a change in air mass behind it as it traversed eastwards that saw the wind veer from southwest to northwest. As a result the air on Thursday morning was much cooler and less humid than on Wednesday. The temperature at 08.00 was 14.4C, the lowest since the 20th. The air is travelling clockwise around an intense high pressure system in mid-Atlantic, collecting moisture as it passes over the sea, before it descends over the UK, so showers are possible today.

A warm front passed over the area after midday on Tuesday bringing warm, moist air. There was light drizzle at 21.30 and just before midnight and again between 01.00 and 02.00 therefore very brief light showers that in total amounted to 0.4mm.

The temperature extremes were a maximum of 21.4C (+1.2C) and a very warm night with a minimum of 16.4C` that was a significant 6.3C above the 39-year average and the warmest night since 3rd August 2022 with 18.1C. The diurnal range of temperatures, the difference between day and night was thus just 5C.

Wednesday dawned dull and gloomy as the cloud was thick and with a low cloud base that meant it draped over the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest producing misty conditions. Later tonight the conditions will change again as another weather front will cross the area, this time a cold front, so a cooler fresher air mass will arrive.

A maximum of 21.9C recorded at 17.18 on Monday made it the coolest day since 6th June and just 1.7C above he average. In fact only four days have brought us a below average maximum this month.

It was a fresher day with the UV level peaking at 6.5, which was the top of the High category.

The past night was mild thanks to the cloud cover and westerly breeze with a low of 13.4C, 3.3C above the average.

Tuesday started cloudy but by 08.00 a little brightness appeared through the thin cloud cover ahead of the next weather front.

Sunday saw the thermometer steadily climb to 28.7C at 13.50 being 8.5C above the 39-year average. However, just after 13.00 variable, minimal cloud was observed ahead of the cold front that passed over mid-afternoon when a small shower cell produced a few spots of rain at 15.15, recorded as a ‘trace’, not measurable, only noticed as I was outside relaxing. The increasing cloud meant that the temperature dropped a couple of degrees as the cold front began to introduce cooler and fresher air.

The minimum overnight of 12.1C was 2.0C above the average and the coolest for four days.

Monday revealed a mixture of sunny intervals and variable cloud with a much fresher feel to the weather as the cold front lived up to its name with lower temperatures.

The loss of equivalent rainfall through evaporation from ground sources and plant life increased yesterday to 4.84mm. The loss of equivalent rainfall through evaporation this month now totals 94mm against the rainfall of 56.7mm, which is just 3mm above the long-term average.