Friday 5th December
Thursday gave us a very wet morning until just after 10.00, the precipitation amounted to 5.8mm. After that time the cloud thinned but did not clear until late afternoon that then saw the ‘Cold Moon’ appear. The peak temperature of 7.2C was 0.3C below average, which was logged at 14.58. As the evening progressed the thermometer slowly edged downwards to reach a minimum -0.7C at 01.09. At 01.15 the thermometer then did an about turn and began to climb reaching 0C at 02.58 and 1.3C at 08.00, the minimum was 2.6C below average. This rise in temperature was due to thin, broken cloud drifting in from the west.

The start to Friday revealed almost total cloud cover, if thin and high, but enough to block any early morning sunshine. The changeable weather pattern will see cloud continue to build during the day with heavy and continuous rain arriving around mid-afternoon thanks to another active weather front pushing in from the west associated with the depression approaching the UK. As the deep low pressure edges closer, the wind will increase in strength after mid-day.

The forecast track of the jet stream, well into next week, predicts that the changeable weather will continue for perhaps another week. This will follow the recent pattern of showers and spells of heavy rain interspersed with drier periods, especially over our region of the UK.

Moons can earn a variety of nicknames, many are derived from centuries of Native American tradition. The ‘Cold Moon of course occurs at some of the coldest times of the year. It is also known as the ‘Long Night Moon’ because it rises during the longest nights of the year. It was also a super moon after the October ‘Harvest Moon’ followed by the ‘Beaver Moon’ in November. It was visible in the UK from 14.30 yesterday until 09.00 today.

Super moons occur because the Moon’s orbit around the earth is not perfectly circular but instead slightly elliptical – meaning it is sometimes closer to us than at other times.