Tuesday gave us the last of the warm, dry days as just after 14.15 cloud began to fill in and the temperature to drop. The sunshine of 5.4 hours, until this time, allowed the thermometer to rise to a maximum of 21.8C, which was 3.1C above the 36-year average.
There was a significant change in the wind direction that started late on Monday. After six days with the wind coming consistently from the north east it backed into the south west heralding a major change in the weather. No longer were we under the influence of an anticyclone to the east but approaching depressions arriving from the Atlantic.
Rain began to fall around 01.30 early on Wednesday with a heavier burst between 02.30 and 03.00 that amounted to 5.7mm in total making it the wettest day since 28th August. This brought to a halt 18 continuous days of dry and sunny weather. The total rainfall for September is currently 8.7mm when the average for September is 62.9mm.
The overnight cloud from the weather front minimised the loss of warmth into the atmosphere therefore it was a mild night with the thermometer not falling below 13.9C, which was 4.7C above the average.
Sadly there was no sun to greet the new day on Wednesday but thick, complete could cover. A cold front is approaching from the west so more rain is expected to arrive before midday. The air in a cold front is heavier or denser than the warm air so pushes underneath the warmer air that then rises and as it does so condenses and produces precipitation.