It is very unusual for two successive days to have the same maximum temperature but both Sunday and Monday saw the thermometer rise to just 13.9C, being 3.4C below average. This peak was logged at 16.20 thanks to the afternoon sunshine as the day had been dominated by variable cloud. As on previous nights under clearing skies what residual warmth there was dispersed into the atmosphere with a slow rate of decline in the air temperature reaching a minimum of 0.7C at 05.54, producing a ground frost, being a significant 6.4C below my long-term average. This low was held for just 7 minutes before the thermometer began to climb reaching 5.1C at 08.00. This was principally due to some glorious sunshine after dawn but a large bank of cloud, that had been drifting in from the northeast, eventually overcame the sun at 06.52.
The large bank of cloud seen on Tuesday after 07.00 was the result of the air having travelled over the cold North Sea picking up moisture on its travels. This thick cloud will take a time to thin and melt away today so it is not going to be a very warm and sunny day, however, it should improve as the day progresses.
The anticyclone is going to hang around for the rest of the week, which will continue the trend of dry weather but as it relocates a little further south from today, and closer to the UK, the wind will, thankfully, be less strong with variable sunshine but a slow rose in temperature. There is little chance of any significant rain over the next few days.
Data Collection Part 1
We are aware of satellites overhead watching the development of weather systems but the air mass directly above the ground is what immediately affects us, for which regular, accurate data is vital.
Radiosondes are sent up at regular intervals to gain the vital data for the numerous forecasts via different media. There are 6 radiosonde stations around the UK from near Camborne in the southwest to the Orkneys, Northern Ireland and in between. These stations prepare a balloon made of latex, and after inflation with either helium or hydrogen, are released at precise intervals being at midday and midnight, these are internationally agreed timings. There are around 1,800 stations globally. The balloons rise to a height of around 25 miles and are tracked for wind speed and direction whilst the radiosonde records temperature, humidity and barometric pressure every two seconds, which is then signalled back to the relevant ground station.