Author: Eric Gilbert

Sunday was best forgotten as regards weather as it was a dull and damp day with more rain overnight. Another 13.8mm of precipitation was recorded that took the monthly total to 89.0mm, just 1.9mm short of the 39-year average for the whole of November.

The thermometer slowly rose to around 10C by mid afternoon and stayed thereabouts until around midnight when the wind changed into a southerly as storm Debi approached. At the same time the change in direction to south, a much warmer direction, saw the thermometer slowly climb during the early hours of Monday to 14.0C at 08.00.

The temperature of 14C at 08.00 on Monday was 3.8C above the average maximum and 10C above the average minimum. The remnants of cloud from the associated overnight weather front gave signs of breaking with brightness beginning to appear. However the wind strength had been rising since midnight with a maximum gust of 25mph, but forecast to rise further during the morning as Storm Debi closes in.

The meteorological ‘col’ of yesterday brought the expected calm conditions with minimal air movement and modest sunshine that lifted the temperature to 10.7C, just above average. The temperature fell steadily away as the evening wore on to reach a low of 2.7C, being 1.2C below the average minimum, at 21.35. Subsequently advancing cloud from the next weather system meant that the thermometer did an about turn and rose to 3.4C at 23.00 then 4.5C by 08.00 Sunday. There was minimal rainfall overnight of 0.7mm.

Sunday revealed misty condition with low cloud and moisture in the air but not quite drizzle. This was due to another depression advancing from the Atlantic. Initially, the light breeze came from the south east but will veer into the south then southwest after midday as the depression moves towards the UK. This will mean mild unsettled weather will return with minima around average compared to the last two very cool nights that brought a touch of ground frost on Saturday.

The rain gave way to sunshine at 10.15 on Friday after adding another 2.5mm of rainfall. However, the light breeze veered into the north late morning, which is a cooler direction, so it was not surprising to find that it was the coolest day this month. The thermometer rose to only 9.1C at 12.32, which was 1.1C below the average and the coolest day since 14th April (8.7C).

The thermometer fell steadily away during the evening to around 3C but during the early hours under a clear sky fell to 1.5C producing a temporary ground frost, its lowest at 07.14 Saturday, which was 2.4C below the average.

Saturday revealed misty conditions with radiation fog forming briefly in the River Ogg valley that had all but cleared by 08.00. The temperature had begin to rise as the sun rose reaching 2.1C by 08.00.

We are currently experiencing a metrological col. That is, the UK is between two opposing high pressure systems, north and south, and two low pressure systems, west and east. A col brings calm conditions.

The cool westerly breeze, gusting to 21mph on Thursday, meant an average maximum of 10.3C even though there was sunshine in the morning and early afternoon. However, another weather front saw cloud building after 14.00 that meant more rain later in the day and overnight amounting to 13.2mm. That took the monthly total to 72.0mm, just 19mm short of the 39-year average and only a third of the month to date. The minimum of 5.9C was 2.0C above he average.

Friday barely dawned as it was so dark due to the extensive weather front and associated low cloud that covered our area with rain continuing to fall. The wind will change in direction starting as a light air movement from the northeast to north and then a westerly quadrant as the day progress due to the depression moving eastwards across central parts of the UK to the North Sea.

After a wet morning on Wednesday followed by light drizzle until 13.30, when the afternoon began to dry up and brighten, lifting the thermometer to 12.8C being 2.6C above the average. Initially the temperature fell away during the evening to reach a low of 4.9C at 22.05 before rising again to reach 6.4C at 08.00 Thursday. This about turn was due to another weather front, with its associated cloud and rain arriving in the early hours.

The daily rainfall total was 5.1mm that took the monthly total to 58.8mm being 65% of the 39-year average.

The UV level of 0.7 was not surprisingly the lowest since 8th March due to the low, thick cloud that persisted until after 14.00.

Thursday was initially dull thanks to the hang back of cloud from the weather front but by 08.30 a little brightness was evident. The deep low is currently centred off the northwest coast of Ireland that bring a breeze from the southwest and probably at times west-northwest.