Author: Eric Gilbert

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.

The ridge of high pressure maintained the very hot and sunny weather on Saturday pushing the temperature to 28.7C at 16.11 being 8.5C above the 39-year average and the second warmest day this month as 29.8C was recorded on the 10th. The UV level peaked at 9.5, which was at the top end of Very High rating and the highest since 7th June 2021.

The past night was warm with. low of 12.9C, which was 2.8C above the average.

Sunday arrived with more sunshine but the barometric pressure has been dropping, 10mb in the past twenty-four hours, 1014.5mb at 08.00, as a depression edges in from the Atlantic and the ridge declines. The wind at 08.00 was from the southeast but due to veer into the west as the morning progresses and as a cold front crosses the country mid-afternoon that will bring more cloud and limit the rise in temperature later today. The soil temperature at a depth of 5cm read 22.1C at 0800, the highest since 15th August 2022.

The UV level on Friday at 8.4 was the highest since July 2022 and into the Very High category. The ridge of high pressure was the reason for the sunny and hot weather with the thermometer rising to 26.2C and only dropping to 14.6C at 03.46 early Saturday. These were + 6.0C and +4.5C respectively.

The loss of equivalent rainfall through evaporation is again running at 3mm and 4mm per day.

Saturday arrived dull and grey with low cloud but just before 08.00 the sun began to break through lifting the temperature to 18.3C.

Update at 18.30: maximum temperature of 28.7C logged at 16.11. A temperature of 29.8C was recorded on June 10th.

The temperature soared to 26.7C on Thursday, the highest for a week and 6.5C above the average. The westerly breeze was light wot a maximum gust of 15mph.

We have now had 16 consecutive days with an above average maximum and nine consecutive nights when the thermometer did not drop below the 39-year average.

The cloud cover and residual heat from the daylight hours on Thursday meant a mild night with the thermometer not sinking below 12.5C, which was 2.5C above the average.

Variable sunshine greeted the new day on Friday but by 08.00 more cloud had drifted across obscuring the sun. The barometric pressure has continued to build with the reading at 08.00 of 1024.4mb, the highest since the 6th.