Author: Eric Gilbert

Friday was a glorious day with strong sunshine all day, 10.5 hours of global sunshine (100W/m2). As a result the thermometer rose to a maximum of 14.9C being 0.8C above the 39-year average and the warmest day for three weeks. Clear skies overnight saw the thermometer drop away steadily to reach a minimum of -0.3C at 02.52 in the early hours of Saturday, which was 4.0C below the average.

Friday was a dry day with the UV level of 4.3 at the top end of Moderate strength, the highest since 19th September.

The sun was shining strongly after dawn on Saturday that had lifted the temperature to 3.9C by 08.00. Another fine day is ahead as another ridge of high pressure has developed reaching from Norway to Brittany, that raised the barometric pressure to 1026.2mb at 08.00.

The wind from the west and then northwest was brisk, gusting to 25mph, that meant the maximum of 13.9C was just below average (-0.2C). There were two showers that produced hail, at 112.55 and a much heavier and sustained shower at 16.40, the latter hail was up to 3mm in size and briefly covered the ground. The total precipitation was 6.2mm.

The clear sky overnight saw the thermometer sink to 0.9C at 06.13 early Friday, which was 2.7C below the 39-year average. The low temperature after the showers meant radiation fog occurred in the River Og valley, the western end clearing just before 08.00 but at the eastern end thickened and not cleared until just before 08.30.

Friday arrived with brilliant sunken that dispersed the fog and lifted the temperature to 3.9C at 08.00. A fine day is ahead as the barometric pressure has risen due to a temporary ridge of high pressure with a reading of 1021.9mb at 08.00.

A much cooler day on Wednesday under cloudy skies and a brisk wind that limited the temperature rise to a peak of 10.6C being 3.5C below the average.

Rain just before midnight and until 03.00 produced 4.4mm of precipitation.

The past night has been mild with the thermometer reaching a minimum of 8.4C being 4.7C above the average and a drop of just a couple of degrees between day and night.

Thursday dawned gloomy as the back-edge of the weather front that brought the rain, eased eastwards. The wind has veered a few more degrees and comes principally from the west until mid-afternoon before edging towards the northwest. By 08.40 the cloud had begun to thin and very weak sunshine appear to bring some brightness.

Tuesday was a glorious day with 10.3 hours of sunshine that lifted the temperature at it peak above the average with a maximum 14.5C (+0.4C). The UV level of 3.9 was Moderate.

Due to increased cloud overnight there was no frost as the thermometer did not sink below 4.3C logged at 06.44 on Wednesday, which was 0.6C above the 39-year average.

The first hour or so of Wednesday brought weak sunshine but advancing cloud from the next two weather fronts soon obscured the sun by 08.00. The ridge of high pressure is now over Scandinavia with the wind changing into south-southwest or southwest today, currently light but likely to pick up a little as the day continues. The rain radar revealed the leading edge of the rain at 08.20 was just 10 miles to the west of Marlborough and arriving here later in the morning.

Monday brought us glorious sunshine with 10.3 hours of global sunshine (100W/m2) making it the sunniest day since 1st September. The thermometer rose to 12.2C, the highest for a week but still 1.9C below the 29-year average. The UV level again rose to a value of 4.0 being at the top end of the ‘Moderate’ strength.

Under clear skies the temperature dropped slowly during the evening and early hours of Tuesday falling below freezing (-0.1C) at 03.02 and a minimum of -2.4C at exactly 06.00 being 6.1C new the average.

Tuesday arrived with strong sunshine as soon as the sun rose above the horizon so that by 08.00 the thermometer read 1.2C.

The ridge of high pressure, still reaching from Norway to Portugal, is bringing the fine, dry settled weather with the light breeze likely to veer from the east into the southeast and likely south later today. The barometric pressure was 1029.2mb at 08.00.

It is still rather wet for gardeners and the soil has been getting colder again. The temperature at a depth of 5cm has read 9.3C, 7.7C, 3.8C and 2.5C for the past four days respectively.