Author: Eric Gilbert

After a cloudy start to Monday the sun did break through during the afternoon that lifted the temperature to a maximum of 19.9C at 15.49. This was the second highest temperature this month, after the 20.5C a week previous, but still 0.5C below average. However, it was another dry day with the UV level peaking at the top end of ‘High”. The past night has been very mild due to the thick cloud cover that meant the minimum of 13.1C was 3.1C above my long-term average making it the warmest night since 30th May.

The start to Tuesday was dull with very misty conditions that will persist throughout the morning. This is due to a cold weather front traversing the UK from north to south that will likely clear mid-afternoon then allowing some brightness to follow.

The high pressure has retreated a little towards the Continent that is allowing the influence of the low pressure to the north temporarily dominate our weather today. Tomorrow the slight realignment will bring an air stream from a more southerly quadrant, originating near Spain, that will be warmer and possibly more moist.

Kennet and Avon Canal: The Kennet Horse Boat Company’s horse drawn canal cruises provide an environmental friendly and peaceful way to explore a section of the canal just east of Hungerford on the traditionally painted canal boat.

With the high pressure edging closer on Sunday the result was a dry day with a modest recovery in the temperatures as although the maximum of 17.2C at 15.10 was 3.4C below my long-term average it was an improvement on the previous cool day. Sunday was also dry with the UV level peaking in the ‘High’ category during the variable sunshine. The cloud overnight meant an average minimum temperature of 10.3C logged at 05.40 being 0.1C above the seasonal average.

The start to Monday revealed a cloudy beginning to the new day, however, shortly around 08.00 bursts of brief, weak sunshine appeared that had lifted the temperature to 14.6C by 08.00.

The improvement in the temperature by day, and especially last night, saw the ground temperature at a depth of 5cm read 15.0C at 08.00. This was the highest temperature since the 2nd.

The anticyclone in the Atlantic has spread its influence across to the Continent and will be the major factor in our weather over the next few days. As a result the barometric pressure has risen further with a reading of 1022.1mb at 08.00 being the highest this month. The slight relocation of the high pressure has seen the wind back a few degrees to come from the west-southwest or southwest today, a much warmer direction. This trend will continue for the next few days with the daytime maximum temperature likely getting above average on Tuesday, and then rising further. However, there is the likelihood mid-week of an airstream from the south bringing more humid but warmer air that could spark off some stormy conditions.

Th brisk westerly breeze and lack of sunshine on Saturday limited the rise in temperature to a maximum of only 15.9C being a significant 4.7C below my long-term average and the coolest day since the end of May. The main rain bands decided to travel to the north and south of our area but the several hours of light rain, that was heavy for a brief period around 16.30, amounted to 7.9mm, which also included light rain that triggered the automatic rain gauge at 04.54 early Sunday from a passing weather front. Before the rain band passed our way overnight, with its associated cloud, the thermometer dropped steadily to reach a minimum of 6.4C at 04.37, being 3.8C below average.

Early Sunday saw the cloud thinning and weak sunshine breaking through that had lifted the temperature to 11.4C by 08.00, after the very cool night. The cool air last night and today has begun its journey just south of Greenland, hence the cool temperatures.

This morning I counted five low-pressure systems surrounding the UK, however, they are losing their control of our weather as one fills and another slowly moves away that has allowed the anticyclone in the eastern Atlantic to begin to affect our weather. The barometric pressure has risen a significant 10 mb since yesterday with a reading of 1016.8mb at 08.00, that will mean a much drier and sunnier day. This pattern will build over the next couple of days so that by Tuesday temperatures by day with begin to rise above the normal for June as every day this month has seen a below average maximum.

Kennet and Avon Canal: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the canal gradually fell into disuse after the opening of the Great Western Railway. In the latter half of the 20th century the canal was restored in stages, largely by volunteers.

Although there was quite strong, variable sunshine on Saturday, especially in the afternoon, the strong, gusting westerly breeze moderated the temperature so that the maximum of 18.6C, logged at 13.48, was exactly 2C below my long-term average. The day was dry with the UV level of 6.2 the second highest this month and peaked in the ‘High’ category. Thick cloud cover overnight from the weather front meant that the minimum of 10.2C, logged at 04.07, was exactly average for June. A rain band arrived just before 03.00 producing light rain for over half an hour that only amounted to 1.3mm taking the monthly total to 17.9mm against my 41-year record of 52.9mm. The main rain band passed to the south of our area.

The new day on Saturday revealed dull and overcast conditions under the continuing influence of the nearest depression. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for heavy rain and possible thunderstorms today. The rain radar at 09.00 showed very active showers edging closer to our area at 09.00, indicated over Bristol and near Warminster.

The UK weather is being influenced by a complex of four low pressure systems to the north and west of the UK whilst an anticyclone in the eastern Atlantic is trying to edge closer. The barometric pressure has risen just 3mb over the last three days with a reading of 1006.4mb at 08.00. There are indications that the high pressure will win out next week so that by Tuesday temperatures will rise to be close to the June average, with the rest of the week warm and dry.

Kennet and Avon Canal: From Bristol to Bath the waterway follows the natural course of the River Avon before the canal links it to the River Kennet at Newbury, and from there to Reading on the River Thames. In all, the waterway incorporates 105 locks. This image is of the horse drawn barge on the canal east of Hungerford.

The frequent showers throughout Thursday, and again around sunrise on Friday, were mostly of a light nature but produced a daily rainfall total of 6.9mm that took the monthly total to 16.6mm against the 41-year June average of 52.9mm. The unsettled, cloudy conditions limited the rise in temperature so it was not surprising to find the maximum of 16.7C was significantly below my long-term average at -3.9C that made it the coolest day since the 27th May. The flow of cool air meant a cool night that saw the thermometer slowly fall to reach a minimum of 9.6C, logged at 04.08 early Friday, being 0.6C below average. It was at that time that a fragmented rain band passed our way that produced the additional rainfall, limiting any further drop in temperature.

Friday was initially wet, that ceased just before 07.30, with the cloud beginning to thin that allowed the sky to brighten just a little shortly after 08.15. The wind has made a subtle change in direction and will come from the west today, a cooler direction than south yesterday, and be quite strong until the evening, which will impact the maximum temperature, so another cooler day ahead.

We are still under the influence of the nearest depression, just off the coast of Iceland, with, I counted this morning, four other areas of low pressure surrounding the UK in a large, low pressure complex. These systems are likely to produce a very wet day on Saturday with possible greater quantities of precipitation, in short, a wet day! The barometric pressure at 08.00 on Friday read 1005.9mb. That was a slight improvement on the minimum pressure this month of 1001.1mb that was logged between 15.09 and 1518 on Thursday, so the first beginnings of a very slow recovery that continues on Friday.

The forecast track of the jet stream indicates that after the weekend it will begin to loop to the north of the UK. As a result, by Tuesday the temperatures will begin to return closer to the June average and bring several dry days, the UK then being on the warmer, south side of the jet stream.

Kennet and Avon Canal: The construction of the 78 mile canal began in 1718 and was first used in 1723. It starts in the west at the Bristol Floating Harbour and ends at the River Thames, in Reading to the east.