Author: Eric Gilbert

The weather is in a repetitive mood as the brisk northeasterly breeze continued on Sunday although the several hours of sunshine did raise the maximum a little higher than the previous three days with a peak of 17.6C being 3.5C above the average.

The loss of equivalent rainfall, so far his month 49mm, through evaporation from ground sources and plant life is fast approaching the average rainfall of 57.7mm. The April rainfall to date is just 16.6mm or just 29% of the 38-year average.

The past night was cool with a minimum of 5.5C but this was still 1.8C above the average.

Monday arrived with the usual cloudy sky from moisture picked up overnight as the northeasterly breeze travelled across the North Sea. A couple of very brief glimpses of the sun were observed just before 08.00. We hope for more today as the temperature at 08.00 was just 6.8C, the coldest start to the day at that time since the 19th.

The intense anticyclone to the north if the UK is edging a little closer with the barometric pressure rising 1015.9mb at 08.00 so hopefully as the centre closes further the wind will moderate.

The cool northeasterly wind picked up in strength during Saturday gusting to a peak of 30mph. However, with more broken sunshine the maximum of 16.8C was 2C up on Friday and 2.7C above the 38-year average.

The minimum of 7.2C was reached at 04.53 on Sunday being 3.5C above the average.

The brisk northeasterly wind continued, but a little less strong on Sunday, that arrived with total cloud cover. However, shorty after 08.00 there were glimpses of sunshine through breaks in the cloud. The high pressure over Greenland, with wind circulating clockwise and a depression to the south over Iberia circulating anti-clockwise, look set to continue the northeasterly airstream with cloud carried in having travelled over the North Sea picking up moisture.

The stronger northeasterly on Friday, under total cloud cover, meant a very cool day with the maximum of 14.2C almost exactly average, the coolest day since the 10th. Wind chill was a factor that meant outside during the strong gusts of wind, up to 28mph, it felt 1C lower than that indicated on the thermometer.

Another dry day. The rainfall for the month is just 29% of the 38-year average. Evaporation from ground sources and plant life now amounts to the equivalent loss of rainfall of 44mm. As I commented yesterday, the projected jet stream indicated that the wind from a northeasterly direction will continue for several days with little prospect of rainfall before the end of the month, the rare very light shower excepted.

Saturday dawned dull with total cloud cover. However, the minimum of 7.4C was 3.7C above the average and occurred just after midnight, 00.37. Since that time the temperature recovered to 9.3C at 08.00.

The wind persisted from the Northeast on Thursday but moderate in strength that in the sunshine allowed the thermometer to creep a little higher with a maximum of 19.1C being 5C above the 38-year average.

It was the thirteenth dry day with the UV level Moderate.

Cloud cover again meant an above average minimum of 6.4C (+2.7C).

With high pressure resident to the north and low pressure to the south, the cool northeasterly is set to continue. As a result at 08.00 on a cloudy Friday morning the temperature was 8.6C but wind chill meant it felt more like 7C.

The jet stream forecast indicates that the flow of a cool air from the northeast or east-northeast will be with us for a few days and likely to build in strength. As the wind from this direction often picks up moisture from the North Sea, sunshine is likely to be limited under cloudy skies.

Wednesday saw the thermometer climb to 17.8C just after 16.00, which was 3.7C above the average .

The dry weather continues with 12 dry days this month. The rainfall for April currently stands at only 16.6mm when the 38-year average is 57.7mm. With little rain in the forecast April is turning out to be a much drier than average month. Also taken into account is the equivalent loss of rainfall through evaporation from ground sources and plant life that amounts to 39mm so far.

After a mld night with a minimum of 5.4C the sun was up shining strongly after dawn on Thursday that lifted the temperature to 9.2C at 08.00.

The barometric pressure has been drifting downwards again so a change in the weather pattern is imminent as the current pressure at 08.00 of 1012.5mb is the lowest since the 12th.

The wind is slowly veering from the northeast to east-northeast and later today into the east.