Author: Eric Gilbert

Under the influence of the anticyclone we enjoyed 6.6 hours of sunshine on Saturday. However, the brisk breeze from the southeast pegged back the temperature to a maximum of 10.3C, but this was till 2.5C above the average.

The breeze abated a little overnight but did not entirely stop so an air frost was averted but not a ground frost when the thermometer dropped to 2.8C at 07.17 on Sunday morning.

Sunday arrived with bright sunshine as soon as the sun rose above the horizon that lifted the temperature to 3.1C at 08.00. Due to the anticyclone relocating to the Baltic the breeze will come from the south-southeast, which is a slightly drier air resulting in the humidity reading 87% at 08.00 rather than in then 90s. The barometric pressure has fallen a little and read 1022.9mb at 08.00.

Friday was the sunniest day this month logging 5.8 hours during which the thermometer rose to 10.9C being 2.1C above the average in a much lighter westerly breeze.

It was a dry day, only the sixth this month.

Thanks to the clear skies overnight the thermometer dropped steadily downwards to reach a minimum of -1.9C at 04.49 on Saturday producing an air frost, nit seen since the 11th.

Saturday morning arrived with bright sunshine from the off. The centre of the anticyclone, currently migrating from Belgium to West Germany, will bring a significant change in wind direction from recent days. It will mean a quieter day with the breeze coming from the southeast, a direction not seen for a month. The barometric pressure logged 1030.9mb at 08.00

The thermometer only reached 8.1C on Thursday in a brisk westerly wind and sunshine broken by shower clouds. That peak was just 0.3C above the average and the coolest day in February, equal to the maximum on the 10th.

There were two brief showers of small hail (<5mm) at 11.47 and 12.28 and also observed in short rain showers, that amounted to 1.1mm. That took the monthly rainfall to 70.0mm being 3.1mm above the 38-year average. Sunshine hours totalled 4.7. Clearing skies overnight produced a ground frost with the thermometer sinking to 0.4C at 07.07 on Friday morning. Friday arrived with blue skies and bright sunshine due to a ridge of high pressure. The barometric pressure had risen to 1025.8mm at 08.00

Wednesday during daylight hours was dry but rain arrived at 03.15 on Thursday morning adding another 3.7mm to the monthly total that now stands at 68.9mm, which is exactly 2mm above the 38-year average.

The UV level edged little higher again on Wednesday, up from 1.9 on Tuesday, with a peak reading of 2.0, still in the ‘Low’ category.

Once again the thermometer rose above average on Wednesday, in fact every day in February has produced an above average maximum temperature. The peak was 10.6C being 2.8C above the average.

Overnight the thermometer held around 7C but just after 04.00 on Thursday the wind began to veer from the southwest into the west as the rain band arrived and the temperature dropped over 2C to read 5.0C at 08.00.

Thursday after dawn revealed yet again a totally cloudy sky, thick and low, as the back end of yet another weather front eased eastwards. Thankfully Marlborough has not seen the excessive rainfall experienced in the North and Midlands with the resulting extensive flooding.

Update at 12.30: hail showers at 11.47 and 12.28. Ambient temperature of 4.3C with wind chill making it feel outside more like 3C

Tuesday was another blustery day with the wind veering from west-southwest to north-northwest during the day. However, during the 3.4 hours of stronger sunshine, early morning and late afternoon either side of a cloudy cold front passing through, the stronger sunshine raised the UV level to 1.9 being the strongest since 24th and 25th October, which is at the top of ‘Low”.

It was a warmer day with the thermometer rising to 12.4C being 4.6C above the 38-year average but falling during the night to 2.9C at 02.03 early Wednesday that produced a light ground frost.

Wednesday began with intermittent breaks of sunshine but soon after 08.15 the cloud again began to fill in limiting the sunshine. The thermometer had recovered to 4.5C at 08.00.

We are currently under a brief ridge of high pressure, current pressure of 1024.0mb, extending from the anticyclone centred over Switzerland. The wind is currently coming from the southwest and much lighter than recent days.