Author: Eric Gilbert

Storm Dudley produced a maximum gust of 43mph at 21.53 on Wednesday evening although it been very strong for most of the late afternoon.

The record maximum gust for this station, set up in 1984, was set in 2007 with a peak gust of 57mph, both in January and March.

The rainfall for the day amounted to 3.4mm that brought the monthly total to 45.3mm, 21mm below the 38-year average.

It was a very mild day with the thermometer rising to a peak of 13.4C. This was 5.6C above the average and the warmest day since 31st December.

The westerly wind dropped away overnight, but still brisk on Thursday morning, which started with variable sunshine through broken cloud. The thermometer read 6.4C at 08.00.

Tuesday was another wet and dull day until early afternoon with no sunshine. The daily rainfall amounted to 5.8mm bringing the monthly total to 41.9mm, 25mm below the 38-year average.

Storm Dudley began to raise the wind strength in the early hours of Wednesday with a peak gust of 35mph at 07.30 and rising.

The temperature was around 8C for most of Tuesday but just after 22.30 the thermometer began to edge higher as milder air arrived with a maximum of 11.4C at 03.47 on Wednesday. The lowest barometric pressure was logged at 04.45 with a low of 995.9mb as Storm Dudley began to cross the UK to the North of this area.

The ground temperature at a depth of 5cm registered 9.0C at 08.00 on Wednesday due to the milder air, the highest since 1st January.

A warm front is due to cross the area early afternoon so the wind is likely to increase in strength accompanied by heavy rain.

After the very wet Sunday we enjoyed welcome sunshine on Monday morning of 3.4 hours but increasing cloud after midday and a brisk westerly breeze meant a cool day.

The thermometer eventually rose to 8.8C being 1C above the average. In fact, every day in February has seen the maximum rise above the February average. The thermometer fell away in the evening to a minimum of 1.7C at 23.33. Thereafter the temperature began to rise slowly as thin high cloud spread from the west. By 08.00 on Tuesday the temperature had recovered to 5.9C.

Tuesday saw a little brightness first thing but by 07.45 the cloud cover had begun to thicken ahead of another rain band.

Sunday was a day to forget, weatherise. After a cloudy start the rain began to fall at 09.55 and continued almost unabated until just before midnight with a minor break around 20.00. The daily total was 12.6mmm making it the wettest twenty-four hours since 20th October (12.7mm). That brought the monthly total to 35.9mm when the 38-year average is 66.9mm.

The southerly breeze was strong all day with a maximum gust of 32mph. No sunshine or UV level was possible due to the continuous thick, low cloud.

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 9.3C and fell to a minimum of 4.3C overnight, both being above average with +1.8C and +2.8C respectively.

Monday, thankfully, started dry with variable cloud and brief spells of sunshine.

The barometric pressure has fallen significantly over the past 36 hours with a low of 997.7mb at 08.00 on Monday and a minimum of 991.0mb due the depression passing to the north of the UK.

The temperature rose a little higher on Saturday than the previous two days to reach 9.0C in the 4.7hours of sunshine, being 1.2C above the 38-year average. The wind began to strengthen from the southwest with the arrival of rain in the late afternoon amounting to 3.5mm. That brought the monthly total to 23.3mm when the February average is 66.9mm.

The minimum overnight was also above average due to thick cloud cover, with a low of 4.4C (+2.9C)

Sunday brought thick, low cloud after dawn as a very wide rain band approached on a strong southerly breeze.