Author: Eric Gilbert

We enjoyed 9.4 hours of sunshine on Thursday but the brisk northeasterly breeze pegged back the maximum temperature to a peak of 20.6C, which was 0.5C below average. The anticyclone was still in charge so another dry day, the fifth consecutive, with UV up to a High level. The monthly rainfall still stands at 64.2mm when the average is 66.9mm.

The thermometer fell steadily downwards last night to reach a minimum of just 6.9C. This was 4.1C below the 37-year average and the coldest night since 23rd June.

The temperature at 0800 on Friday was 11.3C. the coldest start to a day at that time since 22nd June. There was total cloud after dawn but just after 0800 the first glimpse of brightness appeared. The anticyclone is still influencing our weather with a cool breeze from the north-northeast and continuing dry.

There is little variation between days this week as the anticyclone is almost static and continues to dominate our weather. Wednesday again began cloudy but the sun broke through late morning and gave us a 8.7 hours of sunshine and another dry day.

The wind from the north-northeast gave another cool day with a below average maximum (-0.2C) of 20.9C. Once again the cloud drifted in again in the evening and overnight to limit loss of warmth to the atmosphere with the thermometer not sinking below 14.6C being almost 3C above average.

Thursday after dawn revealed another cloudy day with thick cloud masking any sunshine. In fact a cold front had been moving westwards across the area during the early hours with light drizzle observed at 0820. The wind continues from the north-northeast.

At 0845 the cloud had thinned and a brief glimpse of sunshine was observed.

The wind from the northeast, a little stronger on Tuesday with a peak gust of 20mph, persisted throughout the day. The air mass coming around the anticyclone and travelling over the North Sea picked up moisture again as on Monday but the cloud was thinner and broke up mid-morning giving us 9 hours of sunshine, the sunniest day since the 10th.

The thermometer reached 22.2C being 1.1C above average and the warmest day since the 14th. Overnight was similar to the previous night that started with a clear sky and shining moon but cloud drifted in by morning.

Wednesday arrived with total cloud cover but at 0735 the sun broke through a gap and was intermittent thereafter. However, there are signs that the cloud will break up further as the sun gets to work.

The barometric pressure continues high if a few millibars below the peak on Tuesday.

Although the anticyclone brought high pressure on Monday the morning and early afternoon were noted for total cloud cover from the northeasterly breeze that had picked up moisture in its travel across the North Sea. However, at 1400 breaks appeared in the cloud cover and by 1435 much blue sky and sunshine was in evidence. The temperature rose steadily to reach a peak of 21.3C at 1631 being almost exactly average for August.

It was the coolest night for a week with a minimum of 12.1C, however, this was still 0.4C above average.

The start of Tuesday was dull and grey but at 0710 a clearance was seen in the eastern horizon that gradually moved westwards so that by 0740 the sun began to appear through breaks in the cloud as the sun began to get to work.

The barometic pressure at 0800 on Tuesday read 1031.0mb, the highest pressure since 17th April.

There were 7.9 hours of welcome sunshine on sunday that saw the thermometer rise to 22.9C, which was 1.8C above average and the warmest day since the 14th. It was a dry day with the UV level reaching into the High category.

The barometric pressure has been building for the past twenty-six hours and at 0800 on Monday read 1028.2mb, the highest pressure since 17th July. Usually high pressure means dry, fine weather. The centre of the anticyclone is just off the coast of Aberdeen so the wind will move in a clockwise direction around the anticyclone and come from a northeasterly direction picking up moisture from the North Sea, thus cloud drifting in on the breeze overnight.

The start of Monday saw total cloud cover brought in from the North Sea on a north-northeasterly fresh breeze. This is currently covering southern England but there is hope that this will burn away and bring more sunshine as the day progresses.