Author: Eric Gilbert

More rain fell during Monday that brought the monthly total to 101.2mm, being 41mm above the 37-year average. We have now endured twenty continuous days with rainfall.

The wind began the day on Monday coming from the south then northwest and north before backing again into the west. As a result of the strong, cool breeze and rain the thermometer only reached a maximum of 12.4C, again below average (-4.9C).

The overnight minimum of 5.6C was also below average (-1.3C).

We have yet to enjoy a day when the maximum rises above the long-term average, in fact the last day when the thermometer rose above average was 27th April.

Tuesday started well with periods of strong sunshine as soon as thin, high cloud had dispersed. The wind was brisk and from the west that will begin to dry up the ground as there should be fewer showers due to the rise in barometric pressure, currently with a pressure of 1014.6mb at 08.00, up 13mb since Monday.

Although we had a mainly dry morning the sunshine (3.5 hours) and brightness began to disappear after midday. Although there were later showers the min rain fell late evening and particularly heavy at 22.30, ceasing by 22.45. The daily rainfall total was 13.5mm that took the monthly total to 96.8mm. That is 162% of the 37-year average being almost 40mm above average.

Once again the maximum of just 12.7C was below average (-4.6C) as was the overnight minimum when the thermometer sank to 4.9C (-2.0C) at 04.20. No day this month, so far, has seen the thermometer rise above the average.

Monday once again started with strong sunshine but by 06.45 heavy clouds had drifted across the sky and by 07.40 heavy rain began to fall again as a rain band crossed the area.

Looking at the rainfall data since this station began recording in 1984 I note that all the excessive May rainfall months have been since 2006. The record of 149.5mm was set in 2007.

Saturday was not a totally dry day as a very light shower occurred mid-afternoon that produced just 0.5mm of precipitation. Thankfully it was a little warmer than on Friday with a maximum of 15.0C but this was still 2.3C below the average.

In the limited sunshine fo just 3.8 his the UV level rose to its highest this year with a peak reading of 7.2 that just took it into the ‘Very High’ category.

Skies were clear for the evening and early part of the night that saw the temperature tumble to its lowest since the 6th with a minimum of 2.9C at 02.15.

Early risers on Sunday enjoyed a glorious start to the day with strong sunshine but by 07.00 thin high cloud, advancing from the next depression, was covering the sky so the sunshine became weaker and by 07.30 all brightness had disappeared as the cloud thickened further. The advancing cloud and change in wind direction allowed the temperature to recover to 7.6C at 08.00.

As the next low pressure system approached the UK from the Atlantic the wind backed from north west to west Saturday evening and on Sunday saw it coming from the south and freshening.

The deep depression that slowly crossed the country on Friday brought almost continuous rain that totalled 10.0mm. This brought the monthly total to 82.8mm, which is 139% of the 37-year average and the wettest May since 2015 (83.1mm).

It was a cold day, typical of an average March day, with a maximum of 10.9C. This was 6.4C below average and the coldest May day since May 2015 (8.8C). The other significant feature was the wind strength with a maximum gust of 42mph at 08.39.

Saturday brought brief brightness before 07.00 but thick cloud drifted in on the light breeze after that time. As the depression relocated eastwards, now off Denmark, the wind has veered from the south into the west and west-northwest overnight.

The intense depression, that is currently centred over Cumbria, began to make itself felt on Thursday with strong winds. The strongest gust in the last twenty-four hours was 38mph at 10.41 on Thursday. After a dry morning, just a few isolated spots, rain showers began in the afternoon and again overnight adding another 4.6mm to the monthly total that now stands at 73.8mm, which is 122% of the 37-year average.

The thermometer struggled to reach 13.1C on Thursday, which was 4.2C below the average.

The string southerly winds continued overnight, just a little less strong than on Thursday with a minimum of 8.8C being 1.8C above the average.

The thick cloud meant a damp start to Friday with the wind still peaking over 30mph but maximum gusts a little less strong than on Thursday. Light rain and drizzle were persistent after dawn.

The barometric pressure dropped 11mb over the past twenty-four hours as the centre of the depression tracked from west to east across the country. The pressure is likely to begin a recovery from its low point of 995.5mb as the low-pressure eases away eastwards.

Update at 13.30: maximum gust of 42mph at 08.39. Maximum temperature of only 10.9C with wind chill making it feel more like 9C outside.