Author: Eric Gilbert

Wednesday brought another 5.0mm of rainfall that raised the monthly total to 51.3mm being 56% of the 36-year average. So far this month of changeable weather we have endured eight days without a flicker of sunshine.

The thermometer climbed slowly to 9.4C during daylight hours, which was again above average (+1.4C), likewise the overnight minimum of 4.3C (+2.0C). The southerly breeze brought the mild air from the Continent and the Atlantic around the Bay of Biscay.

Thursday saw a much clear sky after dawn with the promise of sunshine thanks to a modest if transient ridge of high pressure, the highest reading since 2nd December at 1013.4mb.

Although the peak temperature on Tuesday was lower than the previous two days with a maximum of 10.3C, it was still 2.3C above the 36-year December average. There was welcome sunshine totalling 3.3 hours with brisk southerly breezes peaking at 23mph.

There were a couple of light showers producing just 0.9mm of rainfall in the past twenty-four hours.

Late evening the thermometer fell a little to reach a minimum of 6.8C at 20.15 then slowly began to rise so that at 08.00 on Wednesday read 8.8C making it the warmest start to a day this month at that time.

The breezy southerly winds continued on Wednesday. The sky was overcast after dawn ahead of the warm front about to cross the area with rain beginning to fall just to the west and imminent here.

The breeze on Sunday, predominantly from the southwest, meant another above average maximum (+3.1C) with a peak of 11.1C at 12.08. There were brief glimpses of sunshine but not sustained.

Overnight another 2.1mm of rain was recorded that brought the monthly total to 45.4mm when the 36-year average is 91.9mm. As the skies cleared following the overnight rain and cloud the thermometer fell away to read a minimum of 5.8C being 3.5C above the 36-year average.

Monday morning brought predominantly clear skies except for shower clouds travelling in from the southwest at 08.00 but currently skirting the area to the south east.

Sunday brought no sunshine but many hours of rain that amounted to 16.6mm making it the wettest day since 14th November (26.1mm), which brought the monthly total to 43.3mm when the average is 91.8mm. Rainfall was not the only significant feature during the past twenty-four hours as the south to southwest breeze, gusting to 28mph, brought warm air so that the thermometer slowly rose from a cold start to reach 11.4C at 18.49 which was 3.4C above the average. The temperature fell back a little thereafter until a rapid drop of 2C at 01.30 on Monday morning as an intense rain shower arrived with rain falling, for a brief period, at the rate of 120mm/hour. Another intense shower occurred at 04.45.

Monday after dawn saw a cloud bank easing away to the east and light, high broken cloud allowing some brightness. The temperature at 08.00 was 8.3C making it the warmest start to the day at that time since 25th November. The air flow from the southwest continues emanating from the intense low pressure system in the Atlantic to the Northwest of the UK.

Saturday brought us 3.8 hours of sunshine and a dry day. The thermometer was down a degree on the very warm day of Friday with a maximum of 8.9C being 0.9C above average. The westerly breeze was a little stronger than recorded in recent days peaking at 19mph that modified the temperature.

The temperature dropped away steadily overnight reaching a minimum of 0.3C at 02.20 giving a short lived ground frost. However, advance cloud from the approaching warm front saw the thermometer climb back up to reach 5.4C at 08.00 on Sunday. Rain arrived just after 07.00 with 1.0mm by 08.00. A very large and deep depression, with a current reading of 966mb at its centre that covers most of the North Atlantic, is likely to bring more rain and persistent cloud throughout daylight hours. However, as it circulates anticlockwise, it will bring an air mass from a mainly southerly direction that will mean another mild day.