Author: Eric Gilbert

Although the sunshine was more restricted on Wednesday, with just 5.9 hours as compared to previous days, the warm moist air, combined with little wind and modest sunshine allowed the thermometer to climb to 23.1C. This peak was 3C above average.

Thunder was first heard at 15.57 with numerous claps of thunder to follow. The rain began to fall heavily at 16.15 and continued for perhaps 15 minutes producing 3.1mm. During this period the thermometer dropped from 23.1 to 18.8C.

Another mild night followed with the thermometer not falling below 13.8C making it the warmest night since 26th September.

There were brief, light showers after midnight but substantial rain began to activate the rain recorder at 05.15 so that by 08.00 on Thursday the total precipitation for the past twenty-four hours amounted to 11.4mm making it the wettest day since 30th April. The rain intensity eased but continued after this time on Thursday morning.

Tuesday again provided a mainly sunny day with 10.4 hours of sunshine and the third warmest day this month with the thermometer rising to 23.6C being 3.5C above average.

A significant rain band moved northwestwards just to the north of Marlborough for a signifiant time when five bursts of thunder were heard between 16.14 and 16.25 but no rain fell here. A light shower did occur just after 17.30 amounting to 0.5mm.

The rainfall for June stands at 16.4mm whilst the equivalent rainfall lost through evaporation from the ground and plant life amounts to 50mm.

With a below average minimum in the early hours of Wednesday after the light rain the previous evening, fog formed that varied intensity but thickened to 100mm visibility at 07.00. By 08.00 on Wednesday the fog had all but evaporated as the sun broke through and lifted the thermometer to 13.9C

The southerly air mass brought on very light winds, combined with 11 hours of strong sunshine, produced a maximum of 22.9C, which was 2.8C above the average. The UV level rose to 8.5 at midday which was ‘Very High”. The strongest movement of wind, cannot be called a gust, was 11mph and died away completely overnight.

A very mild night followed with a minimum of 13.5C, the warmest night since 26th September and 3.5C above average.

Tuesday saw strong sunshine after dawn that by 08.00 had lifted the thermometer to 18.2C making it the warmest at this time of day since July 26th. Not surprisingly the ground temperature at. depth of5cm was 20.6C, not seen since 24th July.

Much more sunshine returned on Sunday with 9.7 hours, which combined with a southerly air flow, lifted the temperature to a maximum of 22.1C. This high was 2C above average and the warmest day since 2nd June.

There was a very brief shower at 12.20 that produced just 0.2mm of rainfall otherwise a dry day.

Overnight was much cooler as the thermometer fell away to 8.7C at 05.33. The below average temperature (-1.3C) combined with recent rainfall and the total absence of wind, meant fog formed in the early hours. The visibility was down to 150m at its thickest but by 07.30 the sun had got to work and within 15 minutes had almost entirely lifted except for small lingering patches in the River Og Valley that had evaporated by 08.00.

Sadly, thick cloud drifted in from the south on Monday after 07.45 that obliterated the sun but by 08.00 the thermometer had recovered to 14.4C. The air is currently totally still under the influence of very slack air pressure with a very slow drift from the south. The air is warm and moist originating from the Continent.

Saturday brought us 7.7 hours of sunshine and combined with the wind coming from a warmer direction bringing air from the Continent, the thermometer rose to 21.7C. This was 1.6C above average and the warmest day since the beginning of the month.

There was a brief thunderstorm with thunder heard at 1852 and again at 1854 that produced just 0.9m of rainfall.

Overnight the temperature remained above average, just, with the thermometer not sinking below 10.2 (+0.2).

Sunday brought occasional glimpses of sunshine with broken cloud in the early morning, the thermometer having recovered to 15.3C at 08.00. This was the warmest start to the day this month and equal to that recorded on the 3rd.