Author: Eric Gilbert

Thankfully, the strong wind from the north east, that has plagued us for seven days, fell much lighter on Thursday allowing an even warmer day. The thermometer rose steadily to reach a high of 22.3C in the late afternoon at 16.12. This maximum was 8.2C above the 36-year average. This was not the warmest day in April as that occurred on the 11th with a maximum of 24.4C.

The maximum wind gusts over the past four days have been 33mph, 31mph, 21mph and 15mph respectively. There was the odd moment in the early evening on Thursday when, very briefly, the anemometer fell motionless.

Gardeners will be pleased that the temperature of the soil at a depth of 5cm has also been rising over the past five days with 7.9C, 8.9C, 9.8C, 10.8C and 11.7C respectively on Friday morning. Readings are taken at 08.00 each morning. This will allow plants to become established and thrive after the cold winter and early wet spring.

Friday saw weak sunshine initially as the sun struggled through thin high cloud but by 07.30 was gaining in strength. This raised the temperature from a low of 5.6C to read 9.5C at 08.00

Thankfully, the strong wind from the north east, that has plagued us for seven days, fell much lighter on Thursday allowing an even warmer day. The thermometer rose steadily to reach a high of 22.3C in the late afternoon at 16.12. This maximum was 8.2C above the 36-year average.

The maximum wind gusts over the past four days have been 33mph, 31mph, 21mph and 15mph respectively. There was the odd moment in the early evening on Thursday when, very briefly, the anemometer fell motionless.

Gardeners will be pleased that the temperature of the soil at a depth of 5cm has also been rising over the past five days with 7.9C, 8.9C, 9.8C, 10.8C and 11.7C respectively on Friday morning. Readings are taken at 08.00 each morning. This will allow plants to become established and thrive after the cold winter and early wet spring.

Friday saw weak sunshine initially as the sun struggled through thin high cloud but by 07.30 was gaining in strength. This raised the temperature from a low of 5.6C to read 9.5C at 08.00

The thermometer over the past five days has slowly been creeping upwards with a maximum of 20.2C on Wednesday being 6.1C above average. The wind, although lighter, still came from the north east. The maximum gust of 21mph was 10 mph below the Tuesday peak.

Over the past three days the 10 minute average wind speed has been 7.8mph, 7.1mph and 5.0mph respectively. The barometric pressure is still high but the depression over the continent is weakening so the isobars are widening as the pressure gradient reduces, as a result the wind strength with be much lower on Thursday.

The overnight minima had been very similar over the past three nights with 6.1C, 5.6C, and 5.7C respectively. The wind has moderated considerably during recent night time periods but has kept the air moving thus preventing a possible frost. Thankfully there have been no frosts this past week as the apple blossom has been developing well.

Thursday was a repeat beginning to the day with sunshine after dawn, if a little weak initially, due to thin high cloud on the eastern horizon.

The 11.47 hours of sunshine on Tuesday made it the sunniest day in April, raising the maximum temperature slightly higher again with a maximum of 18.4C being 4.3C above the 36-year average. The wind was just a little less brisk than on Monday although a peak gust of 31mph was logged at 11.36 and still from the cool north east.

The UV level eased a little higher, just back into the ‘High’ category.

With the anticyclone maintaining its pressure over Scandinavia circling clockwise and low pressure circling anticlockwise over Europe the wind continued from the north east as on the four previous days.

Another night with clear skies meant a cool night although the minimum of 5.6C at 04.34 was 1.6C above the average.

As on the two previous days the sun was evident as soon as it got up on Wednesday that lifted the temperature to 9.2C at 08.00.

With 11.39 hours of sunshine on Monday it was the sunniest day since 31st July. Although the wind was strong from the north east, and gusting to 33mph at its peak, the thermometer steadily rose to a maximum of 17.5C, which was 3.4C above the average. Out in the wind, due to wind chill, it would have felt a couple of degrees cooler in the afternoon.

The wind from this direction is dry so it was not surprising to find that 4.5mm of equivalent rainfall evaporated into the atmosphere from ground sources and plant life on Monday. Although we had the wettest April day on the 17th, that I have recorded since 1984, the rainfall total for April stands at 38.4mm whereas the evaporation total is 56.4mm.

It was not quite as cool a night as the previous low with a minimum of 6.1C at 06.17 Tuesday morning although wind chill meant it felt more like 3.9C.

The sun was evident as soon as it rose above the eastern horizon on Tuesday lifting the temperature to 9.0C at 08.00. The wind strength at the moment is not as strong as on Monday. The current 10 minute average is 7mph whereas on Monday it was regularly between 11mph and 12mph. However, it is likely to rise in strength as the morning progresses and the temperature rises.