Author: Eric Gilbert

Thursday was the seventh successive dry day not experienced since mid-August. The total rainfall still stands at 58.5mm being 98% of the 36-year average. However, the wind and strong sunshine are causing the equivalent of 3mm of rainfall to evaporate into the atmosphere daily from ground sources and plant life.

The brisk northeasterly, gusting to 23mph, meant a slightly cooler day with a thermometer maximum of 13.3C, still almost 3C above average but the wind chill in the afternoon meant it felt a couple of degrees cooler. Another 9.7 hours of strong sunshine was logged.

Overnight the thermometer did not fall as low as previous nights with the thermometer just dipping below zero at 06.03 Friday morning with a minimum -0.1C. However, there was a wind chill so that it felt more like-1.4C.

Friday dawned with banks of mist and fog swirling around. By 07.50 the sun began to break through and dispersed the atmospheric moisture.

Wednesday saw a repeat of Tuesday with minor variations under the influence of the anticyclone. The sunshine hours amounted to 9.85 making it the sunniest day since September 14th.

The maximum temperature of 14.4C was fractionally down on Tuesday but still 4C above the 36-year average due to a change in wind correction from south to east in light winds.

We have now had six consecutive dry days not seen since mid-August.

Due to clear skies again overnight the thermometer dropped even further than on Tuesday night with a minimum of -3.3C at 05.45 on Thursday morning making it the coldest night since 22nd January.

Thursday saw strong sunshine after the sun had risen above thin cloud on the eastern horizon, lifting the temperature to 3.3C at 08.00.

Under the influence of the high pressure, Tuesday was another glorious day with 9.5 hours of sunshine. The wind had again veered a little into the south that allowed the thermometer to rise to a maximum of 14.7C, which was 4.3C above the 36-year average and the warmest day since 22nd October.

It was another dry day, the fifth consecutive dry day, not experienced since 20th-26th August 2019. The land is slowly drying out under the influence of the sun and wind with evaporation giving a daily total of 2.6mm of equivalent rainfall every day.

The clear skies overnight meant the thermometer gradually fell away to reach a minimum of -2.8C at 06.07 Wednesday morning giving a sharp air frost being 5.1C below the 36-year average.

Wednesday saw the sun again shining strongly after dawn that allowed the temperature to recover with a reading of 3.7C at 08.00.

On Monday the thermometer rose higher again reaching a maximum 13.1C, which was 3C above the average and the warmest day since 17th September. The wind was lighter with a maximum gust of 19mph and had veered from the cool Northeast to a slightly less cold easterly. The higher temperature and reduced wind strength gave us a pleasanter day.

We have now had four consecutive dry days thanks to the high pressure that is maintaining its strength and influence. The UV level eased upwards again to a value of 3.3, which is classed as ‘Moderate’.

Overnight was less cold with a minimum of 2.9C at 01.11 on Tuesday morning, giving a slight ground frost. However, under the influence of strong sunshine after dawn the thermometer had recovered to 7.4C at 08.00

Under the influence of the high pressure with its centre now over the Baltic states, Sunday brought us 9.2 hours of strong sunshine, which made it the sunniest day since 21st September.

Whist the maximum of 11,1C was 1.2C above the 36-year average, the clear skies overnight meant the thermometer dropped away to a minimum of 0.0C being 2.3C below the average and producing both a ground and air frost.

Whilst the hours of sunshine were greater than the previous day, it was interesting to note that the UV level dropped to 2.5 rather than 3.3 due to thin high cloud.

It was the third consecutive dry day with the monthly rainfall total of 58.5mm being 1.3mm below the 36-year average. Will this be the first month since July 2019 with a below average total?

Monday arrived with clear skies from dawn and strong sunshine that lifted the thermometer to 3.5C at 08.00 and the sunshine recorder had already looked 1 hour of strong sunshine.