Author: Eric Gilbert

After a sunny morning on Tuesday rain showers arrived at 13.30 producing 0.8mm with another light shower late evening bringing the daily total to 1.1mm. The rainfall total for August now stands at 79.8mm, being 13mm above the 35 year average.

Cloud overnight, from the weather band, meant another mild night with a minimum of 14.7C being 3.2C above average.

Initially Wednesday morning was cloudy but by 08.00 the cloud was easing away to the east and the sun breaking through.

The barometric pressure has been slowly falling away, a drop of 12mb over the past five days, as the high pressure moves away indicating the change in our weather already evident today.

With a maximum of 29.2C on Monday at 16.19, it was 1.5C below the peak on Sunday but still 8.3C above the average.

It was the seventh successive dry day with the UV level at 5.5 sill reading as ‘high’.

There followed a very mild night with the thermometer not falling below 13.2C at 04.05, which was 1.7C above the average.

The soil temperature at a depth of 5cm, as a result of hot days and very warm nights read 19.3C at 08.00 Tuesday morning, the warmest since 27th July.

August rainfall still stands at 78.7mm but evaporation for the month has risen to 70mm.

Update on Tuesday at 15.40: thermometer rose to a maximum of 28.1C (7.2C above average) at 13.05 before cloud built and showers arrived, initially light, but then heavier bursts amounting to 0.8mm. Sun returned 15.20.

On Sunday the thermometer soared to a maximum of 30.7C at 15.30, being almost 10C above average. This made it the hottest August day since 9th August 2003. We enjoyed 10 hours of sunshine in UV light that continued to be ‘high’.

The minimum overnight was 11.1C, being 0.4C below average. The cooler air allowed fog to form in the early hours with visibility initially down to 400m.

The sun began to thin the fog just after 07.30 and cleared by 08.10.

Update on Monday at 17.00: maximum temperature down 1.5C on the Sunday extreme with 29.2C at 16.19. However, this peak was still 8.3C above the average.

The thermometer steadily built to a maximum of 28.1C on Saturday under the influence of the Continental air brought to us on a modest southerly breeze. This was the warmest day for a month and 7.2C above average.

It was another dry day with the UV at 5.5, rated as ‘high’.

Due to thin, high cloud the sun’a strength was slightly moderated with the maximum solar energy some 200 watts/sq.m. lower than earlier in the month.

Overnight the thermometer did not fall below 15.2C giving a much milder night than of late.

Sunday saw broken sunshine through variable could after dawn. After several very warm dry days the humidity at 08.00, reading 84%, was the driest start since 25th July.

Update on Sunday at 16.10: thermometer soared to a maximum of 30.7C at 15.30, being almost 10C above average. This made it the hottest August day since 9th August 2003.

Under the influence of the Continental air, brought to us on a light southerly breeze, the thermometer rose steadily during daylight hours to reach a maximum of 26.0C at 16.26, which was 5.1C above average.

The solar energy was not at its highest this month due to thin, high cloud.

With mainly clear skies overnight the minimum of 7.2C was 4.3C below average and the coldest night since 15th July.

It was the fourth successive dry day with the UV level at the top end of the ‘high’ category.

Update on Saturday at 19.10: temperature up again with a maximum of 28.2C at 16.31, which was 7.3C above average.