Author: Eric Gilbert

The first weather front (warm) on Friday produced 10.0mm of rainfall with the second weather front (cold) crossing overnight another 2.7mm thus a daily total of 12.9mm being the wettest day since 10th June when 25.1mm was recorded.

The rainfall for July has now reached 19.0mm compared to the 35-year average of 59.9mm.

The past night has been exceptionally warm with the thermometer not falling below 15.9C at 05.07.

Saturday arrived with thick cloud from the hang back of cloud, produced by the cold weather front, easing away to the east. By 08.00 the sun had begun to break through with the thermometer at that time having risen to 17.0C.

Thursday gave us another 8.8 hours of sunshine between variable cloud, which, with a brisker westerly wind rather than south west, meant a drop of 2.5C on the Wednesday peak with a maximum of 21.5C being 1.2C below average.

Overnight the thermometer fell away to a minimum of 9.9C at 04.15, almost 3C below average. This low was before cloud thickened from the advancing weather front bringing the first spots of rain just after 05.15 that by 08.00 on Friday totalled to 0.6mm.

The soil temperature at a depth of 5cm at 08.00 Friday registers 15.4C compared to the warmest morning at that depth of 22.9C on the 5th.

Update on Friday at 14.40: first weather front (warm) produced 10.2mm of precipitation during the morning.
July so far: rainfall 16mm vs. evaporation of 66mm

Wednesday gave us over 8 hours of hazy sunshine, especially in the morning before the cloud began to thicken and the cloud base lower as a weather system approached from the Atlantic. A few rain drops were observed at 17.15 but soon evaporated. With little sunshine in the afternoon the maximum of 24.0C, which was 1.3C above average, occurred at 14.34.

Due to the thickening cloud the UV level was the lowest since 18th June with a reading of 6.3, reduced to the high category.

The overnight thick cloud meant a very mild night with a minimum of 13.4C, which was 1.6C above average.

Just after 03.15 rain began to fall from a cold front passing over the area with the rain ceasing just after 06.30 producing 5.2mm of rainfall making it the wettest day since 24th June. The gardens will have benefitted from this modest fall of rain and the rainfall capture in water butts mean two out of my six are now full.

By 08.00 Thursday the cloud had lifted and the temperature recovered to 16.0C. The barometric pressure reads 1008.6mb, the lowest this month due to the Atlantic depression.

Update on Thursday at 18.00: a cooler dat with peak of 21.5C, being 1.2C below average. A dry day with the highest peak solar energy this month but as next weather front approaches from the Atlantic wind gusts are beginning to rise.

With the wind having made a 180 degree change in direction from north east to south west and 12.6 hours of sunshine on Tuesday the thermometer rose to the highest in July with a maximum of 26.2C. This was 3.5C above average and the hottest day since 29th June, when 31.8C was recorded.

Another dry day, only one damp one in July (0.3mm) and very high UV again.

Last night was not so cool as the two previous nights as the thermometer dropped to 10.3C but still 1.5C below average.

Wednesday saw the sun shining brightly, if a little hazy, after dawn that lifted the thermometer to 16.7C at 08.00

As the wind is now coming from the south west and barometric almost at its lowest this month (1014.8C), as the high pressure retreats, it is expected that a change in our weather pattern of late is imminent over the next day or two. Over the past 30 days, 25 have been totally dry and as a result the gardens are in much need of a soaking as just 5.1mm of rainfall has been recorded in that time whilst almost 60mm of equivalent rainfall has been lost through evaporation. Approaching weather fronts are expected to pass over our area in the early hours of Thursday morning.

With 1,200 litres of rainwater capacity at home contained in six large water butts, harvested from my roofs, I have long exhausted my supply for watering flowers and fruit in planters.

Update on Wednesday at 17.55: the temperature steadily rose during the morning and early afternoon to reach a maximum of 24.0C at 14.34 before cloud cover became thicker and with a lower base. A few drops of rain were observed at 17.15.

Monday saw the warmth return but not until the effects of the very cold night had been overcome after a cloudy start to the day. The complete cloud cover (8/8) arrived just after 07.30 and took until 10.00 before it began to break up. Thereafter the 10 hours of strong sunshine, and UV level back into the very high category, lifted the thermometer to a peak of 22.6C at 16.42, just 0.1C below average.

Another cool night was to follow as the thermometer dropped to a minimum of 7.7C by 06.02 Tuesday morning, which was 4.1C below average. Thereafter, the strong sunshine as the sun climbed above the horizon lifted the temperature to 16.3C at 08.00.

After another dry day the rainfall data for the past 30 days shows just how dry it has been. Just 7.7mm of rainfall has been recorded in the past 30 days whereas equivalent rainfall lost to the atmosphere from evaporation amounts to 55mm.

Update on Tuesday at 19.10: hottest day in July with a maximum of 26.2C at 17.23 being 3.5C above the average.