Author: Eric Gilbert

The temperature was down again on Sunday with a maximum of 21.4C, the second successive day below average (-1.3C) with a brisk north easterly wind. There were 9.4 hours of sunshine but the thicker cloud meant the UV level slipped back into the high category after being very high all month.

Over the past 30 days we have received just 19mm of rainfall, just 0.3mm in July, whereas the equivalent rainfall lost through evaporation from ground sources and plant life now amounts to 51mm. No wonder the levels of the River Og and River Kennet are continuing to fall and now quite low.

It was the coldest night since 9th June when the thermometer, under clear skies, fell steadily away to a minimum of 7.1C at 05.45.

The anticyclone centred over the UK, with winds rotating clockwise, has brought cooler air from the North Sea.

At 05.25 on Monday the sun eased over the horizon and we enjoyed glorious sunshine for an hour. However, all the while cloud was slowly encroaching from the east so that that by 06.25 the sun was being weakened and totally obscured by 06.45. As result it was the coldest start to a morning at 08.00 since 18th June with a reading of just 12.1C.

Update on Monday at 17.10: warmth returned, after a cold start, as strong sunshine lifted temperature to a maximum of 22.6C, almost average, after two successive cooler days.

With a mainly cloudy day on Saturday it was not surprising to find that the UV level was the lowest this month with a reading of 7.4, but still rated as very high, and the lowest solar energy in July.

The brisk wind from the north pegged back the temperature so the maximum of 21.8C was down over 2C on the Friday peak and almost 1C below the July average.

It was another dry day with the evaporation total now 48mm set against rainfall of 0.3mm.

Sunday saw total cloud cover (8/8) in the early morning but signs of brightness after 08.00 when the minimum of 12.8C had risen to 14.7C.

Friday saw the thermometer rise to 24.2C being 1.5C above the 35-year average as we enjoyed 11.3 hours of strong sunshine. The past night was much cooler as the thermometer fell away to 10.9C, which was the coolest night since 6th July and 0.9C below average.

Another dry day, only one damp day this month so far, and UV again very high.

Saturday morning started glorious with blue skies and continuous sunshine, however, just before 07.25 cloud began to encroach so that by 07.40 the sun had been completely obscured.

Thursday was a cloudier day, just 6.3 hours of sunshine with the daytime temperature close to the average with a peak of 22.8C (+0.1C). The past night was similar to the obvious night with a low of 14.9C which was a significant 3.1C above average. The warmth in the ground from hotter days is not escaping into the atmosphere at night due to cloud cover acting as a duvet!

The rainfall in July still stands at 0.3mm whereas the equivalent rainfall from evaporation into the atmosphere from the ground and plant life now totals 41mm. No wonder the Rivers Og and Kennet, flowing through Marlborough, are showing a steady fall in depth.

Initially Friday began with considerable cloud but by 08.00 a few breaks were occurring allowing the thermometer to climb to 17.3C at that time.

Update on Friday at 16.45: temperature rises again to maximum of 24.2C at 16.05, which was 1.5C above average. Wind gusting to 18mph and since early morning veering from west to northwest.

On Wednesday the thermometer rose to 25.2C at 15.36, which was 2.5C above the average and the warmest day in July, equal to that on the 4th. Only two days this month (1st and 2nd) have been below average in contrast to the cool June with 19 below average days.

With a minimum of 14.8C at 04.02 overnight it was the warmest night in July.

A few drops of rain fell just before 06.00 but insufficient to be measurable or even to dampen the ground and recorded as a trace.

Thursday saw 8/8 cloud cover after dawn and the thermometer reading 16.4C at 08.00, exactly the same as at that time on Wednesday.