Author: Eric Gilbert

Initially on Monday the wind was coming from the very cool east but mid-morning there was a subtle shift, veering into the southeast. This resulted in the warmest day for a fortnight, the 1st was 1.2C warmer. The temperature reached a maximum of 13.6C, whilst the second warmest this month it was still 0.4C below average.

Cloud built up late afternoon from an encroaching weather front easing in from the west as the predominate anticyclone centred over Scandinavia for sometime began to lose its grip on the UK. That meant a much milder night, no frost, with the thermometer not falling any lower than 6.6C, which was 2.5C above average.

With no rain for six days and a much drier air from the east or northeast recently, the rate of evaporation has increased losing the equivalent rainfall of 3.4mm on Monday. The total evaporation for April so far is 27mm, which is only 5mm below the April rainfall.

Sunday saw the thermometer struggle to a maximum of 9.2C, which was 4.8C below average and more like a late February day. Overnight was not quite so cold as previously being frost free falling to 4.8C.

Update on Monday at 18.30: warmth begins to return with a maximum of 13.6C, but still 0.4c below average, although second warmest day in April.

With a maximum of only 10.1C (-3.9C) and a minimum of -1.3C (-5.3C) both day and night were significantly below average as regards temperature. However, the many hours of sunshine made Saturday a pleasant day if feeling cool in the strong breeze, which had veered into the east.

Sunday saw brought sunshine strongly after dawn in almost still conditions at 08.00 with the thermometer having risen to 2.6C after the sharp air frost.

Friday was another below average day with a maximum of only 10.4C being 3.6C below average. The following night was also below average with a minimum of 0.9C (-3C).

Saturday arrived with strong sunshine from dawn lifting the temperature to 3.9C at 08.00 under the influence of the anticyclone centred over Scandinavia producing a brief ground frost but not air frost.

The lighter breeze from the Northeast and nearly ten hours of sunshine lifted the temperature a little higher than previous days but with a maximum of 11.C was still 2.1C below the average.

The UV level was again in the ‘moderate’ category.

It was a dry day with the monthly rainfall total standing at 32.0mm but with drying winds and much sunshine the evaporation from ground sources and plant life has increased with the equivalent rainfall of 2.75mm ad 2.91mm lost to the atmosphere over the last two days.

A sharper air frost than the previous night occurred with a minimum of -1.6C, which was 5.7C below the average for April.