Author: Eric Gilbert

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.

Wednesday brought us many hours of sunshine although a brisk northeasterly breeze, maximum 24mph, suppressed the temperature by day with a maximum of 11.7C. This peak was up over 2C on the Tuesday maximum but still 2.3C below average with a wind chill that meant it felt a couple of degrees cooler. It was a dry day with the UV level returning to the high end of the ‘moderate’ level.

Not surprisingly, with clear skies overnight, the temperature fell away producing an air frost with a minimum of -0.7C at 06.27 this morning, Thursday.

Thursday saw the sun shining strongly as it rose above the horizon that by 0800 had lifted the temperature to 2.1C with just minimal movement of the air.

This change in weather is due to an anticyclone over Scandinavia with the consequent high pressure bringing a dry and more settled few days, with sunshine.

Tuesday was a gloomy, wet and miserable day with very low cloud persisting all day and occasional light rain showers amounting to 2.7mm. The soar energy was the wets since 12th March.

The temperatures by day and night were suppressed thanks to the cool air flow from the north east. The maximum was only 9.1C being 4.9C below the 35-year average and the minimum at 01.36 this morning was 4.0C, which was 0.1C below average. Both were 3C down on the Monday highs.

Wednesday arrived with the persistant rain band from yesterday now over the south coast resulting in thinner cloud and a much higher base. The wind, gusting to 22mph from the north east is producing a wind chill so that at 08.00 the thermometer read 4.3C but it felt more like 2C.

Monday saw the thermometer creep nearer the average with a maximum of 12.0C, but still 2C below the 35-year average in almost still wind conditions, after the fog lifted.

The night was milder with a minimum of 7.2C but the fog returned by daybreak with visibility down to 200m at 08.00 although a slight breeze had sprung up as light rain showers occurred amounting to 3.4mm. The barometric pressure had started to rise over the past twenty-four hours indicating a change in the weather pattern.

Although the thermometer rose slightly higher on Sunday than Saturday the maximum temperature was still below average with a peak of 11.4C (-2.6C) due to the light northeasterly air flow.

Overnight, as on Saturday night, the thick cloud meant an above average minimum of 6.4C (+2.1C).

Monday arrived with thick cloud shrouding the Marlborough Downs producing a dense fog with visibility down to 150m and light drizzle. The air is calm with no perceivable movement at 08.00 so this situation will not help to thin the fog.