Author: Eric Gilbert

Thursday statistics:
Maximum of 18.8C at 15.48, just above average
Minimum temperature of 8.2C at 07.17 this morning, being 1C below average
Rainfall of 12.0mm, which was the wettest day since 12th August. Total September rainfall now 25.9mm when average is 61.9mm
Maximum wind gust of 38 mph at 15.40.
No sun! the first sunless day in September.

Thursday saw a wet start to the day but rain ceased just after 10.30 and there followed a cloudy, breezy day with moisture in the air until more substantial rain arrived at 21.00 that ceased just before 01.30 this morning.

The southerly wind was regularly gusting up to 30 mph during Thursday with the peak in the afternoon at 38 mph. The night was also windy, again up to 30mph, but not as high as forecast with the wind slowly easing down after midnight as storm Bronagh began to move away.

Friday arrived with clear skies as the last of the cloud from the wide rain band cleared away to the eastern horizon with the sun shining brightly shortly after dawn. The wind veered from the south, where it has been over the past five days, into the west just after midnight, when the barometric pressure was at its lowest since 4th April (996.0mb), and began to build again as storm Bronagh eased away. The temperature at 08.00 was 8.9C, a drop of almost 10C on previous days, as the effect of a cooler wind from the west / northwest set in.

Friday update at 15.50: frequent squally showers that were driven on by a strong westerly wind started just before midday and cleared just around 3pm. These sharp showers produced another 2.7mm of rain. The wind has been increasing during the afternoon with gusts up to 29mph. Late afternoon sunshine lifted the temperature to a maximum of 14.8Ci

Although storm Ali was far to the north of us the wind was strong and gusty all day with a peak of 40mph at 12.43 although gusts in excess of 30mph were not uncommon during the afternoon.

The warm, moist tropical air brought from mid Atlantic was still in evidence with the maximum edging higher again to a peak 21.3C at 14.02. This was 2.7C above the average.

A narrow band of rain arrived just before 6pm followed by pulses of rain throughout the night culminating in a total of 4.7mm. This was the wettest day for over three weeks that brings the September total to 13.9mm when the 34-year average is 61.9mm.

With the warm air still being fed to us and thick cloud overnight it was not surprising to find we enjoyed another mild night with the minimum of 14.2C being set at 00.07 the morning. The thermometer then rose 2C during the next two hours before stabilising.

Thursday has arrived with thick cloud and rain just before 07.30 although the wind has abated with the strongest gust of 18mph occurring during the last hour.

Thursday update at 18.10: wind strength rose during the morning and early afternoon reaching a maximum gust of 38mph at 15.40. Recent hours have seen the wind easing in strength. The rain ceased around 10.30 with moisture in the air for the following hours. Temperature eased upwards to a maximum of 18.8C at 15.48.

Thursday update at 21.00: rain beginning to fall as next weather front arrives from the west with the barometric pressure falling rapidly. Current pressure is 1000.7mb, the lowest for almost 2 months as storm Bronagh approaches.

The tropical air from Helene on Tuesday produced another warm and most day with a maximum 19.9C, which was down 2C on the Monday peak but still 1.3C above average. There have only been three days this month with below average maxima.

It was a breezy day with the wind frequently gusting giving a peak speed of 26mph.

Overnight a weak weather front crossed the area producing 2.1mm of rainfall. This brings the total rain for September, now over half way through the month, to 9.2mm when the 34-year average is 61.9mm.

Tuesday into Wednesday gave another mild night when the thermometer did not fall below 15.1C, which was almost 6C above average.

Wednesday arrived with a mostly cloudy sky but by 08.30 there were glimpses of sunshine though brief breaks in the thick cloud cover.

Wednesday update at 12.45: wind strength rising all morning with peak of 40mph at 12.42.

Wednesday update at 16.10: wind still gusting up to 32mph. Another warm, dry day with a maximum of 21.3C (+2.7C) early afternoon at 14.02.

Wednesday update at 18.40: narrow band of rain traverses the area between 17.30 and 18.40. Wind abating.

Wednesday update at 20.30: rain band dawdled over the area and widened as further bands arrived from the west so intermittent rain all evening.

The effect of ex storm Helene was felt on Monday with the temperature rising to 22.8C at 15.12, which was 4.2C above the 34-year average.

Although the morning was predominantly cloudy, with occasional light drizzle (0.2mm), as the cloud lifted and cleared in the afternoon we enjoyed 6 hours of sunshine.

The tropical air was felt overnight as the thermometer did not drop below 16.1C, just after midnight, which was almost 7C above average resulting in the warmest morning since 21st August.

The wind, having fallen lighter in the afternoon on Monday, began to increase from around 8 pm with a maximum gust of 31mph at 03.11 this morning just before the barometer reached its lowest point with a reading of 1002.5mb at 04.20 as Helene traveled closer moving northeast from the Atlantic. This was the lowest barometric pressure since 29th July.

Tuesday update at 10.00: as Helene eased away the barometric pressure rose rapidly, which causes the wind speed to slowly decline over the past three hours and veer into the southwest.

Tuesday update at 15.45: peak temperature was early day at 13.33 with a maximum of 19.9C. This was 3C down on the Monday high but still 1.3C above average. The wind, now from the southwest, fell lighter late morning but after lunch started to increase in strength again.

Although we only has 2.9 hours of sunshine on Sunday the warm, moist tropical air, brought to us from mid Atlantic by storm Helene, saw the thermometer rise to a maximum of 21.4C, which was 2.8C above the 34-year average.

Recent days has seen the UV drop consistently into the Moderate level.

The southerly breeze was quite strong at times with a peak gust fo 22mph.

It was another dry day during daylight hours but just before dawn today thick cloud brought drizzle that amounted to just 0.2mm.

Monday arrived with the low cloud draping the Marlborough Downs blocking out all possibility of sunshine. However, the blanket of cloud and tropical air has given us the warmest start to a day since 21st August as the thermometer did not fall below 16.4C, which was 7.1C above average.

It is interesting to note that there has been a considerable 8.6C variation in the soil temperature, at a depth of 5cm, between the 13th and today with 8.C and 16.9C respectively, currently the warmest it has been since 23rd August (18.4C).

Monday update at 16.10: ‘Helene’ brings back summer with a maximum of 22.8C at 15.12 being 4.2C above average. Over the last four hours the southerly wind has been increasing in strength with the strongest gust of 21mph at 16.09 as the depressed approaches and the barometric pressure falls to its lowest this month with a current reading of 1010.4mb.