Author: Eric Gilbert

Sunday saw the UV level rise to 7.2, well into the ‘Very High’ category and the highest since 13th August last year.

The maximum temperatures have been rising for five days, from the 16th, with 14.8, 16.9, 17.7, 21.5 and 22.2C on Sunday, which was 5.4C above the 34-year average.

Sunday saw another dry day. The rainfall for May so far is 9.1mm whereas the equivalent rainfall of evaporation from ground sources and plant life now stands at 71.3mm. It is no wonder the gardens are very dry and waterbuts running empty.

A cooler night followed with a minimum of 4.1C being 3C below the average for May.

Monday update at 16.30 maximum up again with 23.5C at 16.11

Monday update at 17.15: short heavy rain storm at 16.41.

Saturday continued the dry and sunny spell with another 15.1 hours of strong sunshine that raised the UV level into the ‘High’ category again. It was the fourth consecutive day with rising temperatures giving a maximum of 21.5C, which was 4.7C above average and up 4C on Friday.

Not only was it sunny but with little wind. For the fourth consecutive day the wind has reduced in strength, yesterday with a maximum of only 11mph

Saturday night was not as cold as those previously although it was again below average (-2.4C) with a minimum of 4.7C, which was up 2.5C on Friday night.

Sunday started with misty conditions but the sun was strong after dawn and quickly dispersed the light mist.

Sunday update at 19.00: temperature up again hitting 22.2C, being 5.4C above average also UV reached the ‘Very High’ level.

Friday gave us another very sunny day with a total of 12.6 hours of strong sunshine. This brings the total for May to date to 165 hours. This is 151% of the average for a complete May month compared to the previous four years since the instrument was installed.

It was also another dry day, that makes 14 this month, with just 9.1mm of rainfall.

The thermometer eased up a little during the daytime to a peak of 17.7C, which was almost 1C above average. A cool night followed under a clear sky and still conditions to a minimum of 2.2C, which was almost 5C below average for May.

Saturday has started with strong sunshine after dawn with the promise of much more as the high pressure is still holding station over the UK.

Saturday update at 16.32: maximum of 21.5C just set as maximum today being 4.7C above average and warmest day for four days. The UV level at 6.7 is at the top end of the ‘High’ level.

Thursday was another grand day with 15.3 hours of strong sunshine and the UV level back into the ‘High’ category after the previous dull, sunless day.

The 152 hours of strong sunshine so far this month is already far greater in total than the average (116 hours) for the whole of May over the past four years since this instrument was installed.

The northeasterly breeze, not quite as strong as on Wednesday, pegged back the temperature to a maximum of 16.9C, average for May.

With clear skies and the wind dropping out completely overnight it resulted in a ground frost with the air temperature falling as low as 0.8C at 05.35. Fortunately, for those of us with tender flower and vegetable plants with their heads just above ground level, it was not quite cold enough to produce damage but a very close run thing!

Wednesday was the first day this month that no sunshine was recorded due to the continuous cloud cover brought across from the North Sea on the very strong northeasterly wind. The sunshine total for this month, of 137 hours, already is greater than that recorded for any May over the past four years.

As a consequence of the cloud and cool wind the maximum temperature of 14.8C was 2C below average and 8C below the peak on Tuesday.

The strong wind, gusting to 25mph at times, produced a wind chill that meant the temperature felt a couple of degrees cooler.

The clearing skies late afternoon and overnight meant a cool night with a minimum of 4.6C, which was 2.4C below the May average, but fortunately no frost occurred.

Thursday has dawned with intermittent strong sunshine and the wind, having fallen light in the early hours, has intensified since 4.15am.

Thursday update at 19.30: almost 15 hours of glorious strong sunshine today, the third sunniest day this May.