Author: Eric Gilbert

Yesterday brought us a real summer’s day with 10.33 hours of strong sunshine, the highest total this month, which at 14.40 reached a maximum of 24.8C. This makes it the hottest day since 24th August 2016 being 5C above the June average.

As a consequence of the strong sun the UV level was again in the ‘Very High’ category.

Last night was not as cool as the two previous nights with the thermometer dropping to 10.8C, which is 1C above average for June.

The morning dawned with strong sunshine totalling well over two hours by the time readings are taken at 08.00. Not surprisingly, the humidity is low, as was yesterday, reading 78% at 08.00.

The soil temperature, at a depth of 5cm has risen again to 19.8C at 08.00.

With the high pressure still exerting its influence yesterday we enjoyed 5.6 hours of strong sunshine after a cloudy start to the day. This pushed the thermometer to a maximum of 22.8C at 17.38, the second warmest day this month and 3C above the average.

It was the quietest day for wind with a maximum gust of just 10mph followed by still conditions overnight.

This morning we were greeted with strong sunshine from dawn, which moved the minimum of 8.5C to 17.8C at 08.00, the time readings are taken. This makes it the warmest morning since 6th September 2016.

The rate of evaporation, from ground sources and plant life, continues to rise, now exceeding the heavy rainfall total that fell at the beginning of the month.

The humidity reading of 78% at 08.00 was the lowest level at this time of day since 9th May 2016.

The effect of increasing barometric pressure was seen yesterday with 3.72 hours of strong sunshine, light winds (maximum of 19mph) and no rain.

Overnight, the initially clear sky meant that the thermometer dropped to 8.4C just before 4.30 am, the coolest night since 21st May. Increasing cloud then stopped the fall and with the effect of early sunshine, pushed the thermometer back up to 13.8C at 08.00.

After dawn we were greeted by strong sunshine but just after 07.30 cloud drifted across and obliterated the sun.

The heavy rainfall, half a month’s worth, that fell on Tuesday 5th, has been removed into the atmosphere as evaporation this month now exceeds the rainfall for June.

There were numerous bursts of strong sunshine yesterday, amounting to 4.9 hours, within which the UV level soared to 9.9, the highest level for six years.

Just after 15.15 the wind abruptly veered from the south into the west. This marked the warmest point of the day wth a maximum of 19.9C at 15.06, a little down on Saturday.

The westerly wind meant a slightly cooler night, minimum still above average at 11.7C and drier air this morning with humidity down to 85% at 08.00.

Thick cloud this morning is blocking out all sunshine.

Saturday brought us a splendid morning with 3.9 hours of strong sunshine during which the UV level rose into the ‘Very High’ level, equal highest this month. The warmest part of the day was in the morning when the thermometer peaked at 11.38 with a maximum of 20.4C, just above average for June.

Just after midday the cloud began to thicken and obscure the sun.

A light shower occurred just after 11pm with additional showers between 1 and 2am this morning amounting to 1.1mm. It was the warmest night this month with a minimum of 13.3C, which is almost 4C above the June average.

There was intermittent sunshine after dawn that raised the temperature to 15.6C at 08.00, with the promise of more to come.

Not surprisingly, the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm is the warmest this month with a reading of 17.9C at 08.00