Author: Eric Gilbert

Monday was a dreary and damp day with drizzle setting in around midday and persisting  into the night. The rainfall total was not great at 4.1mm but the low cloud meant a maximum of only 15.9C, which is 3C below the average and the coldest day since 3rd June. It is not surprising that the solar energy total for the day was the lowest since March. The upside to the persistent low and thick cloud overnight meant it was warmer than average with a minimum of 12.7C. Today dawned with a similar situation of thick cloud but the precipitation has stopped.

Saturday was predominantly cloudy with only brief sunshine. The northerly breeze and cloud cover kept the temperature down and produced the coolest day since June 3rd with a maximum of 16.8C. Another cool night followed with a minimum  9.4C, above average but the second coolest this month. It was only the sixth totally dry day this month although the rainfall at 36.8mm is 60% of the average for September.

With the wind veering into the north west it is not surprising that the temperatures by day and night have dropped significantly from the very warm continental air of previous days. There were 4 hours of strong sunshine yesterday that gave a maximum of 18.4C, which is average for September and the coolest day for a fortnight. The overnight minimum was 9.8C, still a little above the average for September. The drop in temperatures has meant that the soil temperature at a  depth of 5cm was 12.3C at 08.00, the lowest since the beginning of June and heralding things to come.

Thursday brought another sunny day that pushed the thermometer to its highest this month with a maximum of 25.8C, which is 7C above the mean. Cloud built up late afternoon with thunder first heard at 19.16 followed by a light shower amounting to 0.6mm just before 9pm.

A cloudy start to friday but the difference being that the wind is now from the northwest with a consequent drop in temperature and a drier air with the lowest humidity at 08.00 for three weeks of 92%.

Yesterday brought another day of summer like weather with 8.4 hours of strong sunshine, the second sunniest this month, and a maximum of 25.6C, the highest temperature this month, which was 7C above the mean for September. The temperature dropped away overnight to a  minimum of 11.6C. Dawn broke with glorious sunshine but fog drifted in from the north just before 08.00 with visibility down to 200m.