Author: Eric Gilbert

There were 6.08 hours of strong sunshine yesterday with variable cloud cover. This cleared in the early evening, which let the temperature drop from its maximum of 10.7C to a low of -3.2C just before 5am. This was the coldest April night since 2013 ((-5.6C) but still above the record low set on 5th April 1990 with a minimum of -6.9C. A very brief shower of rain amounted to just 0.2mm.

Yesterday got off to a fine start with much strong sunshine during the morning, the total for the day was 6.44 hours. After midday the clouds started to develop with the first shower at 12.06 that contained soft hail or ‘graupel’ within the rain. Frequent such showers plagued the afternoon producing 1mm of precipitation. There was a slight air frost overnight with a minimum of -0.1 at dawn.
Today has again started with strong sunshine, 1.7 hours before 08.00 and at that time the thermometer had risen to 4.5C.

The very brief showers yesterday produced only 0.4mm of rainfall and due to the frequent cloud cover only 0.58 hours of strong sunshine was recorded. The UV level nudged into the ‘High’ category yesterday, the second time this month.
This morning the sun rose strongly with over one hour of strong sunshine before 08.00 but intermittent cloud is now interrupting the promising start to the day.
The wind has backed into the north west bringing a slightly less cold air, maximum yesterday of 11.4C, but a drier air with the humidity of 81% at 08.00.

There was a brief shower of drizzle and light rain to start the day yesterday amounting to 0.1mm but the morning brought 4.03 hours of strong sunshine before thicker cloud rolled in during the early afternoon. The maximum, at 11.0C, was 3C below the average. The thick cloud cover overnight meant a relatively mild night with a temperature of 7.8C at 08.00 due to the overcast sky. With just six days left this month the total rainfall for April is 44.9mm or 75% of the long-term average. However, the evaporation from ground sources, surface water and plant life has been 46mm, which is greater than the rainfall for April.

Although yesterday was slightly warmer than friday with a maximum of 10.3C, it was still 4C below the average for April, more like March. A dry day with 4.89 hours of strong sunshine, with clear skies in the evening the temperature dropped to 2.3C at its lowest just after 01.30 this morning before cloud returned, to reach 4.9C at 08.00. A light and brief shower of drizzle and rain occurred at 08.00.