Author: Eric Gilbert

The result of the atmospheric pressure rising for over two days was a glorious day yesterday with 10.42 hours of strong sunshine, the greatest number of hours since 7th September 2015. It was not surprising that the UV level was also at his highest this year and since 4th September 2015.
There was a grass frost overnight with the minimum temperature of 1.3C just after 04.30. At dawn the sun rose strongly but at the time of these readings, cloud, moving in from the north, was partially obscuring the sky, with a temperature of 5.6C at 08.00.

This morning broke with totally clear skies and bright sunshine. With clearing skies last night, after late rain showers, the thermometer dropped below zero just after midnight and registered a low of -1.9.C at dawn. This made it the coldest night of the month, which followed the coldest day of the month yesterday that had a maximum of only 8.4C, some 6C below the average for April.

Yesterday was much cloudier with minimal sunshine (0.39 hours) giving a maximum of 11.4C, dropping back again below the average for April by 3C. There have only been four days this month with above average maxima. Overnight the cold front has arrived with winds now coming from a north-westerly direction bringing light showers totalling 4.2mm.
Update: Sleet in heavy rain showers at 0835 as temperatures drops 1.5C to 3.2C and windchill makes temperature feel like 1C.

The much more frequent cloud yesterday meant that there was only 1.08 hours of strong sunshine but the winds were light so felt like spring. Overnight there was rainfall between 02.00 and 05.00 amounting to 2.5mm bringing the total for April to 35.1mm (59%). The thick cloud overnight, which was thinning just after sunrise, meant that it was the warmest morning at 08.00 this month with a temperature of 8.2C.

The 7.66 hours of strong sunshine yesterday boosted the temperature to a maximum of 16.5C, the warmest day of the year and warmest day since early September, brought on light southerly winds. The UV value was also the highest at 4.6. The slack pressure system continues today but with little sunshine, unlike yesterday, due to high level cloud. It was a mild night with a minimum of 6.5C.