The significant feature regarding Monday’s weather was the exceptionally high UV level, which during the bursts of strong sunshine was in the Very High category for two hours between 12.37 and 14.28, either side of midday, not surprisingly. However, the peak of 8.1 was at the very top end of the Very High category and the highest since 4th August 2024. The strong sunshine and light winds from the west, a maximum gust of just 10mph was recorded, saw the thermometer soar to a maximum of 24.1C at 16.49 being 3.5C above my long-term average. The intense solar activity produced a peak radiation of 1188 W/m2 at 12.53. The overnight minimum was 10.6C, just 0.4C above average, which was logged at 05.15 early Tuesday.
The start of Tuesday brought us bursts of sunshine, between variable cloud, that had lifted the temperature to 16.3C by 08.00. Today will see the cloud cover varying as a weak weather front passes southwards across our area.
The anticyclone now extends from the eastern Atlantic across to Germany with its centre just off the coast of Brittany. As we are now close to the centre of the high pressure the winds will continue light and from the west.
Later on Wednesday and into Thursday the high pressure will relocate a little to the east and elongate northwards that will then bring an air stream around its southern flank, originating from southern France and Iberia, which will mean the temperatures will increase over the next few days.
Puffins are about 20cm tall and breed in large colonies, such as the one on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire. They breed in large colours on coastal cliffs or offshore islands.