Category: Commentary

Wednesday 19th August
The significant change in our weather was evident on Tuesday with variable cloud all day, with sunshine mainly limited to the morning, that resulted in the lowest UV light this month and the lowest evaporation of just 2.0mm this month. The maximum of 23.7C was logged before mid-day, rather than late afternoon when the heat usually builds, indicating the cloudy conditions. The maximum was still 2.1C above the August long-term average. There was far less variation between high and low over the past twenty-four hours, compared to earlier on the month, with a minimum of 15.1C at 05.33 being 3.3C above average.

As a gardener, desperate for some significant rainfall overnight, I was disappointed to find that little had fallen, the records show that around 02.10 just 0.4mm was logged, likewise the same quantity just after 03.00, whilst light drizzle was observed starting just before 07.00 that added another 0.2mm. Swindon had a substantial fall around 04.00 whilst the heavy and persistent rain band has been running along the south coast, south of Salisbury, and the Channel.

Wednesday arrived under total cloud cover thanks to the nearby depression, centred just off the northwest coast of Scotland, that is throwing weather fronts across the country, there will be two on Thursday that could enhance the showery activity. The barometric pressure has fallen further with a reading of 1006.8mb at 08.00, the lowest pressure this month and still falling slowly, as the centre of the low moves closer.

The Atlantic pattern of weather, with sunny intervals between considerable, variable cloud, will be brought on a westerly breeze for the next two days with possible showery activity arriving from time to time. By Friday the position of the depression to the east and the building high pressure to the west will direct a flow of northerly air across the country, which will result in temperatures likely falling just below average for the first time this month.

Public invited to choose future storm name as Met Office links up with Aardman
Author: Met Office

08:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 19 Aug 2026

The Met Office is inviting the public to decide whether beloved characters Shaun or Timmy should become a future storm name, as part of a collaboration with Aardman, the creators of Shaun the Sheep.

For the first time, weather enthusiasts, families and Shaun the Sheep fans will have the chance to vote for which Shaun the Sheep character joins the Met Office’s official storm names list for the 2026/27 storm season.

The public vote, hosted on Met Office social media channels from 19 to 21 August, will ask people to decide between Shaun and Timmy, with the chosen name included in this year’s list, which will be announced on Tuesday 1 September.

The collaboration brings together two iconic British organisations, combining the Met Office’s world-leading forecasting expertise with Aardman’s much-loved storytelling, to help more people understand why storms are named and how weather warnings help keep communities safe.

Storm naming is an important public safety tool, helping people notice, remember and discuss severe weather when it has the potential to cause significant impacts. By working with Aardman, the Met Office hopes to reach new audiences and encourage conversations about severe weather preparedness in an engaging and accessible way.

The announcement also forms part of Aardman’s 50th anniversary celebrations and comes ahead of the release of  Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, which arrives in UK cinemas on 18 September.

Tuesday 18th August
Monday was the last of the heatwave days that saw the thermometer eventually rise to 27.3C at 16.52 during strong, late afternoon sunshine after variable cloud during the morning and early afternoon. There was a very strong burst of UV light at 12.30 that was at the top end of High and the second strongest this month. At the same time the peak solar radiation, not surprisingly, was also second highest this month at 1085W/m2. Cloudy conditions overnight provided a blanket to minimise the loss of warmth into the atmosphere hence the minimum of 16.7C at 00.08 was 4.9C above average. The back track of the radar showed cloud edging in from the north just before midnight and thickening, thus the minimum occurred so early in the night.

Tuesday arrived gloomy with low, thick cloud from the depression edging closer, that will be over the UK tomorrow. A cold weather front will cross the country today. The possibility of any precipitation is minimal, there is shower activity to the west over the moors but here it will be low cloud here until the sun begins to break through, probably mid-morning, hence the humidity at 08.00 of 92.4% was the highest this month.

The forecast track of the Jet Stream for the rest of the week shows a signifiant change in direction compared to recent weeks and months. By tomorrow it will begin to steer to the south of the UK thus putting us on the cooler northern side.

There are a few days of unsettled weather ahead as the depression moves from west to east of the UK, towards Scandinavia, whilst the Azores high tries to edge in from the west. This will produce days with sunny intervals and possible shower activity. With low pressure to the east and its associated air circulating anticlockwise, also the high pressure edging in from the west, with its air flow circulating clockwise, by the time we get to Friday the wind direction will have veered from west to come from the north, producing a very cool day compared to recent weeks.

Monday 17th August
Sunday gave us a cool start to the new day with cloud persisting all morning, only beginning to thin after midday, whilst it was variable during the afternoon, thus the peak of 26.7C was logged at 17.20. The high was 5.1C above the average. The past night was the warmest this month with the thermometer not dropping below 17.2C at 03.27 being 5.4C above average.

Monday initially began with variable cloud but just after 08.00 it began to thin with breaks in the cloud to allow muted sunshine to break through. There was only 1.4C difference between the minimum and the temperate of 18.6C at 08.00.

The cloud this morning is due to the low pressure system to the northwest edging closer that will push a cold front across the country today. There are signs on the rain radar of showery outbreaks occurring to the west of our area, over Somerset and Exmoor. There is a slim chance of a shower here around midday, however the probability is low, estimated at around 30%.

We are now firmly under an Atlantic weather pattern with the breeze coming from the west that will see maximum temperatures slowly decline over the next two days that by Wednesday will drop to around the average. The low pressure to the northwest will mean no wall to wall sunshine but is likely to produce sunny intervals as there will be more cloud being pushed across from the depression.

The end of the week will feel distinctly cool. At that time the forecast pressure charts indicate that the low pressure will have emigrated towards Scandinavia whilst the Azores high will build again, not over the country as recently but to the west of the UK. This significant change in the weather pattern will result in the breeze coming from the north due to the air moving anticlockwise around the depression to the east and clockwise around the anticyclone to the west, thus pushing much cooler air down across the country from the direction of Iceland.

The pictures this week will be of dahlias that I have just managed to keep alive during the drought. I sank pots into the ground, close to each plant, so that the water from cans did not evaporate but feed directly to the roots.

Sunday 16th August
Saturday was the first day when the temperature did not reach the heatwave threshold, but only just, with a peak of 26.8C at 16.33 as the heat intensified during the afternoon. The breeze from the north, combined with the lower temperature, made it feel more comfortable. The past night was the coolest for five days that saw the thermometer drop away to a low of 13.8C at 04.24. The radar showed a large bank cloud drifting across from the north around 01.00 that limited any further drop in temperature.

What a contrast to recent days with the arrival of Sunday under total, thick cloud cover and no sunshine whilst the air movement is low but is still arriving from the north. As the day progresses the wind will back into the west, the cloud will break up and sunshine return, probably early afternoon, signifying a change to an Atlantic weather pattern, thus less hot although maxima for a day or two will still be quite high before dropping to around the August average by Wednesday.

The minor ridge of high pressure will sustain dry weather for the next two days although by Wednesday a low pressure system in mid-Atlantic will be closing in on the UK. This will signify a major change in our weather with variable cloud and sunny intervals and a possible weather front crossing on Wednesday. Currently the probability of any precipitation is rated very low for Tuesday and Wednesday at around 30% to 40%, but as a gardener I prefer the Met Office probability of up to 60% for Thursday. There will be a noticeable change in temperature by Wednesday, and for the remainder of the week, as maximum temperatures will be around or possibly be below average, that will make it feel very cool after the numerous heatwave days.

With more cloudy days ahead I thought a change to colourful images of dahlias, that I have struggled to keep alive, might add colour to days this week.

Two weeks ago I made reference to the local Thames Water groundwater situation with all classed as ‘Normal’ and only one with a ‘Falling’ trend. An updated version today still maintains that the state of all boreholes is ‘Normal’ while four are now ‘Falling’ and the remaining four classed as ‘Steady’.

I thought the recently published article supported that report.

The UK’s groundwater levels are in “remarkable’ health despite this summers’ prolonged dry weather and widespread drought conditions, according to scientists.

Groundwater flows through tiny cracks in layers of rock and sand underground, known as aquifers, which feed into streams and rives, helping to maintain water levels.

Researchers from the British Geological Survey have found that groundwater levels across the country remain robust, and some cases higher than normal, despite two-thirds of England and Wales currently in drought.

Saturday 15th August
Friday was the last of the heatwave days that once again produced a very hot day with a maximum of 31.4C at 14.40. This early peak was due to thin high, fair weather cloud, with a brief spell just after midday of variable, thicker cloud. The peak was down over 4C on the record breaking high of Thursday but still 9.8C above average. A low of 16.2C was recorded at 06.19 being 4.4C above average.

An unusual feature occurred during the evening. I was out watering the garden, as usual, when very large spots of rain fell for a couple of minutes at 19.20, recorded as a ‘trace’ being insufficient to measure. The reason was a narrow band of cloud, perhaps no wider than 5/6 miles across, that had formed from individual shower clouds over Somerset then coalesced as they approached our area. Usually shower activity gives Marlborough a miss. Sadly there were not sufficient spots of rain to even fully wet the dry and hot surfaces.

There was a significant change in our weather overnight, it was not totally calm as during previous nights under the high pressure. The breeze continued during the early hours, up to 10mph, and even more significantly, from the north, a much cooler direction.

The arrival of Saturday was totally different to recent days, gone were the clear blue skies that produced strong sunshine after sunrise. This was due to the back edge of the cold front that had rather dallied on its way across the country yesterday. There were large blobs of cloud over the eastern horizon that limited lengthy sunshine until just before 08.00.

A ridge of high pressure will edge back across the country today that will see the cloud thin and the temperature rise above average once again but probably just below the heatwave threshold.

Looking ahead, the forecast pressure charts indicate that another cold front could cross the country on Tuesday bringing more cloud but unlikely to produce much precipitation, if any, rated at just 30% probability at the moment, and by Wednesday peak temperatures will likely be close to the August average. The reason will be a low pressure system edging in from the northwest as the Azores high recedes westwards.