Category: Commentary

The maximum of 13.4C on Wednesday was 4.3C above my 40-year average and the warmest day since 18th November thanks to the run of warm, moist air from well down in the Atlantic. There was only a minimal drop of less than 3C overnight as a low of 10.6C was logged at 00.10 very early Thursday, which was a significant 10C above my 40-year average.

The daily rainfall amounted to 2.5mm that took the monthly rainfall total to 66.2mm, just 0.5mm above my 40-year average.

Thursday revealed light thin cloud with the possibility of some brightness during the morning. The temperature had recovered to read 11.7C at 08.00.

We are back to the warm, moist air that is being drawn up from a long way south, originating around North Africa and the Western Mediterranean. The thermometer slowly rose all day on Tuesday and Tuesday evening, from 5.7C on Tuesday at 08.00 to reach a peak of 11.7C on Wednesday morning at 08.00. Therefore the maximum was 3.8C above my 40-year average and the minimum overnight a very significant 10.1C above average. In fact it was a reverse in that it got warmer overnight, not cooler.

There were light showers during daylight hours on Tuesday and also triggered the automatic rain gauge at 06.15 on Wednesday amounting to 4.3mm. That took the monthly rainfall total to 63.7mm, just 2mm short of my 40-year average.

Wednesday dawned very slowly under thick, low cloud and very light drizzle. A temperature of 11.7C at 08.00 was the warmest start to a day since 24th December.

Monday was a glorious day with almost wall to wall sunshine that lifted the thermometer to 9.5C being 1.4C above my 40-year average. However, the modest breeze with a peak of 14mph from the west, meant it was the coolest day for a week. No rain fell. The temperature fell steadily overnight to reach a low of 3.1C at 03.19 early on Tuesday. After that time cloud ahead of the next weather front meant the temperature recovered a little to read 5.6C at 08.00 on Tuesday.

Tuesday revealed a very dull and gloomy start to the day under continuous cloud cover. A warm front will pass our way during daylight hours, which will thicken the cloud thus blocking any possibility of sunshine. However, the warm front will as it states, bring warmer, if moist weather again, from around the Azores area, with the wind having backed into the south for much of the day.

Every day this month, bar the 7th, saw a maximum above my 40-year average and Sunday was no exception with a peak of 10.6C being +2.5C. The minima overnight have exactly the same record in February as only the 1st was below average, last night the minimum of 2.3C at 07.10 on Monday was + 0.6C.

The UV level of 1.1 was in the Low category. Minimal rainfall of 1.7mm fell in short showers late afternoon and between 05,00 and 06.16 early Monday. That additional rainfall took the monthly total to 59.4mm, being 6.3mm below my 40-year average.

Monday at dawn revealed extensive blue sky with just a band of cloud on the eastern horizon, fast departing, that had brought the rain in the early hours. The barometric pressure has risen a significant 15mb since Sunday at 08.00, which will give us a much better day. The sunshine is likely to last for much of the day giving us the sunniest day this week. Depressions will leave us alone today but more are heading our way later in the week.

The very light breeze on Saturday, maximum gust of just 12 mph , meant a cooler day with the air stream coming principally from the southeast during daylight hours. A peak temperature of 10.4C was 2.3C above my 40-year average whilst a low of 6.3C at 06.22 on Sunday was 4.6C above my 40-year average.

The UV level rose to a value of 1.1, the highest since 4th November.

The wind during the evening and overnight veered from the southeast into the northeast and now northwest, later on Sunday it will come from the west. This is due to the recent low pressure system travelling along the English Channel and into the North Sea, it is just one of five depressions surrounding the UK.

Sunday dawned dull with total cloud cover and calm conditions. The barometric pressure is very slowly recovering as the depression moves away with a reading of 989.0mb at 08.00, up 14mb since Friday.