Category: Commentary

We are now a month after the shortest day so it is not surprising to find that the solar energy in the sunshine on Friday was the highest since mid-November and the the UV level logged at 0.8, last seen in late November. The temperature rose to 8.9C in the brisk main southwesterly breeze being 1.7C above my 40-year average.

Under initially clear skies the thermometer dropped to around 2C late evening but at its lowest registered -1.2C at 06.36 early Saturday, which was 2.9C below my 40-year average.

Thin high cloud was observed at first light on Saturday. However, the barometric pressure is still very high, currently 1033.7mb, thanks to an intense anticyclone over France that should bring a mainly dry and settled day. The centre of the high pressure is forecast to move eastwards that will result in the wind, initially coming a southerly quarter, backing further into the southeast.

Thursday was an exceptionally mild day with warmth that originated from Iberia that pushed the thermometer to 12.1C, the second warmest day this month being 5C above my 40-year record. Overnight that warmth drained away into the atmosphere thanks to clearing skies after two cold front passed our way in the early hours of Friday dropping 2.8mm of precipitation that took the monthly rainfall total to 90.0mm exactly being just 0.4mm above my 40-year average. The minimum of 5.1C occurred at 07.58 Friday

Friday dawned clear with sunshine as soon as it rose above the horizon. A ridge of high pressure, pressure reading at 08.00 of 1026.1mb, sees the barometric pressure rising rapidly this morning that will mean a calmer day but cooler as the wind backs from northwest to west then southwest later in the day. The northwesterly breeze to start the day is a drier air with a humidity reading of 83% at 08.00, the second lowest this month.

The thermometer dropped further to 4.7C by 08.17 before the sun got to work.

The westerly winds, gusting to 26mph on Wednesday, brought a milder airstream that saw the thermometer rise to 10.9C being 3.8C above my 40-year average. During the late afternoon and evening the warmth drained away into the atmosphere, under an initially clear sky, that allowed the thermometer to drop steadily to reach a low of 3.6C (+2.4C) at 00.56 early Thursday before rising again to reach 9.2C at 08.00. Very light rain, from a warm front passing our way, produced 1.2mm of precipitation, between 03.45 and 04.46, that took the monthly rainfall total to 87.2mm, just 2.4mm below my 40-year average.

Thursday staggered into life under a very low, thick cloud base with mist draping the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest, not surprisingly the humidity at 08.00 registered 99%, the highest this month at that time.

Pressure remains high, 1025.7mm at 08.00, due to an anticyclone centred over Iberia that will see the wind today come predominantly from the southwest, giving us a mild and moist air stream.

The very warm, moist air brought thanks to Storm Jocelyn on a southwesterly air stream meant a warm day and evening on Tuesday with the thermometer rising to 12.6C at 20.48 being a significant 5.5C above my 40-year average. The past night was also mild with the temperature not dropping below 8.7C, being 7.4C above my 40-year average.

Wednesday arrived bright. The centre of storm Jocelyn is moving away to the east and a temporary ridge of high pressure is wild influence our water today with light winds and mainly dry

The tail of Storm Isha on Monday brought very gusty winds from the west with a peak of 33mph and mild temperatures. The maximum of 9.3C was 2.2C above my 40-year average whilst although the thermometer dropped away to 4.1C at 04.35 in the early hours of Tuesday that was also above average +2.9C. A daily rainfall total of 1.1mm took the monthly total to exactly 80.0mm being 9.6mm below my 40-year average.

Tuesday struggled to come into life being very dark and dull with thick, low cloud ahead of Storm Jocelyn. More continuous rain began to fall at 07.50. The temperature has lifted a couple of degrees to 6.9C at 08.00.

The centre of Storm Jocelyn was just west of Scotland overnight with a very low centre pressure of 969mb, however as it approaches the north of Scotland today the depression will continue to deepen with a forecast centre pressure of 962mb resulting in strong winds and much rain although the worst will be to the north of our area. At 08.00 the barometric pressure here was 1022.4mb but is falling rapidly as Storm Jocelyn approaches.