Category: Commentary

Although there was quite strong, variable sunshine on Saturday, especially in the afternoon, the strong, gusting westerly breeze moderated the temperature so that the maximum of 18.6C, logged at 13.48, was exactly 2C below my long-term average. The day was dry with the UV level of 6.2 the second highest this month and peaked in the ‘High’ category. Thick cloud cover overnight from the weather front meant that the minimum of 10.2C, logged at 04.07, was exactly average for June. A rain band arrived just before 03.00 producing light rain for over half an hour that only amounted to 1.3mm taking the monthly total to 17.9mm against my 41-year record of 52.9mm. The main rain band passed to the south of our area.

The new day on Saturday revealed dull and overcast conditions under the continuing influence of the nearest depression. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for heavy rain and possible thunderstorms today. The rain radar at 09.00 showed very active showers edging closer to our area at 09.00, indicated over Bristol and near Warminster.

The UK weather is being influenced by a complex of four low pressure systems to the north and west of the UK whilst an anticyclone in the eastern Atlantic is trying to edge closer. The barometric pressure has risen just 3mb over the last three days with a reading of 1006.4mb at 08.00. There are indications that the high pressure will win out next week so that by Tuesday temperatures will rise to be close to the June average, with the rest of the week warm and dry.

Kennet and Avon Canal: From Bristol to Bath the waterway follows the natural course of the River Avon before the canal links it to the River Kennet at Newbury, and from there to Reading on the River Thames. In all, the waterway incorporates 105 locks. This image is of the horse drawn barge on the canal east of Hungerford.

The frequent showers throughout Thursday, and again around sunrise on Friday, were mostly of a light nature but produced a daily rainfall total of 6.9mm that took the monthly total to 16.6mm against the 41-year June average of 52.9mm. The unsettled, cloudy conditions limited the rise in temperature so it was not surprising to find the maximum of 16.7C was significantly below my long-term average at -3.9C that made it the coolest day since the 27th May. The flow of cool air meant a cool night that saw the thermometer slowly fall to reach a minimum of 9.6C, logged at 04.08 early Friday, being 0.6C below average. It was at that time that a fragmented rain band passed our way that produced the additional rainfall, limiting any further drop in temperature.

Friday was initially wet, that ceased just before 07.30, with the cloud beginning to thin that allowed the sky to brighten just a little shortly after 08.15. The wind has made a subtle change in direction and will come from the west today, a cooler direction than south yesterday, and be quite strong until the evening, which will impact the maximum temperature, so another cooler day ahead.

We are still under the influence of the nearest depression, just off the coast of Iceland, with, I counted this morning, four other areas of low pressure surrounding the UK in a large, low pressure complex. These systems are likely to produce a very wet day on Saturday with possible greater quantities of precipitation, in short, a wet day! The barometric pressure at 08.00 on Friday read 1005.9mb. That was a slight improvement on the minimum pressure this month of 1001.1mb that was logged between 15.09 and 1518 on Thursday, so the first beginnings of a very slow recovery that continues on Friday.

The forecast track of the jet stream indicates that after the weekend it will begin to loop to the north of the UK. As a result, by Tuesday the temperatures will begin to return closer to the June average and bring several dry days, the UK then being on the warmer, south side of the jet stream.

Kennet and Avon Canal: The construction of the 78 mile canal began in 1718 and was first used in 1723. It starts in the west at the Bristol Floating Harbour and ends at the River Thames, in Reading to the east.

A rash of showers passed over southern England on Wednesday, mostly missing our area other than a light shower just before 10.00 on Wednesday. The variable cloud meant the temperature was slow to rise to a maximum of 17.6C at 13.30 before more cloud built up in the afternoon limiting the sunshine. The high was 3.0C below average.

A weather front passed over southern England overnight that brought much thicker cloud resulting in a relatively mild night that saw the thermometer not drop below 11.2C at 03.16 being exactly 1C above my long-term average. The main areas of rain were to the south of our region and the north with just 2.1mm falling in the early hours, stopping just before 07.45.

Thursday revealed thick cloud from the back edge of the weather front slowly easing away eastwards with a little brightness arriving. The rain radar at 08.00 showed much shower activity arriving from the west during the morning indicating the track of the heaviest rain travelling to the north of our area.

We are still under the influence of the deep depression just east of Iceland that is slowly edging northwards and will dominate our weather for a few more days. The forecast track of the jet stream indicates that for the next few days it will track across England pushing weather fronts across the country, however, by Wednesday next week it is likely to relocate to the the north of the UK this allowing more warm and drier air to return from the south.

Kennet and Avon Canal: This waterway in southern England has an overall length of 87 miles, made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by the canal. The images for the next few days were of the horse drawn barge on the canal just east of Hungerford.

The narrow band of rain that arrived from the west on Tuesday morning brought a short spell of heavy rain starting at 11.45 and lasted for perhaps 15 minutes, slowly easing away, that amounted in total to 6.6mm. As the cloud thinned and cleared mid-afternoon the sun lifted the temperature to a maximum of 18.0C at 15.20, which was 2.6C below my long-term average. The wind in the afternoon, from the southwest, was very breezy with a maximum gust of 23mph.

The past night was cool with the thermometer registering a low of 8.4C in the early hours of Wednesday at 04.21, also below average at -1.8C. Both day and night could not be classed as summer weather.

Wednesday revealed a cloudy start to the new day with occasional bursts of very brief sunshine just before 08.00 that had lifted the thermometer to 11.7C by 08.00.

We are still under the influence of the deep depression just to the east of Iceland that is bringing the unsettled conditions, which will last for a few more days, although as the week progresses this low-pressure system will slowly edge northwards that should mean lighter winds.

Review Spring 2025
The mean temperature for the three meteorological months of Spring, that is March to May, was 1.2C above my long-term average, mainly due to the very warm days, being the highest I have recorded.

Kennet and Avon Canal: The images for the next few days were taken on a summer trip on this horse drawn canal boat. This canal is 87 miles long, links London with the Bristol Channel, and passes through some spectacular landscapes including Wiltshire and the rolling Cotswolds.

The brief ridge of high pressure produced a very warm day on Monday with many hours of sunshine that boosted the temperature to reach a maximum of 20.5C late in the afternoon at 16.26, however, this was 0.5C below the early June long-term average. The overnight cloud cover minimised the loss of warmth into the atmosphere, however, the low of 10.1C was also below average, just, at -0.1C.

Tuesday revealed a very cloudy start to the new day with the first spots of rain from the weather front observed at 06.25 that amounted to 1.0mm by 08.00. The weather front is fragmented so various rainfall amounts will fall during the morning. A narrow band of more heavy rain is just approaching the Devon coast and South Wales that at the moment looks to bring us a short but more substantial rainfall amount later in the morning, but time will tell.

The very low pressure system to the north of Scotland has a centre pressure of 966mb that contrasts with the centre of the high pressure in the Eastern Atlantic with a centre pressure of 1034mb, hence the gusty winds today as a result of the considerable pressure differential.

Review Spring 2025
The mean temperature for the three meteorological months of Spring, that is March to May, was 1.2C above my long-term average, mainly due to the very warm days, being the highest I have recorded.

The total rainfall for the three month period was just 40.9mm. This was only 23% of my 41-year record or -138mm. This low figure contrasts with the very wet Spring of 2024 when 285mm fell. The trend for Spring rainfall shows a gentle upward trend over the 41 years, from around 176mm in the last 1980,s to the recent average of 180mm.