Category: Commentary

Monday once again gave us many hours of strong sunshine that lifted the thermometer to 24.2C being 4.0C above the average. However, during the early hours of Tuesday there was a dramatic change. A large area of intense rain triggered the automatic rain gauge at 04.30 that lasted until 07.30. Just after 06.00 there was intense rainfall that fell at the rate of 110mm/hour and was so heavy that it knocked over some of my bread beans. The daily rainfall amounted to 26.6mm making it the wettest day since 19th December 2022 (29.8mm). The monthly rainfall total is now 56.7mm, being 2.5mm above the 39-year average.

The minimum temperature overnight occurred at 03.02 with a low of 13.6C, thereafter the temperature began to climb as the cloud arrived ahead of the rain.

By 08.00 on Tuesday the rained had stopped and the cloud was beginning to lift a little as the weather front moved northwards. The wind had veered from the south on Monday to north ahead of the rain band and will be variable today but principally from the west.

The barometric pressure is currently at its lowest for two months with a pressure of 1006.1mb at 08.00 thanks to the depression that arrived from the Atlantic.

After a bright start to Sunday, with a maximum of 24.8C being 4.6C above the average, clouds began to build late afternoon. At 18.50 the first spots of rain appeared that was followed by two hours of continuous rain amounting to 15.1mm. This was the wettest day since 8th May (16.4mm) and took the monthly total to 30.3mm, which is 24mm below the 39-year average. The rain was very welcome by gardeners being steady and modest in strength. The storm cells arrived from the south and lingered over the area and intensified as initially the rain radar indicated that the nearest cell would pass over in a few minutes.

The residual warmth and cloud cover meant a mild night with the thermometer not dropping below 12.4C at 05.04 Monday, which was 2.3C above the average.

Monday dawned cloudy and misty after the considerable rainfall. The thermometer had recovered to 16.2C at 08.00. The barometric pressure was at its lowest all month yesterday at 1009.6mb and recovered 1mb overnight.

Just after 08.00 on Saturday there was a very light, gentle shower that amounted to just 0.2mm. The thermometer rose to 26.2C being 6.0C above the average.

The breeze was slack all day with a maximum gust of just 12mph.The UV level was again high as for all the month.

The past night was very warm due to the residual warmth and cloud cover that produced a minimum of 13.2C, which was 3.1C above the 39-year average.

Sunday revealed a sky with variable cloud and occasional brief bursts of sunshine that had lifted the thermometer to 18.3C at 08.00. The barometric pressure has sunk to its lowest all month with a reading of 1009.6mb at 08.00 due to the approaching depression.

During Friday advance cloud from the low pressure system approaching from the Atlantic was observed, occasionally obscuring the sun. Even so, the thermometer rose to 27.8C being 7.6C above the 39-year average and the fifth successive above heatwave threshold of 27C.

The past night was mild with the thermometer not sinking below 12.8C, which was 2.8C above the average.

Saturday after dawn revealed thin high cloud with clumps of thicker cloud that produced raindrops at 06.00 and 07.10 but not measurable. However a line of showers passed over the area at 08.00, from the southwest that will be measurable at the end of the day.

Thursday gave us the greatest solar energy this year, but it is almost the longest day, with wall to wall sunshine. As a result the thermometer reached 27.1C, being 6.9C above the 39-year average, and the fourth above 27C for the heatwave threshold.

The last night has been warm with a low of 12.3C, which was 2.1C above the average.

The loss again of over 5mm daily of equivalent rainfall was not surprising due to the heat and drying breeze. We have no lot 57.9mm of equivalent rainfall due to evaporation from ground sources and plant life when the rainfall has been just 14.8mm.

Friday revealed some high thin cloud that meant the sunshine was a little weaker. This is ahead of a depression edging in from the west and heralds a significant change in our weather for the next few days. The extreme heat will be no longer after today but replaced with lower temperatures and more cloud with the possibility of modest rainfall.

The temperature at 08.00 was 20.0C making it the warmest start to a day at that time since 12th August. The air movement is now from the east and likely to veer from the southeast, a direction not seen for a month.