Category: Commentary

The breeze from the north east persisted all day being much stronger, gusting at its peak to 20mph. This cooler airstream took the edge off the daytime temperature limiting the rise to 19.1C although this was 2.0C abject the average. It was the sixth consecutive day without measurable rainfall and the UV level again rated as ‘High’.

The past night was cool with a low of 5.9C being 0.9C below the average.

Sunday arrived with strong sunshine and blue skies that lifted the temperature to 12.3C at 08.00. The breeze continues front the northeast as the high pressure still dominates although losing 6mb in pressure since its peak four days ago.

The modest breeze from the northeast meant Friday was a cooler than on Thursday but a maximum of 18.3C was still 1.2C above the average during the many hours of sunshine. During the afternoon variable cloud drifted down from the north that produced a few spots of rain at 13.25, 15.20 and 16.30 but not measurable, not even to completely cover the surface. Intense rain fell to the east and west of our area.

A low of 5.9C in the early hours of Saturday was 0.9C below the average.

Saturday arrived with blue sky and strong sunshine, however, the continuing breeze from the northeast had strengthened after falling calm overnight.

The strong sunshine, particularly in the afternoon, boosted the temperature to reach a maximum of 21.4C at 16.05. This was 4.0C above the 39-year average and the warmest day since 21st September. The peak UV level of 6.7 was similar to that on Wednesday and again at the top end of ‘High’.

The last night has been very mild with a low of 10.6C being 3.8C above the average and the warmest day in two weeks.

Friday revealed a cloudy start to the day with very weak brightness, couldn’t be called sunshine, with the thermometer reading 13.2C at 08.00. The airstream has changed direction, as the anticyclone begins to move away, and will come from the northeast rather than west on Thursday. Mid-afternoon a cold front will cross the country with the possibility of some rain.

The lighter northerly breeze on Wednesday combined with many hours of sunshine lifted the temperature to 18.0C being 0.9C above the average. The day was dry under the high pressure and the UV level rose to 6.8, which is at the top end of ‘High’.

The anticyclone now stretches from mid-Atlantic to Scandinavia and firmly settled over southern England so Thursday will be another settled day with more sunshine, but probably less than on Wednesday as cloud is forecast to drift across the area in the afternoon.

The overnight minimum of 7.6C, which was logged at 05.12 early Thursday, was 0.8C above average. By 08.00 the sun had been shining strongly for a couple of hours and had lifted the temperature to 15.8C making it the warmest start to a day at that time since 28th October.

The drier weather combined with sunshine and a warmer night has resulted in the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm rise to 13.8C at 08.00, the highest at that time of day since 14th September. This has also given a humidity at 08.00 of 77%, the second lowest this month.

The breeze from the north continued on Tuesday so once again the temperature was depressed by this cooler airstream. The thermometer eventually reached 17.1C but this was only average for May. However, to have another dry day was a bonus and the UV level rated as ‘High’.

The past night was much colder than forecast and in fact was the coldest night since 25th April with a minimum of 2.3C occurring at 05.23 early Wednesday, which was a significant 4.5C below the 39-year average.

Wednesday began as Tuesday with strong sunshine after dawn but high, thin cloud was observed at 08.00. The temperature had recovered to 12.1C at 08.00 making it the second warmest start to a day at that time this month.

The anticyclone has edged closer to the UK, just off the west coast, as a result the barometric pressure has risen again and still is still rising with a reading of 1030.4mb at 08.00, which is the highest pressure since 3rd April.