Category: Commentary

After the very wet Sunday we enjoyed welcome sunshine on Monday morning of 3.4 hours but increasing cloud after midday and a brisk westerly breeze meant a cool day.

The thermometer eventually rose to 8.8C being 1C above the average. In fact, every day in February has seen the maximum rise above the February average. The thermometer fell away in the evening to a minimum of 1.7C at 23.33. Thereafter the temperature began to rise slowly as thin high cloud spread from the west. By 08.00 on Tuesday the temperature had recovered to 5.9C.

Tuesday saw a little brightness first thing but by 07.45 the cloud cover had begun to thicken ahead of another rain band.

Sunday was a day to forget, weatherise. After a cloudy start the rain began to fall at 09.55 and continued almost unabated until just before midnight with a minor break around 20.00. The daily total was 12.6mmm making it the wettest twenty-four hours since 20th October (12.7mm). That brought the monthly total to 35.9mm when the 38-year average is 66.9mm.

The southerly breeze was strong all day with a maximum gust of 32mph. No sunshine or UV level was possible due to the continuous thick, low cloud.

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 9.3C and fell to a minimum of 4.3C overnight, both being above average with +1.8C and +2.8C respectively.

Monday, thankfully, started dry with variable cloud and brief spells of sunshine.

The barometric pressure has fallen significantly over the past 36 hours with a low of 997.7mb at 08.00 on Monday and a minimum of 991.0mb due the depression passing to the north of the UK.

The temperature rose a little higher on Saturday than the previous two days to reach 9.0C in the 4.7hours of sunshine, being 1.2C above the 38-year average. The wind began to strengthen from the southwest with the arrival of rain in the late afternoon amounting to 3.5mm. That brought the monthly total to 23.3mm when the February average is 66.9mm.

The minimum overnight was also above average due to thick cloud cover, with a low of 4.4C (+2.9C)

Sunday brought thick, low cloud after dawn as a very wide rain band approached on a strong southerly breeze.

Friday gave us the sunniest day since 21st October with 5.7 hours. However, the thermometer struggled to reach 8.4C after the sharp air frost, but it was 0.6C above the average.

The past night was mild that saw the thermometer begin to rise from a low of 3.2C just before midnight to reach 4.4C at 08.00 on Saturday.

Saturday brought a mainly cloudy day ahead of another weather front heading in from the Atlantic.

The thermometer only reached a maximum 8.1C on Thursday in the strengthening westerly wind, gusting to 15mph. This peak was only just above average (+0.3C).

Overnight an air frost developed that saw the thermometer drop to -1.2C at 07.26 on Friday.

Friday arrived with welcome sunshine after sunrise.

The anticyclone, now centred much closer and off the cast of Brittany, is producing calm conditions. The pressure at 08.00 was 1033.5mb, the highest since 30th January.