Category: Commentary

With 11.39 hours of sunshine on Monday it was the sunniest day since 31st July. Although the wind was strong from the north east, and gusting to 33mph at its peak, the thermometer steadily rose to a maximum of 17.5C, which was 3.4C above the average. Out in the wind, due to wind chill, it would have felt a couple of degrees cooler in the afternoon.

The wind from this direction is dry so it was not surprising to find that 4.5mm of equivalent rainfall evaporated into the atmosphere from ground sources and plant life on Monday. Although we had the wettest April day on the 17th, that I have recorded since 1984, the rainfall total for April stands at 38.4mm whereas the evaporation total is 56.4mm.

It was not quite as cool a night as the previous low with a minimum of 6.1C at 06.17 Tuesday morning although wind chill meant it felt more like 3.9C.

The sun was evident as soon as it rose above the eastern horizon on Tuesday lifting the temperature to 9.0C at 08.00. The wind strength at the moment is not as strong as on Monday. The current 10 minute average is 7mph whereas on Monday it was regularly between 11mph and 12mph. However, it is likely to rise in strength as the morning progresses and the temperature rises.

Sunday saw the sun return with a total 10.45 hours that lifted the temperature to a maximum of 16.1C in the late afternoon at 16.50. After two days with below average maxima this was 2C above the 36-year average and 6C above the cold Saturday peak.

A return to a dry day after the downpours on Saturday and daily evaporation equivalent to 3.7m of rainfall.

It was a cool night as the thermometer steadily fell away to a minimum of 4.4C at 04.30 on Monday morning being just above average.

Monday morning brought us sunshine as soon as the sun crossed the horizon. The brisk, cool north easterly wind prevails but it is a drier air. The high pressure over Scandinavia continues to maintain similar pressure driving the winds from this direction for the past few and next couple of days.

The rain band on Saturday took until noon to slowly leave the area adding another 2.9mm of rainfall that brought the monthly total to 38.4mm being 66% of the monthly average. It was the first day in April when no sunshine was logged. We have to go back in the records to 19th March when this last occurred.

Due to the persistent cloud and cool north easterly breeze the temperature was depressed with a maximum of only 10.3C, which was 3.8C below the average.

Overnight, due to cloud cover, the thermometer did not drop below 7.4C.

Sunday saw the sun make occasional appearances after 08.00. By 08.300 the cloud was breaking with more continuous sunshine. With the high pressure over Scandinavia intensifying the north easterly is much brisker.

Friday morning was overcast with intermittent spots of rain. The persistent and steady rainfall started at 12.16 and continued to 18.03 producing 15.4mm of precipitation as a slow moving warm front, in the form of an arc, slowing rotated over the area.

The rain began again in the early hours of Saturday morning as another rain band arrived at 02.45 that by 08.00 had dropped another 17.8mm of rain. The total for the past twenty-four hours was 33.2mm making it the wettest day since 18th September 2014 and a record for the wettest April day. The previous record for April was set in 1991 with 28.7mm.

The overcast and wet conditions on Friday meant a cool day as the thermometer struggled to reach 11.C being 3C below average as the light northeasterly breeze continued and over 8C lower than the warm day on Thursday.

The wet conditions meant a cool night with the minimum of 5.3C recorded at 05.43 Saturday.

The slow moving rain band continued to drop rain during Saturday morning as the front very slowly edged northwards.

Although the total hours of sunshine on Thursday were the lowest for over a week, the light winds were from the east with a maximum gust of 13mph, the thermometer steadily rose to a maximum of 19.8C late in the afternoon sunshine at 16.28, which was 5.7C above the average.

There was more cloud after midday that reduced the sunshine hours. Following 10 consecutive dry days there were just a few spots of rain at 15.14 when a very small shower passed overhead, much heavier to the east of this area. There was no measurable quantity so it was recorded as a trace.

The wind dropped out entirely between 20.00 and 23.30 but then slowly began to increase with a gust of 18mph at 07.38 on Friday.

A much warmer night followed due to a little cloud cover with the thermometer not falling below 8.4C, which was 4.4C above the 36-year average.

Friday initially saw some brightness as the sun rose but encroaching cloud from the south minimised its appearance by 08.00.

At 08.00 a wide rain band was shown on the radar approaching from the south, currently nearing Salisbury. It looks as if the dry gardens might get a drink today!

Update on Friday at 20.30: several hours of rainfall totalled 15.4mm by nightfall making it the wettest day in a month.