Category: Commentary

Monday brought another unsettled day with mixed sunshine and showers. With 2.6 hours of sunshine it was the sunniest day for a week but another 2.0mm of rain was added to the monthly total now standing at 123.5m, which is 33mm above the 35-year average. Although this is a large total for December, this month in 2013 produced 157mm, so 2019 is well below the record.

Temperatures by day and night were above average at 9.1C (+1.1C) and 5.9C (+3.7C).

Tuesday arrive with predominantly cloudy skies but less windy.

With just 0.6mm of rain on Sunday it was almost a dry day, but not quite, after the deluges of previous days. We have only had five totally dry days in December. The total rainfall this year currently stands at 986.5mm, which is 140mm above the 34 year average.

Both maximum and minimum temperatures over the past twenty-four hours have been above the average with 8.1C (+0.1C) and 5.0C (+2.8C).

The barometric pressure has been rising for the last 36 hours which will dampen out the showers and provide a drier day with, hopefully, some sunny intervals.

Monday arrived with broken cloud and almost still conditions.

Although the unsettled weather continued with more rain on Saturday we did enjoy a brighter period before noon with 2 hours of sunshine. Another 8.7mm of rain fell bringing the monthly total to 120.9mm, which is 30mm above the 35-year average and the ninth wettest since my records began in 1984.

Temperatures by day, at a maximum of 8.8C, were a little above average (+0.8C) likewise the overnight cloud meant that loss of warmth to the atmosphere was minimised resulting in a minimum of 5.6C (+3.4C).

Sunday arrived with broken cloud, the rain having ceased at the current time of 08.00.

The Winter Solstice occurred at 04.19 today, the 22nd of December.

Friday saw the continuation of the unsettled weather with no sunshine or UV level recorded. There were frequent showers by day and night amounting to 9.3mm. The brought the monthly rainfall total to 112.2mm, which is 21mm above the 35-yea average.

The daytime maximum was just above average (+0.3C) at 8.3C, just before noon.

The cloud cover and rain overnight meant a mild night with the thermometer reaching a low of 3.9C being 1.7C above average.

Saturday dawned with the last of the thick cloud easing away to the eastern horizon and predominantly clear skies in very light winds from the south.

Rain fell for many hours during daylight and darkness on Thursday to bring another 15.9mm of rainfall. That brought the December rainfall total to 102.9mm, which is 12mm above the 35-year average. This is not exceptional for this month as since my records began in 1984 we have had fourteen wetter Decembers, but, there are still 12 days to go before the end of the month.

The wind, again gusting strongly at times and mainly from the south, reached a maximum of 32mph.

The warm air from Iberia fell away a little during the day dropping away to 7.2C and stabilising overnight.

Friday started with heavy, thick cloud as a very wide weather front continued to bring steady rainfall.