Category: Commentary

After a cloudy start to Sunday the sun broke through mid-morning producing 10 hours but the UV level, although still in the very high category, was the lowest this month, as was the maximum solar radiation. The thermometer rose to a peak of 23.1C at 15.50, which although the lowest for four days was still 0.4C above the 35-year average.

With no rain on Sunday the first week of June has produced just 0.3mm of rainfall.

Sunday night into Monday was a warm night with the thermometer not falling below 12.9C, being 1.1C above average.

Monday initially arrived with bright sunshine but a fog bank drifted across just after 07.15, blocking the sun and limiting visibility to 600m. By 08.00 the fog had evaporated and the thermometer risen to 14.7C with weak sunshine breaking thorough.

The June data is now updated. Apologies for the late input of the recent data.

Saturday gave us a sunny morning but advancing cloud from the next weather front obscured the sun for much of the afternoon. However, with light winds, varying between Northwest and then Northeast in the afternoon, the thermometer crept up to a maximum of 23.5C at 13.02 before the sun’s strength became dimmed, this was 0.8C above average.

It was a dry day. During the late evening much thicker cloud from the cold front passed over but produced no rain. However, another area of thick cloud traversed the area between 04.00 and 05.00 early Sunday and produced 0.3mm of light rain just before 04.30. This was the first rainfall after ten dry days.

The thick cloud meant a mild night with the thermometer not falling below 13.2C, which was 1.4C above average.

Sunday arrived with a hang back of cloud front the weather front but brief glimpses of sunshine were observed around 08.00.

Although the anticyclone had started to weaken, down 6mb, Friday gave us another hot day with a maximum of 25.1C, just 0.1C below the Thursday peak but another above average day being +2.4C.

The UV level not surprisingly reached the very high level again although sunshine hours were reduced compared to previous days due to transient high cloud but 11.6 hours were recorded.

Friday night into Saturday was cooler as clear skies allowed warmth from the ground to radiate into the atmosphere producing a minimum just after dawn (05.10) of 8.8C, which was exactly 3C below the July average.

We were greeted on Saturday morning by strong sunshine that by 08.00 had lifted the thermometer to a reading of 18.9C. However, advancing cloud from the next weather front is advancing from the north and can be seen seen as broken cloud in the northern sky and is expected to reduce sunshine from around mid-morning as it approaches from the north west.

With over 12 hours of strong sunshine and the UV level again into the very high category it was not surprising to find that the thermometer rose to a maximum of 25.2C at 18.43, up 2.8C on the Wednesday peak. There was a peak of 24.9C at 15.33 before it dropped a degree or so but late afternoon strong sunshine boosted the temperature again.

It was another dry day, the ninth in succession.

Thursday night proved to be warm with a minimum of 11.7C being just 0.1C below the 35-year July average and 4.4C above the Thursday minimum.

The sun shone strongly after dawn on Friday, with the occasional dimming as small cloud passed between us, as a result by 08.00 the thermometer had soared to 19.1C.

The barometric pressure has been dropping over the past twenty-four hours so a change in our weather is on the way after four glorious days.

Update on Friday at 17.40: thermometer did not quite reach yesterday’s peak (25.2C) with a maximum of 25.1C at 15.52, still 2.4C above the average. UV level again very high.

As the anticyclone to the west of the UK became firmly established the temperature on Wednesday rose to a maximum of 22.8C at 16.46, which was just 0.1C above the July average and up 3C on the Tuesday peak.

The wind, having veered into the north east and gusting to 15mph, moderated any increase in temperature.

The UV level again rose into the very high category.

With mainly clear skies overnight the thermometer began a steady fall to reach a minimum of 7.3C at 05.30 being 4.5C below average. The strong sunshine after dawn lifted the temperature to 16.4C at 08.00, Thursday morning.

Update on Thursday at 16.10: temperature up again to a maximum of 24.9C at 15.33, which was 2.2C above the average and 1.9C up on the Wednesday peak.

Update at 19.10: after reaching the peak at 15.33 the temperature dipped a couple of degrees before rising again, as a result of strong early evening sunshine, to provide a maximum of 25.2C at 18.43, being 2.5C above the average.