Category: Commentary

With no precipitation on Monday it was only the fourth dry day this month. The current rainfall total is 62.9mm being 118% of the 35-year average.

Although it was a little warmer than many previous days this June the maximum of 19.5C was still 0.7C below the average. Likewise, the overnight minimum of 8.3C was below average (-1.8C).

Tuesday arrived with low cloud covering the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest that at times limited visibly, e.g. at 06.30, to 500m.

By 08.00 the fog had lifted and the temperature risen to 11.3C. The significant feature this morning is the total lack of any wind with both anemometers stationary at 08.00.

Update on Tuesday at 18.30: heaviest rain bypasses Marlborough again with just 0.5mm up to this time.

The almost 8 hours of sunshine on Sunday, as a result of much less cloud cover, lifted the temperature to a maximum of 19.4C. the third warmest day this month but still 0.8C below the 35-year average. The little rain that fell was in the earlier part of the morning.

The past night has been the second warmest this month with the thermometer not falling below 12.9C, which was 2.8C above the average and only the third above average night this month.

Monday was initially cloudy but the cloud thinned and the sun broke through just before 08.00 with the temperature at that time eased upwards to read 15.5C.

Saturday brought another below average day with the maximum of 18.6C, although it was the warmest day since 3rd June, being 1.6C below the 35-year average.

The past night was cooler again being 2.1C below average with a minimum of 8.0C at 01.35 this morning with the thermometer slowly easing upwards to teach 11.9C at 08.00.

After a predominantly dry day on Saturday, rain began to fall at 06.30 this morning, Sunday, as a rain band again drifted across from the south west, bringing the monthly total to 62.5mm.

Update on Sunday at 20.00: temperature eases upwards again with a maximum of 19.4C, but still below average (-0.7C).

Although earlier in the month gardeners and farmers were hoping for rain, the low pressure system that has been plaguing us for the past six days has outlived its welcome.

Friday saw another 1.4mm of rainfall added to the total, now 59.1mm. However, we have not suffered the extremes of rainfall other parts of the country recently endured as the June rainfall is only 6mm above the 35-year average, but we are only half way through the month.

With the depression circulating above the UK bringing the thick cloud cover and bands of rain it was not surprising to see the maximum on Friday still 2.8C below the average but this was up 4C on the Thursday maximum.

The past night was also below average (-0.6C) with a minimum of 9.5C.

Saturday began with bright sunshine but by 07.30 advance cloud from the next rain band began to obscure she sky.

The depression that has plagued us over the past four days is reluctant to move away so Thursday was another dull day with bursts of rainfall that amounted to 5.0mm and brought the monthly total to 57.mm. This brought the June total 4mm above the 35-year average.

Temperature by day was again depressed due to the thick cloud cover and frequent showers with a maximum of only 13.3C, which was 6.9C below average. The converse was true of the past night as the thick cloud cover meant little warmth, such that there was, escaping into the atmosphere and as a result the minimum of 10.4C was 0.3C above the average.

The diurnal temperature was 2.9C, the difference between day and night time temperatures, that can have a range of up to 25C when a very cool night under clear skies is followed by a hot day.

Friday dawned as previous days with showers of rain from a sky full of heavy cloud but at least the wind still comes from the south west, usually a warmer direction. We live in hope of this miserable low-pressure system moving away – soon!

Update on Friday at 18.00: temperature eases upwards with maximum of 17.4C but still almost 3C below average.