Category: Commentary

Although no measurable rain fell during daylight hours on Wednesday another 4.8mm fell overnight bringing the June total to 52.0mm when the average is 53.1mm.

The temperature on Wednesday was up 3C on the very cold Tuesday, a maximum of 14.4C was a significant 5.8C below the 35-year average. With the wind much lighter it felt a less cold.

The UV level increased from ‘Low’ on Tuesday to ‘Moderate’ on Wednesday

The thick cloud and rain overnight meant the thermometer only fell about 4C to a minimum of 9.9C, which was just below the average.

Thursday saw the light rain continue until just before 08.00 with just an occasional glimpse of brightness.

Overnight the wind direction has changed from the persistent northeasterly to a current gentle breeze from the south – a much warmer direction.

Tuesday saw a record broken for the lowest June daytime temperature I have recorded with a maximum of only 11.4C, which was 8.8C below the 35-year average. The minimum overnight was also below average with a low of 8.8C(-1.3C).

This extreme low temperature by day was due to the continuing strong north-east wind, gusting to 29 mph, dragging in cold air from around the Arctic regions as the depression slowly rotated anticlockwise from east to west over the UK, moving so very slowly.

Although we had many hours of steady rain on Monday, Tuesday produced just 0.3mm. We are fortunate not to have suffered under the deluge that has overwhelmed some parts of the country to the east and west. The rainfall for June currently stands at 47.2mm when the 35-year average is 53.1mm.

Wednesday morning began dry with the cloud thinner and a lower cloud base also the wind having fallen lighter. With the thermometer reading 9.6C at 08.00 it is the coolest start to the morning at this time of day for almost a month.

The barometric pressure is still low for this time of the year as the depression continues to linger over the UK with no sign that it will quickly move on! Depressions deeper than the current one are not unusual at this time of the year, the problem is its position and thus the resultant wind direction.

Update on Wednesday at 17.46: another dismal day but no measurable rainfall at this time. The wind fell light so feeling a little warmer even though the maximum was just 14.4C, which was 5.8C below average but 3C higher than on Tuesday.

The depression centred over the south east of the UK on Monday, and circulating clockwise, dragged cold air from the north over the country with wind varying between north and north east. The temperature for much of the day was around 11C with the maximum only 12.7C, which was 7.5C below average making it the coldest day for over a month.

The combination of heat across parts of southern and central Europe, combined with low pressure systems approaching the UK from the south, meant initially warm air had absorbed much moisture thus the numerous hours of rain and heavy downpours. The rainfall for the past twenty-four hours amounted to 25.1mm making it the wettest day since 24th May 2018 when 31.9mm was recorded.

The calendar indicates we are in June but during Monday evening and Tuesday morning the wind was so strong it produced a wind chill that dropped the ambient temperature by between 2C and 3C. Thus at 18.00 on Monday evening the thermometer registered 9.7C but the wind chill meant it felt more like 7.1C.

Another cold night was to follow with a minimum of 8.4C with wind chill making it feel more like 6.1C.

The rain stopped just after 07.40 on Tuesday with a hang back of thick cloud and the wind slowly abating after rising since midnight peaking at 28mph at 06.54, Tuesday, as the depression has moved southwards and is now centred over the Chanel Islands.

Update on Tuesday at 16.14: record low June daytime temperature of only 11.4C, which equalled that previously set on 11th June 2012. It was a significant 8.8C below the 35-year average, however, the strong northeasterly wind produced a wind chill, which meant it felt a degree or two colder at times.

We missed the showers on Sunday, just a few drops late afternoon amounting to only 0.1mm. The light breeze from the south west and 8.8 hours of sunshine meant a slightly warmer day with a maximum of 18.0C, but that was still 2.2C below average. Every day of the last week has brought below average maxima and only one night this month has been above average.

A cool, if not cold night followed with the thermometer falling way down to 4.5C at 03.55, which was the coldest night since 16th May and a significant 5.6C below the 35-year average.

There was a little brightness between 07.30 and 08.00 on Monday morning but thickening cloud from the depression to the east is slowly easing our way.

The shift in the direction of the air mass movement from south west, backing into the north today, will even though it is light in strength, make for a very cool day.

Update on Monday at 15.15: thermometer struggled briefly to reach a maximum of 12.7C, which was almost 8C below average, before falling back to between 10C and 11C as the cloud thickened and rain began to fall steadily and continuously since noon.

After the very wet day on Friday, Saturday brought 10 hours of welcome sunshine. However, the temperature was depressed with a maximum of only 16.2C, which was 4C below the 35-year average. The cool day was due to the very brisk winds from the south west, maximum gust of 26mph, thanks to the strong air flow on the southern flank of storm Miguel, although we did not suffer the stronger winds experienced on the south coast.

A dry day with the UV level rising up to the ‘high’ category, Friday was ‘moderate’ in the afternoon after the rain front had passed through.

Another cool night was to follow, again below average, with a minimum of 6.5C (-3.5C).

Sunday saw strong sunshine from dawn that by 08.00 had lifted the temperature to 13.1C as the depression was long departed and the barometric pressure recovered to give a minor ridge of high pressure with a reading of 1020.8mb after the low of 997.4mb on Friday.