Category: Commentary

With little sunshine and a cooler day, Tuesday saw the beginning of the change in our recent weather pattern. The thermometer registered a maximum of 21.8C, although 7.8C above average it was 2.1C down on the peak of 23.9C on Monday.

Cloud thickened late afternoon with a few spots of rain falling between 18.30 ad 19.00. This was but not measurable hence registered as a ‘trace’ in the record.

The thick cloud meant another mild night with a minimum of 10.0C at 06.30 this morning, Wednesday, which saw glimpses of brightness between minimal breaks in the cloud.

The barometric pressure is at its lowest for almost two months with a current reading of 990.7mb. This is due to the recent Scandinavian ‘high’ receding and low-pressure systems moving in from the Atlantic that were previously blocked by the ‘high’.

Update on Wednesday at 18.05: temperature rose slowly to an early maximum of 16.1C at 11.06 but then fell away to between 10C and 11C for the rest of the day. Heavy rain started to fall at 11.16 amounting to 4.1mm.

The thermometer rose higher again on Monday peaking at 23.9C, which was 10C above the 35-year average. This was thanks to the breeze coming from the south east, a change from the recent days of northeasters, bringing more very warm air from central Europe.

There followed a very mild night with a minimum of 10.1C, which was 6C above average and the warmest day since 3rd December.

A sky dominated with thin high cloud welcomed in Tuesday morning giving weak sunshine.

The equivalent rainfall lost through evaporation from plant life and ground sources now stands at 50.34mm for this month, being 18mm above the April rainfall.

Update on Tuesday at 19.55: temperature maximum of 21.8C down 2C on peak this month as weather pattern changes and rain spots observed between 18.30 and 19.00, but not measurable

Sunday saw the UV level rose to a peak 5.3, which was in the ‘high’ category, last reached on the 12th September. The numerous hours of strong sunshine meant another very warm day with the thermometer reaching a maximum of 23.6C, which was 9.6C above average and the warmest day since 3rd September.

The night following was not quite so cold as previous nights with the thermometer falling no lower than 5.1C at 05.52 Monday morning, which was 1C above average.

The air movement on Sunday morning, after a calm night, was from the north east. However, just after 14.00 I noticed the anemometer veering quite quickly into the south west.

Monday arrived with hazy sunshine as the result of thin high cloud due to a change in the weather as the barometric pressure has fallen away significantly, now reading 1007.2mb at 08.00 after a high of 1031.1mb on the 20th.

Saturday saw the thermometer soar to a maximum of 23.3C at 16.41, which was 9.3C above average and the warmest day since 3rd September.

The opposite occurred under clear skies overnight as the thermometer slowly fell away to a minimum of 3.2C at 06.27, recovering to 8.8C at 08.00 Sunday.

Sunday saw strong sunshine from dawn.

The moisture lost to the atmosphere through evaporation from ground sources and plant life has been increasing during the sunny, dry weather with an equivalent loss of rainfall on Saturday of 4.11mm. The loss in April now totals 42.45mm with rainfall totalling just 32.0mm.

Update on Sunday at 19.30. Even warmer with a maximum of 23.6C being 9.6C above average. The UV level rose into the ‘high’ category for the first time this year.

Friday, under many hours of strong sunshine, saw the thermometer climb to a maximum of 22.8C, which was 8.8C above average and the warmest day since 17th September. This is the result of the high pressure still over southern Scandinavia bringing warm air from Central Europe on a modest breeze, maximum gust of 17mph.

The barometric pressure has risen a little higher again with a current reading of 1031.0mb, the highest for almost a month.

A very cool night was to follow, under clear skies, that allowed the warmth to escape into the atmosphere and the temperature to fall to a. minimum of 3.6C.

The sun shone strongly as soon as it crossed the horizon on Saturday morning with the promise of another very warm day with a reading of 10.7C at 08.00.

Update on Saturday at 20.10: thermometer eased upwards again to a maximum of 23.1C at 16.41, which was 9.1C above average.