Category: Commentary

Friday saw the thermometer soar to a maximum of 20.4C, which was 6.4C above the 35-year average and the warmest day since 27th September.

A minimum of 5.5C, registered at 06.31 Saturday morning, was 1.4C above average.

The anticyclone over southern Scandinavia is bringing warm air from Central Europe.

With nine consecutive days without measurable rainfall, combined with many hours of sunshine and drier air from the east, the equivalent rainfall of evaporation from ground sources and plant life now exceeds the April rainfall total. Rainfall is currently 32.0mm and evaporation 34.48mm.

Saturday arrived with sunshine as the sun rose above the horizon through thin high cloud.

Update on Friday at 16.10: temperature up again with a maximum of 22.7C at 15.57, which was 8.7C above average and the warmest day since 17th September.

Wednesday saw the thermometer soar to 17.1C at 16.48 making this the warmest day since 30th March and was 3.1C above average. There was little wind in the air movement from the north east with a peak gust of 13mph.

It was another dry day with the UV level peaking at 3.6 or ‘moderate’.

A mild night followed with the thermometer not falling below 8.1C, which was 4C above average.

Thursday brought misty conditions at dawn limiting visibility to 1,400m but beginning to brighten at 08.00 with the thermometer reading 8.8C.

Update on Thursday at 16.55: maximum of 20.4C at 16.41, which was 6.4C above the 35-year average and the warmest day since 13th October.

Tuesday brought a few spots of rain during mid-morning but nothing measurable. The temperature peak was still below average at 13.3C (-0.7C) and down 0.3C on the Sunday peak.

During the evening the temperature was initially stable around 10C but late evening and overnight it fell away steadily to a minimum of 1.8C at 05.10 producing dense fog with visibly down to 90m. The temperature then lifted to 4.7C at 08.00

Update on Wednesday at 18.30: thermometer soared to 17.1C at 16.48 under strong sunshine, which was 3.1C above average and the warmest day this month.

Initially on Monday the wind was coming from the very cool east but mid-morning there was a subtle shift, veering into the southeast. This resulted in the warmest day for a fortnight, the 1st was 1.2C warmer. The temperature reached a maximum of 13.6C, whilst the second warmest this month it was still 0.4C below average.

Cloud built up late afternoon from an encroaching weather front easing in from the west as the predominate anticyclone centred over Scandinavia for sometime began to lose its grip on the UK. That meant a much milder night, no frost, with the thermometer not falling any lower than 6.6C, which was 2.5C above average.

With no rain for six days and a much drier air from the east or northeast recently, the rate of evaporation has increased losing the equivalent rainfall of 3.4mm on Monday. The total evaporation for April so far is 27mm, which is only 5mm below the April rainfall.

Sunday saw the thermometer struggle to a maximum of 9.2C, which was 4.8C below average and more like a late February day. Overnight was not quite so cold as previously being frost free falling to 4.8C.

Update on Monday at 18.30: warmth begins to return with a maximum of 13.6C, but still 0.4c below average, although second warmest day in April.