Category: Commentary

Although Thursday brought us an increase in sunshine hours to 4.3 hours the temperature was below average due to light winds then from the northeast.

The maximum by day was 19.1C due to a late afternoon burst of sunshine at 17.26 being 1.6C below average. The minimum overnight, due to clearing skies, gave a minimum of 7.7C at 03.54, being 3.5C below average.

Friday dawned with weak, intermittent sunshine due to variable cloud that by 08.00, when readings were taken, had become stronger and more consistent raising the temperature to 11.8C.

Update at 17.50: late burst of sunshine raises temperature to a maximum of 21.2C at 17.03. This was the first day of above average temperature (+0.5C) in seven days and the sunniest day since the 25th.

With a little more sunshine, 3.2 hours, Wednesday was a little brighter and a little warmer than previous days with a maximum 20.7C at 16.47 thanks to late afternoon sunshine. This made it the warmest day for five days but still below average, just 0.1C.

With mainly clear skies a cold night followed allowing the thermometer to fall to a minimum of just 5.8C at 06.20, which was 5.7C below the 34-year August average.

Thursday arrived with thin high cloud and weak sunshine with the thermometer slowly rising to 8.8C at 08.00 making it the coldest morning at this time since 9th May.

The diurnal range over the past twenty-four hours was considerable at almost 16C.

Update at 15.00: wind still light but now coming from the northeast, which pegged back temperatures to a maximum of 18.7C at 12.35 after brief strong sunshine.

Update at 17.40: burst of late after sunshine lifts temperature again to maximum of 19.1C at 17.26, being 1.6C below average. Very light breeze, still from northeast. Another dry day.

With overnight rain amounting to 1.6mm, this brings the August total to 62.3mm, still 4mm short of the 34-year average, which if no more rain falls this month will make it the fourth consecutive below average month.

There is little rain in the forecast for the last three days of August with the evaporation now equivalent to 72mm of rainfall.

Tuesday saw a little sunshine in the afternoon of 2.85 hours, an hour longer than on Monday, that with very light winds, maximum gust of 11mph, from the south and south east, meant a slightly warmer day with a maximum of 20.3C (-0.4C) at 17.02.

The cloudy night gave a minimum of 11.9C, just above average, that produced a rain shower of 1.6mm.

Wednesday started damp from the overnight rain and thick cloud and very still conditions.

Update at 18.25: temperature eases up again to peak of 20.6C at 16.47, almost average for August, as sunshine increase to over 3 hours in the afternoon. Another dry day with light winds from the northwest.

Monday brought relief from the many hours of rain on Sunday being a dry day. However, the cool westerly wind, brisk at times, pegged back the temperatures.

The thermometer slowly rose to a maximum of 18.6C at 14.54 but with little sun, just 1.7 hours, it was the fourth consecutive below average day (-2.1C).

In the brief sunny intervals the UV level just rose into the High category.

Overnight cloud meant a mild night, the warmest for five days, with a minimum of 13.3C, being almost 2C above average.

Tuesday arrived with overcast skies with no sun to brighten the day although the cool westerly wind has dropped out with little movement of air.

The total rainfall for August is now 60.9mm and evaporation in excess of this with the equivalent loss of rainfall equal to 72mm.

Update at 18.00: late sunshine lifts temperature to a maximum of 20.3C at 17.02, making this the sixth consecutive day with below average temperature (-0.4C). A dry day with light winds, maximum gust of 11mph.

Sunday saw the rain start in earnest just after 9am and continue for almost seven hours producing a total of 18.8mm of precipitation, which made it the wettest day since 24th May. This brought the August rainfall total to 60.9mm, almost 6mm below the 34-year average.

With rain for much of the day and thick cloud it was not surprising that the temperature was 7C below the average with a reading of 13.3C. However, as the cloud thinned late afternoon and a little brightness arrived, but no sunshine, it raised the maximum to 17.8C, which was still 3C below average.

It was a windy day with a peak gust of 27mph at 13.03 coming from the south. Late afternoon the wind veered into the west again as the weather front moved away to the east.

A minimum of 11.9C was recorded overnight, being almost average for late August, as the cloud cover persisted.

Monday arrived with the cloud persisting, but thinning, as brief, very weak sunshine was in evidence when readings were take at 08.00.

Update at 15.15: brisk westerlies, peak gust of 18mph, peg back warmth to maximum of 18.6C. A dry day after the deluge on Sunday.

Summer rainfall, with four days to go, stands at 91mm when 34-year average is currently 182mm, so just 50% of long-term average.