Category: Commentary

Friday saw the thermometer rise to a maximum of 29.1C, almost 7C above average, during the 14.37 hours of strong sunshine and Very High UV, the latter being the highest this month.

The heat and many hours of sunshine meant that Friday saw 5.2mm of equivalent rainfall evaporate into the atmosphere, which now totals 30mm this month.

A slightly cooler night followed when the thermometer fell to a minimum of 12.7C but strong sunshine soon after dawn saw this rise to 19.8C at 08.00, the warmest morning for a year when on 9th July 2017 the day started at 08.00 with 21.8C.

Saturday update at 17.30: maximum of 28.9C at 17.05 was 0.2C down on Friday’s peak but still 6.6C above the July average. UV of 8.5 was Very High again and the highest since 22nd June.

Thursday raised the maximum again to 28.7C, being 4.7C up on the Wednesday peak and 6.2C above the 34-year average.

The wind was again light with a maximum gust off just 11mph but throughout the day coming from the north.

Not only was it warmer than Wednesday but the number of sunshine hours rose to 9.8 with the UV level again into the Very High category.

Another mild night followed with the thermometer not falling below 14.8C, which was 3C above average.

The soil temperature at a depth of 5cm read 23.3C at 08.00 this morning as a consequence of the hot days and warm nights.

Friday arrived with sunshine as soon as the sun rose above the horizon that raised the temperature at 08.00 to 19.6C.

Friday update at 17.15: maximum of 29.1C at 16.59 with UV Very High again at level 8.0, the highest this month.

Wednesday saw variable could arriving just before midday lowering temperatures than on previous days with a maximum of 24.0C, but still 1.7C above the 34-year July average.

A few spots of rain were noted at 14.30 then a light shower started at 19.03 that lasted for 12 minutes that produced just 0.6mm of rainfall.

Evaporation from ground sources and plant life now totals the equivalent of 20mm of rainfall.

An interesting feature of the wind yesterday was that it started from the east and gradually veered from the south mid-afternoon then late evening from the west where it is continues this morning, but very light.

Wednesday night was milder than of late due to variable cloud giving a minimum of 13.3C.

Thursday morning arrived with fog giving visibly down to 200m. The fog quickly dispersed as the sun got to work but the variable cloud only allowed glimpses of sunshine before 08.00 but then strong and maintained.

Thursday update at 17.25: temperature rose higher today with maximum of 28.6C at 16.27, up 4.6C on Wednesday’s Maximum and 6.3C above the 34-year July average. UV level still Very High.

Tuesday brought us 14.54 hours of sunshine and the UV level continued at Very High lifting the maximum to 27.1C. Thus was 1C dawn on Monday but still almost 5C above average.

Evaporation from ground sources and plant life over the three days of this month has already reached the rainfall equivalent of 16mm with no rain.

Overnight was less chilly with a minimum of 12.9C being 1C above average.

Wednesday dawned with variable cloud and little sunshine although by 08.00 the temperature had risen to 15.7C, the coolest night this month.

Wednesday update: A rare phenomenon was noted at 14.30 when literally a few spots of rain were seen and felt that lasted three minutes, which immediately evaporated. Also noted was that the very light breeze had veered into the south, not seen from that direction since 16th June.

Update at 18.50: maximum temperature of 24.0C at 17.42,down 3C on Tuesday. A few spots of rain, but nothing more, detected at 18.50.

Update at 19.25: first measurable rainfall (light) since 18th June lasting 12 minutes starting at 19.03 totalling 0.6mm.

Monday gave us 15 hours of strong sunshine that boosted the thermometer to a maximum of 28.3C, which was 6C above average, tempered by the very brisk north easterly breeze often gusting to 22mph.

The evaporation from ground sources and plant life was equivalent to rainfall of 6.71mm.

A cooler night followed with a minimum of 11.6C, which was average for July, that with the effect of sunshine from dawn, raised the temperature at 08.00 to 17.1C.

Tuesday update at 17.00: maximum of 27.1C at 16.03,which was down 1.2C on Monday’s high but still 5C above the July average. Sunshine will exceed 14 hours.