Category: Commentary

Friday started with the remnants of a rain band that was followed by a wet afternoon, which amounted to 5.1mm bringing the April total to 62.4mm being 4mm above the 34-year average.

With the wind backing again, now from the southeast into the northeast, it was not surprising to find that the temperatures were depressed with a maximum of only 9.7C. This was 4.3C below the April average also 4.5C down on Thursday’s maximum and the coldest day since 12th April.

A cloudy night followed with the wind continuing to back, now into the north, with a minimum of 6.3C, being 2.6C above the April average.

Saturday has started grey and dull with low cloud and light winds from the north, which will give us another very cool day.

Last year on 27th April my rhododendrons were in full bloom until a hard air frost, with a minimum of -3C, killed off the blooms. It indicates how far behind spring is this year.

Thursday gave us a splendid day with 9.7 hours of strong sunshine although the string westerly winds, gusting to 25 mph, pegged back the temperature to a maximum of 14.2C, average for late April and up 0.5C on Thursday.

Overnight the next weather front, very wide this time, approached with thickening cloud such that the minimum of 6.0C, being 2C above the average, occurred at 01.25.

The first rain began to fall just before 5.00am this morning and measured 4.0mm by 08.00 that brought the total for April to 57.3mm, which is 1mm short of the 34-year average.

Friday has dawned with thick cloud and continuous light rain with the slow moving rain bands likely to affect us for most of the day.

There has been a significant change in wind direction over the last twelve hours as the wind slowly backed from the west into the southeast, starting justify after 7pm on Thursday.

N.B. On this day last year my rhododendrons were in full bloom before a -3C air frost wrecked them.

Wednesday brought us typical April weather with sunshine, amounting to 6.74 hours, and variable cloud although only one shower occurred, which produced just 0.1mm of rainfall as the main shower bands passed to the north and south of this area.

It was the coolest day since 15th April with a maximum of only 13.7C, just below average. There was a strong gust of wind, reaching 28mph as the squall passed over.

Clearer skies overnight meant a cooler night with the thermometer falling to a minimum of 5.7C, down a degree on yesterday, although this had recovered to 8.9C at 08.00 this morning.

The cooler westerly wind continues this morning with strong sun after dawn that with a higher barometric pressure suggests less cloud during the day before the next weather front arrives this evening.

Tuesday was the first day since 13th April that the sun logger was not activated. However, there were bright intervals that lifted the thermometer to a maximum of 15.4C, being 1.4C above the average.

Light, short showers of drizzle occurred at 4pm and just after 6pm with more between 8 and 9pm. However the total precipitation was small measuring just 0.5mm.

Wednesday has dawned with broken, hazy sunshine after a low of 6.7C at 05.56, which was the coolest night for ten days but still 3C above the long-term average. At 08.00 the thermometer had risen to 8.4C.

Wednesday update at 13.31: short, sharp shower dropped temperature by 2C to 11.1C with wind gusting to 25mph and wind chill making it feel like 10C, average being 14C

Wednesday update at 16.10: first below average day, with a maximum of only 13.7C, for 10 days.

Monday was the first full day with the change in wind direction from the warm southerlies to predominant westerly winds. This resulted in a much cooler day than those experienced last week with a maximum of 14.8C, which was 5C down on the maximum for Sunday and 12C down on the record set last Thursday. However, this was 0.8C above the April average.

Sunshine was much less in evident on Monday with just 1.86 hours of strong sunshine being 8 hours less than enjoyed on Sunday. When the sun did show itself the UV level rose to 6.1, the highest since August 28th last year.

Overnight cloud meant that the thermometer fell to a minimum of 10.1C, much warmer than previous nights and 6C above average.

Tuesday has dawned with moderate cloud cover in advance of the next weather front.

Tuesday update at 18.15: after two dry days short bursts of heavy drizzle occurred at 16.00 and 18.05, lasting around 10 minutes on each occasion, ahead of imminent rain band.