Category: Commentary

Monday was a miserable day with almost continuous rain throughout the morning, easing up in the afternoon and becoming intermittent from the very wide and slow moving rain band.

I recorded 4.4mm of rainfall yesterday that now brings the March total to 58.8mm being 1mm above the 34-year average.

There was just one very brief spell of sunshine in the afternoon lasting 3 minutes.

The rain and thick cloud depressed the temperatures on Monday with a maximum of just 9.1C, which was 1.5C below the average. This occurred as the influence of the depression began to wain when it drifted eastwards and as a consequence the wind backed into the northwest. Overnight the temperature very slowly fell away reaching a minimum of 2.3C at 06.42, being almost exactly average for March.

Tuesday has dawned overcast with very still wind conditions.

Sunday gave us sunshine during the morning with 1.5 hours but soon after midday the sky began to cloud over with rain arriving at 16.00, being intense for a 10 minute period at 16.30. Overnight the rain continued producing a total of 16.7mm, the wettest day since 14th February. This brings the total for March to 54.5mm being just 3mm below the 34-year March average.

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 11.7C at 11.59 on Sunday, being 1.1C above average but then dropping back, due to the cloud cover, giving a reading of 7.6C this morning at 08.00, which was 5C above the March average.

During the brief sunny morning the UV level rose to 2.3, the highest reading since 24th October.

Currently a depression is overhead central England that is slow moving, rotating in an anticlockwise direction, so that the wind later today will change into a west to north westerly as the low pressure exits east. This weather system is slow moving so we can expect much more rain today.

Although there were only 20 minutes of sunshine on Saturday the very mild air from a southerly direction pushed the thermometer to a maximum of 12.2C, being 1.6C above the March average and the warmest day since 23rd January.

Although the thermometer fell away to a minimum of 4.4C at midnight, it was the warmest night for almost three weeks and 2.2C above the 34-year March average. By 08.00 today, the temperature had recovered to 6.9C as cloud and showers moved in during the early hours with most of the light shower activity between 06.30 and 07.30.

The sky is mostly cloudy this morning with only the odd glimpse of weak sunshine.

Sunday update at 15.30: another day with an above average temperature of 11.7C just before midday.

Sunday update at 17.00: rain started 16.00 with intense, short 10 minute downpour at 16.30.

During the daylight hours on Friday the thermometer peaked at 7.8C at 10.45 before falling back a little during the continuous rain during the afternoon.

Very mild air from a southerly direction reversed this trend so that the thermometer slowly rose overnight to reach 10.1C at 08.00 this morning. This makes it the warmest morning since 19th February.

The first rain drops began just before 1pm on Friday with light rain then continuing for over seven hours with a much heaver rain band during the night. It was the wettest day for almost a month with a total of 10.2mm.

Saturday has dawned with overcast skies and a modest breeze.

Saturday update at 20.00: maximum of 12.2C at 13.40, warmest day since 23rd January.

Thursday was the sunniest day for a fortnight with 6.38 hours of sunshine although the westerly breeze, gusting to 33mph at times, pegged back the temperature to a maximum of 9.7C just before 2pm, almost 1C below the March average. In the morning there was significant wind chill making it feel at least 2C cooler.

There was a light shower at 21.00 amounting to 0.3mm.

The thermometer fell away overnight to a minimum of 0.8C at 05.15, giving a slight ground frost but recovering to 1.7C at 08.00.

Friday has dawned with total cloud cover, if thin, and no likelihood of any sunshine as the next weather front slowly approaches from the west.

Friday update at 13.00: first rain drops from approaching weather front with temperature at 7.7C.

Friday update at 13.45: steady light rain now setting in, which will last several hours and get heavier.

Friday update at 19.45: temperature rising for last three hours as mild air arrives, to 8.2C, up 1C from minimum at 15.30. Rain for last seven hours falling lighter.

Friday update at 21.45, warmer by night than day as thermometer continues to rise steadily, currently at 9.5C. This is only 1C below day average.