Category: Commentary

Update at 18.00:
Temperature rises dramatically just after 15.00 to reach 10C (that is 3C above average)at 18.00 from 5C.

With no sun and no UV due to persistent low, thick cloud, Saturday was another cool, depressing winter’s day. There was persistent drizzle for most of the day with the thermometer reaching a maximum of 6.5C a 14.30, before falling away to 2.0C early evening.

There was little wind on Saturday, maximum gust of just 12 mph, with the wind initially from the west before backing into the south and occasionally from the east as the low pressure system moved away.

Light, wet snow began to fall this morning just before 07.15 and by 08.00 was much heavier before turning to rain by 08.30. Total precipitation in the last twenty-four hours amounted to 2.8mm, bringing the January total to 38.9mm, being 42% of the 34-year January average.

The temperature at 08.00 was 1.1C but likely to rise during the afternoon as a warmer air mass arrives from the west.

Friday produced a glorious day with over 6 hours of sunshine, the sunniest day since 28th December.

It was dry day with a maximum of 6.0C, down 2.2C on Thursday and just below average.

The rain arrived in the early hours of Saturday producing 0.9mm by 08.00 today.

The lowest temperature during the last twenty-four hours was -0.2C set just after readings were taken yesterday but by 08.00 today. The cloud from the associated rain front arriving overnight halted the loss of warmth through radiation allowing the thermometer to rise to 3.4C.

This morning is grey and dark with low cloud settling over the Marlborough Downs giving misty conditions and light rain.

Thursday, data down on Wednesday:
Maximum temperature down 2.4C at 8.2C, which was still 1.4C above average
Minimum of -0.2C down 5C at 07.55, which was 1.3C below average
Wind gusts peaking at 22mph, down 25mph
Sunshine of 3.47 hours was down 2.1 hours

After a sunny morning intermitted and sometimes thicker cloud, built up after midday, but no precipitation was recorded.

Due to the much drier air the evaporation from the ground and plant life was almost 1mm, the second highest this month.

This morning we are greeted by a clear sky giving the coldest morning at 08.00 this month. There is promise of much sunshine today as the barometric pressure has been rising for twenty-four hours, which is likely to minimise shower activity. However, tomorrow morning is likely to be very wet.

Wednesday was a superb day with 5.61 hours of glorious sunshine, the second sunniest day this month. However, the brisk westerly winds meant that the temperature was pegged back to around 6C during daylight hours, dropping back to 4C in the evening.

The forecast strong winds arrived just before 11pm last night, strengthening to a peak gust of 47mph at 01.45. This occurred due to a deep low pressure to the north of the country that backed the wind from west to south starting just after 7pm last night. The southerly winds brought a temporary blast of warmer air that pushed the thermometer to a maximum of 10.6C at 02.07 early this morning before falling away to 5.2C today at 08.00.

The wide band of mainly light rain arrived just after 9pm, producing 1.9mm of precipitation.

This morning was heralded by broken cloud, the promise of more sunshine and the thermometer falling a little further due to the clearer skies and before the sun began to have any effect. The wind has now veered into the southwest and moderated considerably.

Update at 12.30: Temperature 6.2C but wind chill makes it feel like 3C with wind gusting to 29mph.

Monday produced 2.15 hours of sunshine but the brisk western wind, gusting to 26mph, pegged back the temperature with a maximum of 6.4C, just below average and 3.5C cooler than Monday. There was also a wind chill making it feel a couple of degrees cooler.

There was a short sharp shower at 13.30 that started as rain and briefly turned to soft hail. There was also a short shower of small hail overnight. Both showers combined only produced 0.4mm of precipitation.

It was significant to see that the UV level yesterday, at 0.8, was the highest value since 12th December. We have endured 6 days in January with thick, overcast skies that meant no UV level was detected.

The thermometer was at its lowest of 1.7C, just above the January average, at 22.39 last night. The temperature has recovered slightly to reach 2.8C at 08.00 today.

The day is starting with predominantly clear sky, minimal cloud at 08.00, with a slight ground frost and the wind having moderated. The humidity level at 08.00 was 82%, very low for this time of day and the lowest this month, equal to that on 3rd of January. There is promise of fewer showers today and more sunshine as the wind continues to moderate as a result of the barometric pressure continuing to rise, up 10mb from yesterday.