Category: Commentary

The weather front that straddled our area for most of the day on Wednesday produced a very damp morning under low cloud, no great quantity, just 0.8mm. Measurable precipitation ceased in the afternoon but the total cloud cover remained. As a result of the lingering weather front and associated cloud and lack of sunshine, the thermometer only rose to 18.9C at 13.14 being 2.5C below my 40-year average. This maximum made it the coolest day since 15th July. Under clearing skies in the evening the thermometer dropped away to a minimum of 10.7C logged at 03.47 early Thursday, which was also below average at -1.2C.

Thursday arrived bright and cheerful under mainly clear skies, and welcome sunshine again, lifting the temperature to 13.6C at 08.00.

A temporary ridge of high pressure will begin build today, and continue tomorrow, so a mainly dry day, however, the depression over Iceland will throw cloud across southern England as the afternoon progresses. The barometric pressure at 08.00 was logged at 1015.4mb, up 3mb since yesterday.

Tuesday was the last of the very hot and dry days that saw the thermometer climb to 25.5C at 15.28 being 4.1C above my 40-year average. During the late afternoon variable cloud began to reduce the sunshine hence the peak mid-afternoon. The UV level of 6.4 was down on the last four days but still at the top of the Very High category. A low of 16.8C overnight meant a very mild night and the second warmest night this month being 5.0C above average.

Wednesday revealed a cloudy and damp start to the new day. The humidity at 08.00 read 08%, the highest this month. A warm front has been straddling our area since just after midnight producing light rain and drizzle since around 04.00 resulting in 3.1mm of precipitation.

As a result of the considerable heat by day and the past night being very mild, the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm read 19.9C at 08.00.

A peak of 29.3C on Monday was 7.8C above my 40-year average and occurred at 12.45. That was much earlier in the day than usually as variable cloud began to limit the sunshine also the breeze picked a little allowing the temperature to slowly fall a couple of degrees. The past night was the coolest this month with a low of 9.1C at 05.22 early Tuesday under clear skies. The was the coolest night this month.

Tuesday began with strong sunshine, however, a weather front will cross the country as the day progresses bringing cloud early afternoon limiting the sunshine and heat. The barometric pressure has stabilised with a reading of 1009.7mb at 08.00. A ridge of high pressure will edge in on Wednesday.

Monday under the heat and breeze we lost the equivalent of 4.02mm of rainfall through evaporation from ground sources and plant life.

Although Saturday morning was many overcast the afternoon sunshine boosted the temperature to a maximum of 24.1C late in the afternoon at 17.20, which was 2.7C above my 40-year average. The past night was again mild due to the cloud cover that had drifted inn on the breeze, now from the east or southeast, that collected moisture as it travelled across the North Sea. The low of 13.7C logged at 03.03 early Sunday was 1.9C above my average.

Sunday dawned dull with light winds but the shift in wind direction from southwest to east was notable. The thermometer had risen to 16.8C by 08.00. We must be optimistic that the sun will eventually burn away the moisture!

The temporary high pressure has been travelling east from North Wales since midnight and by midday is likely to be over the North Sea. This change in position is causing the wind to change direction to southeast. The barometric. pressure of 1021.9mb at 08.00, was the highest pressure this month and will allow the hot, dry air to pervade the country for a couple of days.

Update at 19.15: maximum of 29.3C logged at 12.45

The sunshine on Friday allowed the temperature to recover from the damp, cool day on Thursday as the thermometer rose to 22.9C being 1.5C above average. It was a dry day and the UV level rose to 7.6 being in the Very High category, being the highest this month. The low of 13.5C was 1.8C above average.

Saturday revealed a cloudy start to Saturday but the cloud was thin showing the possibility of some brightness later in the morning. The wind has backed a few degrees from the west into the southwest for much of the day.

A anticyclone to the south is beginning to influence our weather with the pressure rising, up 7mb since Friday. This will herald the dry and increasingly warm weather.