Thursday 20th November
A maximum of just 4.2C at 14.04 on Wednesday made it the coldest day since 13th February 2025, being a significant 6.1C below my long-term average. This was due to two factors. The flow of Arctic air on a brisk northerly breeze, gusting to 24mph producing a wind chill, was the principal cause. However, The thick cloud prohibited any sunshine to lift the temperature that started at 1.9C before backing to 1.7C as sleet then a brief snow shower arrived at 08.45.
The sky cleared late afternoon and overnight under the influence of rising barometric pressure that saw the thermometer drop to freezing (-0.1C) at 21.04 and proceeded to reach a minimum of -3.2C at 07.32 early Thursday. The low was a significant 7.2C below the November average.
Thursday arrived with clear skies, almost calm conditions, and weak sunshine at this time of year as the sun rose above the horizon at 07.32 in Marlborough. The wind will come from the northwest today and tomorrow then begin to back into a less cold southwesterly late Friday and south on Saturday, both a much warmer air flow. This will herald the end of the brief cold spell and the arrival of more unsettled conditions.
The barometric pressure has been rising over the past twenty-four hours with a reading of 1015.4mb at 08.00. This is due to the recent depression moving further away to the east and the anticyclone in the Atlantic edging in from the west. This will send a nose of high pressure over the UK on Friday resulting in a fine, dry day, following a less cold night, although the thermometer might drop to around freezing or just below overnight but not as severe as the past night.