The sunshine was very strong for many hours on Sunday, especially in the afternoon, that resulted in the thermometer rising to 25.9C at 16.25 being 3.8C above average. However, very thin, high cloud meant the peak solar radiation was the second lowest this month with a high of 722W/ms, but we have to remember that we are almost two months past the longest day. The easterly breeze was brisk at times with the UV level rising up to the ‘High’ category again with a value of 5.5 early afternoon. The past night was less cold than the previous four nights with a minimum of 15.7C at 06.18. This was the result of initially thin cloud drifting in from the east around 23.00 and then thickening after midnight.
Monday after dawn revealed very dull conditions with a complete cover of thick cloud. This was due to the easterly breeze picking up moisture from its travel across the North Sea and will likely take a while to burn back this morning. With no early morning sunshine the thermometer only rose a fraction to 16.1C by 08.00.
The centre of the anticyclone is still close to Iceland, and will be for the next few days, so that predominantly dry and fine weather is ahead over the next few days. However, the breeze originating from a northerly quadrant near Iceland and travelling around its eastern periphery over the North Sea will mean temperatures will fall closer to the normal for August at around 22C over the next few days but as today there is likely to be more variable cloud limiting the sunshine. The southern edge of the ridge of high pressure over the UK will recede a little but continue to be the dominating factor affecting our weather this week. The barometric pressure has fallen 3mb since its peak on Saturday.