The sun was very strong on Saturday pushing the temperature to reach a maximum of 17.1C at 14.54, after the sun broke through around 11.15, although in the brisk easterly breeze it sometimes felt cooler. The high was 3C above my long-term average making it the warmest day since the 12th (21.6C). The sun was particularly strong under skies that did not have thin high cloud, as a result the UV level at its peak, rose to the ‘High’ category, only the second time this month.
The drift of cool air from an easterly quadrant under relatively clear skies, meant a cool night with a minimum of 4.3C being just 0.6C above average.
Sunday revealed broken cloud with welcome bursts of sunshine. The recent depression is still lurking over France that is directing the air stream, originating from Scandinavia, to come from the northeast early today, then veering into the east and southeast towards evening.
April has so far been a very dry Spring month with just 2.9mm of precipitation, when the 41-year average is 57.6mm, due to the main rain bands moving north to the west and east of our area. The loss of equivalent rainfall due to evaporation from ground sources and plant life amounts to 52mm so far this month.