The cooling of the exceptionally warm days started on Wednesday with the coolest day for almost for a week when the thermometer rose to 11.8C, however, this was still 3.7C above my 40-year average. Overnight was also mild with the thermometer not sinking below 7.7C being 6.0C above the average.
Rain was logged starting at 15.30 on Wednesday and after a mainly dry night began again at 05.45 in advance of the main rain band on Thursday. Another 8.2mmm took the monthly total to 115.9mm, which is 176% of my 40-year average.
With a week to go in February the rainfall for the winter season is currently 139% of my 40-year average or + 90mm.
Thursday will be the last of the warm days that began with a temperature of 9.8C at 08.00. Late morning will see a drop in temperature as two cold fronts pass over southern England that will then drag in colder air behind them. There will be a significant lowering of temperatures by day and night for several days as the wind veers from southwest and west into the northwest.
The depression over Iceland is now exerting its influence more strongly over the UK as the high pressure system over the Continent slips away producing a barometric pressure of 983.7mb at 08.00, the lowest for almost a fortnight.
Update: Within an hour of my readings at 08.00, at which time the thermometer read 9.8C, the temperature had dropped 3C to read 6.8C after the cold front had passed through. By 09.30 there was a further fall to 6.3C with the wind already having veered into the northwest.