With the wind having made a 180 degree change in direction from north east to south west and 12.6 hours of sunshine on Tuesday the thermometer rose to the highest in July with a maximum of 26.2C. This was 3.5C above average and the hottest day since 29th June, when 31.8C was recorded.
Another dry day, only one damp one in July (0.3mm) and very high UV again.
Last night was not so cool as the two previous nights as the thermometer dropped to 10.3C but still 1.5C below average.
Wednesday saw the sun shining brightly, if a little hazy, after dawn that lifted the thermometer to 16.7C at 08.00
As the wind is now coming from the south west and barometric almost at its lowest this month (1014.8C), as the high pressure retreats, it is expected that a change in our weather pattern of late is imminent over the next day or two. Over the past 30 days, 25 have been totally dry and as a result the gardens are in much need of a soaking as just 5.1mm of rainfall has been recorded in that time whilst almost 60mm of equivalent rainfall has been lost through evaporation. Approaching weather fronts are expected to pass over our area in the early hours of Thursday morning.
With 1,200 litres of rainwater capacity at home contained in six large water butts, harvested from my roofs, I have long exhausted my supply for watering flowers and fruit in planters.
Update on Wednesday at 17.55: the temperature steadily rose during the morning and early afternoon to reach a maximum of 24.0C at 14.34 before cloud cover became thicker and with a lower base. A few drops of rain were observed at 17.15.