The westerly winds, gusting to 26mph on Wednesday, brought a milder airstream that saw the thermometer rise to 10.9C being 3.8C above my 40-year average. During the late afternoon and evening the warmth drained away into the atmosphere, under an initially clear sky, that allowed the thermometer to drop steadily to reach a low of 3.6C (+2.4C) at 00.56 early Thursday before rising again to reach 9.2C at 08.00. Very light rain, from a warm front passing our way, produced 1.2mm of precipitation, between 03.45 and 04.46, that took the monthly rainfall total to 87.2mm, just 2.4mm below my 40-year average.
Thursday staggered into life under a very low, thick cloud base with mist draping the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest, not surprisingly the humidity at 08.00 registered 99%, the highest this month at that time.
Pressure remains high, 1025.7mm at 08.00, due to an anticyclone centred over Iberia that will see the wind today come predominantly from the southwest, giving us a mild and moist air stream.