Thursday 11th December
Wednesday was the first dry day this month under a modest ridge of high-pressure. The brighter conditions produced a UV value of 0.6, after three days when it was so cloudy the UV sensor was not triggered. The maximum temperature of 11.9C, logged at 12.10, was the lowest peak since the 6th but still 4.4C above average, thanks to the continuing drift of warm air on a modest southwesterly breeze with a peak gust of 19mph. The sky cleared in the late afternoon with just thin, broken cloud into the early hours that resulted in a low of 6.2C at 02.03 being 4.3C above average. After that time more cloud drifted across the sky that limited any further fall, in fact the thermometer edged slightly higher reaching 7.4C at 08.00.
Thursday after first light revealed variable cloud so some brightness and some limited sunshine possible before midday as the pressure is still relatively high but falling steadily.
The recent high-pressure system to the east has edged further eastwards whilst the recent deep depression has also relocated a little to the northwest away from the UK. As a result, the air stream will come from the south today, after six consecutive days with a southwesterly breeze.
The weather is slowly becoming less unsettled over the next few days. A Met Office meteorologist recently put this comment on their YouTube channel regarding the next few days leading up to Christmas. “At the moment, there are some subtle hints of some more settled weather or, at least, less unsettled weather evolving through that week of Christmas. So there are no signs of any cold weather, or snow. It is mostly low-pressure with spells of rain and wind, and soon on ….”
Other forecasters suggest snow may arrive before Christmas over Scotland and snowfall extending as far south as Devon.
However, in its long range forecast from 25th December to 8th January, the Met Office says: “Moving into late-December and early January, there are signs that the persistent pattern of mild and wet weather, which has characterised the month so far, may ease somewhat, with a chance of high pressure becoming more influential. Compared to recently, the chance of dry, settled patterns of weather is higher with frost and fog more prevalent.”