Saturday 27th December
Boxing Day was another day best forgotten, weathwerwise, as the thick low cloud persisted all day, thus no sunshine to lift our spirits or raise the temperature. A high of 4.0C was logged at 14.49 being 3.5C below average. The temperature hovered around 3C for much of the night however, just after 05.00 the temperature began to ease downwards to reach a low of 1.0C at 07.26. The back track of the radar indicated that a thick area of cloud had developed over southern England after midnight, which began to ease away after 05.00 resulting in skies clearing and any warmth being dissipated into the atmosphere. The low was 0.5C below average.
The arrival of Saturday was in direct contrast to recent dull and gloomy starts to a new day. The sky was clear with the promise of some sunshine once the sun decided to get up. The pressure gradient is even higher today as the barometric pressure has risen further to read 1033.7mb at 08.00, which is the highest pressure for two months. This will result in an increased pressure gradient between the high pressure system to the northwest and low pressure over Eastern Europe, resulting in stronger winds today.
The evenings have pulled out 5 minutes since the shortest day, however, the mornings will continue to get darker until twelfth night, after which there will be a noticeable lengthening of daylight. Statistics for today in Marlborough are, sunrise at 08.12 and sunset at 16.04.
The recent anticyclone is going to dominate our weather until at least Tuesday with the wind continuing to come from the east-northeast or northeast. By Wednesday a slight repositioning of the weather systems will mean the wind will back into the northwest that could bring a taste of Arctic air.
The rainfall this month has amounted to 124.4mm compared to my 42-year average of 93.1mm, with little prospect on much precipitation, wet or white, for the remainder of this month.