Monday 9th March
Sunday was another overcast and gloomy day although the thermometer did edge a little higher than on Saturday, however, a maximum of 9.0C at 14.50 was below average again at -1.8C. This was due to the breeze that was even lighter, a maximum movement of 10mph, couldn’t call it a gust, also the air stream had backed into the southeast, coming from the Continent, less cold than the previous easterly breeze. The thermometer only fell 3C from its peak with a minimum 6.0C at 06.25 early Monday being 3.4C above average.
Once again the start to a new day on Monday was a repeat of the two previous days under thick cloud and fog from two weather fronts crossing the area, which was if anything a little thicker, limiting visibly to around 150m after dawn. Subtle changes are afoot today as the air stream will veer from the southeast to south then later today come from the south-southwest, heralding a slightly warmer airflow that should see the maximum get closer to the early March average.
Over the next few days we will be under the influence of an Atlantic flow of air, moist and milder, that should see the maximum get closer to or slightly above average. However, later in the week the temperatures are going to drop even though the air stream will come from a predominantly southwesterly direction, from the Atlantic. The reason can be seen in the forecast surface pressure charts as the although as the air arrives here from a southwesterly quadrant, it will have originated around Iceland before streaming south then coming from the southwest around the southern section of the depression. It is likely that the cooler temperatures will arrive by Friday, accompanied by rain likely late Thursday, and into the weekend.