Tuesday was a less sunny day than Monday, just 2.7 hours, but the slight change of the wind into a nor nor east direction and reduced wind strength allowed the temperature to rise to a maximum of 7.1C at 14.15. Although the warmest day for four days this was still 3.4C below the March average. Instead of winds gusting over 30 mph Tuesday’s peak was 22mph and the wind chill much less prominent although still dropping the feel of the ambient air temperature by a couple of degrees.
Overnight the thermometer slowly drifted downwards but not dropping below freezing until a few minutes after 3am. The minimum reached just before dawn was -2.4C but by the time readings were taken at 08.00 this had recovered to 0.9C.
Sun was evident as soon as it rose above the horizon and triggered the sunshine record (100 w/m2) just before 07.30 with the promise of much more during the day as the sky is mostly clear, just the occasional wisps of cloud.
The significant feature this morning, as regards our weather, is that the wind has at last backed from the persistent northeasterly direction to a gentle breeze from the west as the high pressure changes position.
The very high barometric pressure reached its highest since 23rd December with a reading of 1033.7mb just after midnight and the reason for a much calmer and sunnier day today.
Wednesday update at 11.30: with almost 4 hours of strong sunshine by 11.30 today, the thermometer has risen above the peak of Tuesday, reading 7.3C, and still rising although 3C below average.
Wednesday update at 14.00: with a maximum of 9.3C the thermometer peaked at 13.45. This is 2C up on Tuesday but still 1.2C below the 34-year March average.
Wednesday update at 16.30: 8.5 hours of strong sunshine today, which was the sunniest day since 25th February. Temperature falling away now as sun looses its strength with a current reading of 7.7C
