A peak of 8.6C on Saturday was a degree up on the cool Friday also just creeping above my 40-year average (+0.5C). However, the opposite occurred overnight as the thermometer dropped below freezing (-0.1C) at 22.26 and slowly descended until it reached a minimum of -2.1C at 04.11 early on Sunday producing a modest air frost. This was the coldest night since 20th January being 3.8C below my 40-year average minimum for February.
Sunday after dawn revealed broken cloud that had slowly drifted in allowing the thermometer to recover to -0.4C at 08.00, also brief glimmers of weak sunshine.
A deep low-pressure system was centred just off the coast of southwest Ireland at midnight and is forecast to slowly move southeastwards during the day. This will mean a likely dry morning but with increasing cloud and rain arriving around mid-afternoon. As the depression passes at its closest to the Southwest the wind will pick up considerably, probably above 40mph at its strongest. The wind at 08.00 was light and from the east and will continue from an easterly quadrant all day.
The soil temperature at a depth of 5cm read 1.5C at 08.00, the lowest since 27th January due to the colder days and recent cold nights.