Although there was variable cloud on Tuesday limiting the solar activity to its lowest in four days the warmer air began arriving that saw the thermometer rise to a maximum of 22.6C late in the glorious afternoon sunshine at 17.05 being 2.1C above my long-term average. This was the warmest day since 31st May. The clearer skies overnight saw the temperature drop away to a low of 8.8C at 03.42 being 1.4C below average.
Wednesday began with glorious sunshine to start the new day, however, by 06.45 cloud began to drift in from the east obscuring the sun and limiting the further rise in temperature to reach 13.2C by 08.00.
The significant change in our weather today is the arrival of an airstream from the southeast, a much warmer pool of air. This is from a direction not seen for a month. The recent high pressure has relocated a little to be over the Netherlands and reaching north over Scandinavia, that has allowed the airstream to come around its southern flank originating from the Continent.
As the day progresses, and especially on Thursday, the arrival of the warm, moist air from the south meeting the recent cooler air will likely produce storms. This coincides with a low pressure system just to the west of the UK getting much closer. The warm, moist air, being lighter than the recent cooler, heavier air, will rise rapidly over it producing unstable conditions. As the warm moist air cools with altitude it will produce precipitation, quantities and strength uncertain at the present.
Strawberry Moon: The indigenous American tribes referred to the full moon as the Strawberry Moon as it marked the harvesting of the wild strawberries. The moon will rise at 22.46 this evening with the full phase at 08.44 tomorrow.