The relentless heat continued to build on Thursday reaching a maximum of 30.7C late in the afternoon at 16.51 being a significant 10.1C above my long-term average. It was also the hottest day since 19th July 2024 when the exact maximum was recorded. Not only was it hot but the air was very dry with the humidity very low with an exceptional minimum of 38% logged at 17.54.
A thin veil of cloud was observed drifting across from the west around 17.00 that meant the sun became more variable and weaker in strength. This cloud cover thickened just after midnight when looking back at the cloud radar. This meant that the past night was less cool with a minimum of 14.4C at 05.20, being 4.2C above average, as the cloud minimised the loss of warmth into the atmosphere, compared to previous nights.
The start to the new day on Friday revealed muted sunshine as the cloud limited the strength of the sun. The thermometer had risen to 19.3C by 08.00 and stabilised there for quite a time. There was also a light breeze from an easterly quadrant that meant it felt less oppressive first thing.
In contrast to the heat and strong sunshine this week, the Met Office yesterday sent out an email inviting the public to submit their suggestions for storm names for the upcoming 2025-26 season. They stated “The naming initiative helps the media and the public communicate about the impact of severe weather events more effectively.” Now in its eleventh year, the Met Office works with Met Eireann in Ireland and KNMI n the Netherlands to compile the list.
They continue “We name storms because it works. For Storm Eowyn in January, the UK’s most powerful windstorm for over a decade, past-event surveys suggest that 99% of people within the red warning area were aware of the warnings, and 89% of them took action.”
Saturday will be the last of the very hot days as the anticyclone edges away and we begin to come under the influence of a depression edging in from the Atlantic that will bring cooler, more moist air on a breeze from a southwesterly quadrant. This will see temperatures drop several degrees but likely to be just above average.
Puffins are known for their large, triangular-shaped beaks, which are brightly coloured during the breeding season.