Thursday 3rd August
Wednesday was dominated by three weather fronts that crossed the country hence the persistence of cloudy conditions and occasional showers of drizzle and light rain throughout the day that amounted to 2.4mm. The lack of sunshine meant that the maximum temperature of 18.3C was just below average at -0.4C, that made it the coolest day since 12th June. It has been a very mild night due to the continuing flow of mild, moist air from the Atlantic and thick cloud cover that minimised any loss of warmth into the atmosphere – in fact it was minimal.
The diurnal range of temperatures was exceptionally low over the past twenty-four hours with a difference of just 1.0C between the high and the low.
Thursday arrived with the sky still covered with cloud and no sign of the sun, but a mild start with the thermometer reading 18.1C at 08.00, which made to the warmest start to a new day since 18th August, which was at the end of the last heatwave.
Our weather for the next few days will be a continuation of the flow of westerlies that will bring more moist and mild air, with minimal rainfall. The recent high pressure to the south is hanging on and trying to counter weather fronts arriving from the depression now centred to the northwest. As we approach Saturday the forecast pressure charts indicate that another ridge of high pressure will push back across the country from the southwest and extend over the Continent with the result that temperatures will rise as the weekend proceeds with Sunday looking to be very warm.
Below are more details on the naming of future storms for the coming season, including why the letters U, X, Y and Z are missing from the list.
This year’s list continues to draw on various suggestions, reflecting not only popular choices, but also some of the personal stories behind them.
For example Austen was suggested in honour of Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service.
Chloe was selected by the Met Office after being nominated more than 130 times, including once by the mother of a five-year-old who is described by her mum as “fascinated by the weather” but can also “create a storm by herself” when she is tired.
And Ivy was nominated in honour of a nine-month-old Labrador puppy affectionately known as “the absolute destructor”
Any remnant of a tropical storm or hurricane that crosses the Atlantic will keep its original name, for example ex-Hurricane Erin, which brought a large swell to South West England in August 2025 and was named ‘Storm Erin’.
To ensure consistency with the US National Hurricane Centre naming conventions, names that begin with the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are not used.