Monday 26th January
Latest:10.36
Met Office just named the deep depression, referred to below, as Storm Chandra.
Sunday brought us another mainly dull and cloudy day with the odd light flurry of light rain, totalling just 0.7mm. The cloudy conditions and a significant shift in wind direction, to come principally from the east as the day progressed, meant the maximum of 7.2C, logged at 11.44, was the lowest since the 10th and only just above average at +0.1C. The thermometer slowly fell away after 15.00, levelling out at around 4.5C overnight with a minimum of 4.1C at 05.17, being 2.9C above average.
After first light on Monday, another cloudy and dull start to the new day was evident with misty conditions, not thick enough to be called a fog, the very low cloud base draping itself over the top of the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest, the latter was only just visible from the town. There are no forecast weather fronts to cross the UK during daylight hours, however, steady, heavy rain is likely to arrive during late afternoon and in the early hours as the depression gets closer – a yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for the southwest of the UK and we are just on the periphery of the indicated area.
The deep depression will continue to close in on the West Country today before tracking north over Ireland tomorrow as it comes up against the remainder of the old high pressure system to the east, the barometric pressure rose 11mb over the past twenty-four hours with a reading of 1000.8mb at 08.00. The forecast shows four weather fronts ahead of the centre, which will be quite a deep pressure, resulting in considerable rainfall totals.
Looking ahead, it appears that the mainly dull and gloomy weather under successive depressions heading our way, will produce wet and windy conditions this week, resulting in minimum sunshine and temperatures by day and night lower than last week, to be about average for late January.
I have recently included a paragraph about the automatic and copper fixed rain gauges I use. I was concerned that yesterday morning the automatic rain gauge registered a fraction of what I found in my copper gauge. On returning last night I studied the continuous rainfall trace during the day and noticed that it was registering 0.2mm throughout much of yesterday afternoon and evening, when it was mainly dry. This raised my suspicion that something was partially blocking the collection receptacle. The latest gauge has a ring of spikes around the rim to deter birds perching on it and using the receptacle as a toilet, that I experienced on the older station installed 12 years ago. On inspection this morning there appeared to be the remains of a small cobweb and possible very small spider, that had been washed thought the slatted guard under heavy rainfall, that had been partially blocking the flow of precipitation down to the bucket mechanism that sends an electronic pulse to its inboard computer system. I have now amended the records accordingly.
As nature is slowly awakening, for the next few days and weeks I will attach an image to reflect, what to gardeners and nature lovers, is the pleasure of new life emerging. We just hope that no severe weather is ahead.