Month: October 2024

Friday continued the run of warm, moist air arriving on a southeasterly breeze that raised the temperature to a peak of 16.3C at 12.22, which was 1.4C above my 40-year average. The cloudy skies meant that the temperature for much of the afternoon hovered around that level. During the late afternoon and early evening the cloud began to thin and clear that allowed the temperature to drop steadily downwards reaching a minimum of 6.7C at 23.58 being 0.7C below average. Thereafter, the thermometer began to recover with a reading of 9.8C at 08.00 0n Saturday.

Saturday arrived with overcast skies again and very light breeze from a southeasterly direction, which will veer into the southwest during the afternoon.

The barometric pressure has been rising again as the depression slides away southwards across France and the Bay of Biscay to be replaced, temporarily, by a ridge of high pressure easing in that will give a dry day and a fine, mainly sunny day on Sunday.

The diurnal range of temperatures, the difference between day and night, was minimal over the past twenty four hours with a variation of just 3.0C. The maximum of 16.6C, logged at 14.27 was 1.8C above my 40-year average and the minimum of 13.6C was logged at 06.23 early on Friday. The low was a significant 6.2C above the long-term average and the warmest night since 23rd September.

Thursday was dry and bright but mainly overcast, however, the breeze from the southeast picked up compared to previous calm days with a maximum gust of 20mph.

Friday dawned very slowly under overcast skies with the cloud base low. Just after 07.30 a few spots of rain were observed but not measurable, a heavier shower is likely mid-morning from a rain band arriving from the south.

A depression has been developing in the eastern Atlantic that has begun to influence our weather throwing the cloud and showery outbreaks across the country today, better tomorrow. The barometric pressure has fallen away another 9mb with a reading of 1011.1mb at 08.00, a significant drop of 21mb over the past two days.

The mild days and nights have lifted the ground temperature with a reading of 13.3C at a depth of 5cm read at 08.00, the second highest this month after 14.7C on the 16th.

Wednesday was another quiet day, as will today, with little wind movement but dry if predominantly cloudy. The thermometer eventually reached a maximum of 15.9C at 15.29 being 1.0C above my 40-year average in the short bursts of sunshine mid-afternoon. The maximum wind movement was 12mph, couldn’t call it a gust. The clearer skies overnight, as before, saw the thermometer drop away steadily to reach a low of 8.9C at exactly 08.00 on Thursday.

Thursday brought us a glorious start to the new day under mainly clear skies and welcome sunshine. The high pressure is still easing away eastwards with a major drop in pressure of 12mb over the last twenty-four hours but still high enough to produce another fine, dry day with the breeze remaining light having backed into the southeast. The air stream will continue to be mild coming from Spain and the Bay of Biscay.The barometric pressure read 1020.6mb at 08.00.

The sun broke thought later in the morning on Tuesday and although not at full strength due to high cloud in the afternoon, lifted the thermometer to a maximum of 16.7C at 14.55. This peak was 1.8C above my 40-year average and the eighth consecutive day with above average maxima. It was a dry day and the UV not surprisingly, at this point in the year, rated as Low. The minimum of 9.7C was reached at 08.10 on Wednesday being 2.3C above the long-term average.

Wednesday at first light revealed misty conditions but thankfully no fog at that time. The low thick cloud draped the higher ground of the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest. However, just after 08.30 the fog began to roll in and limit visibility to 400m.

The anticyclone is still close by with a peak pressure of 1032.7mb at 08.10, being the highest pressure since 17th September an exactly equal pressure reading. The centre of the high pressure will ease eastwards over the Continent with the result that the wind will back a few degrees from southwest to south for much of the day and continue light as for much of Tuesday.

The weather front that was supposed to edge eastwards on Monday, to clear our area in the afternoon, decided to hang aground much longer than was forecast, as a result the cloud cover persisted all day with the odd glimpse of brightness late afternoon. Due to the lack of sunshine the thermometer only peaked a high of 13.4C at 13.25 being 1.5C below my 40-year average. At least it was a dry day, just, with the wind brisk from the southwest.

The clearance came during the evening, rather than Monday afternoon, that saw the thermometer fall away to 6.9C at 02.37 early Tuesday, this low was 0.5C below the long-term average.

Tuesday brought weak sunshine as the sun rose above the horizon, through thin cloud, so a better start to the new day. However, another weather front will cross our area later this morning bringing more cloud and the possibility of some brief shower activity.

For today we are under the influence of a large area of high pressure reaching from eastern Atlantic across France to the far Continent that should minimise any shower activity. The barometric pressure has risen further as a result with a reading of 1026.9mb at 08.00, the highest pressure since 18th September.