Monday was just like the three previous days under the thick blanket of cloud. The only minor variation was the temperatures, which were down a degree on each of the previous two days. The maximum of 10.4C logged at 13.17 was only just above my 40-year average at +0.1C and the coolest day since 13th September (9.8C). Once again, thanks to the duvet of cloud overnight the temperatures dropped just 2.1C with a minimum of 8.3C at 06.34 early Tuesday, which was 4.3C above the long-term average. There was barely any movement off air, a maximum movement on one occasion took the anemometer to just 8mph before falling light then still again.
Tuesday at first light revealed foggy conditions, initially limiting visibility to 600mm but just before 08.00 it was observed to have thickened dropping down to around 500mm visibility. This was due to low cloud masking the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest rather than fog formed by radiation when temperatures drop significantly overnight. The wind direction will be variable, probably between southeast, that the BBC forecast, and southwest that is in the Met Office forecast, if it can be measured under the lack of air movement.
The high pressure now extends from Ireland to well into Russia and down over the Mediterranean. It is blocking any weather fronts from advancing from the Atlantic and is likely to do so for a few more days. As a result more dull and cloudy days are ahead if relatively mild. The presser is slowly falling away with a reading at 08.00 of 1013mb, 1029mb, 1027mb and 1023mb respectively over the last four days.
