Friday saw the thermometer climb slightly higher than on Thursday but still under Arctic air conditions with a maximum of 4.1C logged at 13.31 being 3.0C below my long-term average. The air turned colder from mid-afternoon with the thermometer dropping below freezing at 17.55 when the air temperature read -0.1C. The minimum temperature of -4.8C was logged at 03.18 early Saturday being a significant 6.1C below average. Cloud then began to filter across ahead of the next weather front that limited any further loss and saw the thermometer slowly rise to -1.9C at 08.00 Saturday. It was a dry day and UV light triggered the UV sensor with a reading of 0.6.
After dawn on Saturday thick cloud was evident and the thermometer continued to rise very slowly. By 08.45 the thermometer read -1.7C with no wind chill due to the absence of any wind at that time.
A warm front is moving in from the west and forecast to arrive late afternoon. This will likely produce sleet or light snow for a short time as it bumps into the remaining cold Arctic air ahead of it. These conditions are very tricky to forecast accurately. The sleet or snow will rapidly turn to rain, quite heavy around midnight, and bring a much milder day on Sunday, if for just one day. The forecast is that by 08.00 on Sunday the thermometer will be well above average with a likely temperature of a balmy 9C. The wind direction has backed from west and will now come from the east or east-southeast for much of Saturday and become brisk during the afternoon and evening.
Update at 18.30: First light sleet and snow observed at 18.10
The data sheet for 2005 will reappear when my webmaster returns to work next week.
