Category: Commentary

Wednesday continued the pattern of thick, low cloud trapped under the high pressure dome. Once again there was little air movement, a maximum movement of just 8mph was logged on one occasion but for long periods the anemometer was stationary. The one slight variation was the moisture in the air from very light drizzle on occasions that amounted to 0.6mm of precipitation.

Once again, due to thick cloud limiting the rise in temperature by day and fall overnight produced a maximum of 11.8C at 13.13 being 1.5C above average and a minimum of 9.2C at 03.27 early Thursday, which was 5.2C above average. Thus a difference of just 2.6C called the diurnal range of temperatures.

Thursday was a repeat of the previous five days as daylight on Thursday revealed low, thick cloud once again draping the Marlborough Downs and Savernake Forest limiting visibility to 700m, slightly better than previous days. The humidity at 08.00 was 100% with again moisture being felt in the air from very light drizzle. The barometric pressure continues very high with a reading of 1031.2mb at 08.00.

The lack of wind and virtually no solar energy is resulting in minimal green energy being produced across much of the country. My 16 solar panels, facing south, struggled on Wednesday to produce just 1.2Kwh, which was slightly better than 0.46Kwh on Sunday that coincided with no UV triggering the sensor, yesterday peaked at 0.6.

Yet another dull, cloudy and overcast day on Tuesday. The maximum temperatures over the last four days have been slowly descending with 12.8C, 11.6C, 10.4C respectively with 10.1C on Tuesday, which was 0.2C below my 40-year average. It was a dry during daylight hours but thick cloud and drizzle decided in the evening producing 0.3mm of precipitation. There was even less air movement, a maximum of just 7mph was logged on one rare occasion. but the anemometer was stationary for long periods.

The diurnal temperature range was just 0.4C overnight with a minimum of 9.7C just after midnight.

The start to Wednesday was as on previous days with low, thick cloud producing light drizzle in the air.

The jet steam has been positioned to the north of the UK keeping the cooler air to the north away and maintaining the high pressure, the projection is that this will continue for a few more days.

The high pressure has been intensifying having risen 7mb since Tuesday with a pressure reading of 1030.6mb at 08.00.

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.

The depressing monotony of successive cloudy, dreary days continued on Sunday. However, the continuous cloud cover meant anther mild day and night on Sunday. The maximum of 11.6C at midnight was 1.3C above my 40-year average whilst the minimum of 9.4C at 07.01 early on Monday was 5.4C above average.

The cloud was so dense on Sunday whilst the sun is weak, no UV light triggered the UV receptor, the first occasion since 23rd January 2024. Once again the diurnal range of temperatures, the difference between day and night extremes, was just 2.2C.

Monday revealed no change in our weather. We are still under the influence of the high pressure system acting as a dome trapping underneath it the relatively mild, moist air, with minimal air movement. What air movement there is will be from the east or southeast.

Saturday was a repeat of the gloomy, dull weather under the thick cloud trapped under the dome of the high pressure. However, it meant another mild day and night on Saturday with the thermometer peaking at 12.8C being 2.5C above my 40-year average and a minimum of 10.7C at 07.12 early Sunday, which was a significant 6.8C above average.

Sunday revealed a repeat of the previous two mornings with the persistent thick, low cloud masking any sunshine let alone any brightness.

The high pressure is still resident and likely to be for a few days yet so more of the calm, quiet, mild days. The wind will continue from an easterly direction.