Category: Commentary

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.

The only major effect from Storm Ashley on Sunday was the increasing wind strength during the morning with a maximum guest of 28mph, before the wind slowly dropped away after midday. The cloud began to thin and break mid afternoon, as the weather front moved eastwards, after seeing the thermometer reach a peak of 16.8C at 13.03 being 1.9C above my 40-year average. The rainfall from the weather front was modest, just 3.2mm, that took the month’s total to 99.6mm being 109% of my 40-year average. The past night was mild with the thermometer not dropping below 10.2C at 05.03 early Monday, which was 2.8C above the long-term average.

Monday revealed a cloudy start to the new day as the back edge of the weather front, from Storm Ashley, eased away, the centre now moving across the North Sea towards Scandinavia.

Today we are under the influence of a high pressure system mid-atlantic that is producing a temporary ridge across the southern half of the UK. The barometric pressure has risen 12mb since Sunday, a reading of 1020.0mb was logged at 08.00, the second highest pressure this month. The wind will continue from a mainly southwesterly direction, having fallen light, with the cloud beginning to thin around mid-afternoon, so a dry day likely.

Saturday was another very mild day with the thermometer reaching 16.9C at 15.22 being 2.0C above my 40-year average even though the wind had backed into the west, not quite such warm direction. The day was dry. During the evening the temperature dropped away to a minimum of 8.7C at 21.21 after which time the advancing cloud from Storm Ashley brought thick cloud that saw the thermometer recover to 12.5C by 08.00 Sunday.

Rain began to fall at 06.30 Sunday, light at first, but more likely heavier by midmorning shown by the rain radar.

Storm Ashley is barrelling down on Northern Ireland then moving towards north Scotland. The barometric pressure has started to drop rapidly, currently 1008.1mb, whilst at the centre of the depression it read 952mb. The pressure here dropped 2mb in the last half hour. The wind has backed into the southwest and has been strengthening since midnight.

Friday was a quiet, dry day with much sunshine after the misty conditions had cleared lifting the temperature to 15.9C by 14.46 being 1.0C above my 40-year average. A drop of just 4C overnight due to the cloudy conditions gave a minimum of 11.8 at 07.52 on Saturday, which was 4.4C above the average.

There were a few spots of rain in the evening but after midnight a 100 mile rain band arrived dropping 13.8mm of precipitation, being intense at 06.00 on Saturday when rain fell at the rate of 55mm/hour, very briefly, from the back edge of the weather front. This additional rainfall took the monthly total to 95.8mm being 5mm above my 40-year average.

The back edge of the weather front meant a cloudy start to Saturday with almost calm conditions.

The first named storm of the season, Storm Ashley, was named by Met Eireann yesterday. Its greatest impact will be Northern Ireland, Scotland and some north western coastal areas. It will be just wet and windy here on Sunday with gusts in the 30’s.

The soil temperature at a depth of 5mm read 13.1C at 08.00 due to the recent warm days and especially mild nights after a low of 4.9C on the 11th.