Category: News

The contrast between Tuesday and Wednesday was remarkable. Yesterday we enjoyed 13.44 hours of strong sunshine, which was the greatest number of hours since 15th August. This, combined with lighter winds, pushed the thermometer to a maximum of 18.4C late afternoon, almost 2C above the average. As a result, those of us with solar panels enjoyed the greatest daily solar energy generation since 6th June last year.

Not surprisingly, with much sunshine and a higher temperature, the amount of moisture that evaporated from ground sources and plant life yesterday was equivalent to 4.00mm of rainfall. I have to go back to August 6th last year for a higher amount of daily evaporation.

Overnight the temperature slowly fell away, but thankfully no frost, with a minimum of 5.6C at 05.48. At dawn there was hazy sunshine that shortly afterwards was obscured by thicker cloud although at 08.00 the thermometer had risen to 6.9C, with the sun breaking through more strongly a little later. It is interesting to note that the ambient temperature at 08.00 on each of the last four days has been within 0.1C.

The barometer has been falling away for the last 36 hours to a monthly low of 996.0mb at 08.00. This is due to the anticyclone, which has been influencing our weather most of the month, losing its hold as a low pressure system approaches from the south.

Although we enjoyed some sunshine yesterday, the total hours were down again at 1.63. These reduced hours and brisk northerly wind flow meant a maximum of only 12.2C, which is a signifiant 4.4C below the average of May. However, during the brief strong sunshine the UV level rose fractionally again to 7.1, which nudged into the ‘Very High’ category. These temperatures are lower than the April average.

We have now experienced 8 successive dry days with the rainfall total of just 3.1mm when the May average is 60.5mm. Also relevant in this dry spell is that the first nine days of May have resulted in the equivalent rainfall total of 28mm evaporating into the atmosphere from ground sources and plant life.

Overnight the thermometer fell to -1.2C at 05.43 giving a sharp air frost, being the coldest night for a fortnight. This morning dawned with hazy sunshine due to a slight mist, then a narrow fog band drifting in front the east between 06.30 and 07.00, that quickly evaporated in the strengthening sunshine.

The sun did break through intermittently yesterday with 1.92 hours and when it did it was very strong giving a UV level of 7.1. This was just into the ‘Very High’ category and the highest UV reading since 22nd August 2016.

Sadly, the sunshine did not mean a warm day as the thermometer only reached a peak of 13.1C, some 3.5C below the 33-year average, partly due to the limited sunshine but the wind veering into the northeast again and strengthening.

Overnight the thick cloud kept the thermometer from falling very low with a minimum of 6.2C at 06.18. This morning dawned with the thick cloud continuing and a temperature of 6.7C at 08.00, the coldest morning this month. Also relevant is the extremely low humidity with a reading of only 76% at 08.00. Usually the humidity level falls during the night but this morning has been falling from just after midnight.

Sunday brought a relief from the strong northeasterly winds as the wind died away and temporarily backed into the north. We enjoyed 8.15 hours of strong sunshine that boosted the temperature to a maximum of 18.7C, the warmest day since 9th April, but only 1.6C above the average for May. Out of the sun the breeze was still chilly.
Overnight the warmth dissipated and fell to a minimum of 4.9C at 04.31. Also in the early hours the wind started to pick up shortly after 2am, veering back into the northeast again, and giving significant wind chill so that at 08.00 the ambient temperature was 6.8C but the wind chill made it feel like 4C.
The dry northeasterly winds gave a humidity reading of 82% at 08.00 as the ridge of high pressure intensified giving the highest barometric reading (1026.2mb) for two weeks.

The persistent, strong northeasterly winds started to abate, thankfully, after midday yesterday dropping to light breezes of 2 – 5 mph late evening and overnight. Late evening the wind backed a little into the north, after six days from the northeast. There was no strong sunshine (>100W/sq.m.) yesterday, the first ‘no show’ for two weeks. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that the temperatures were depressed yesterday with a maximum of 14.7C, which is 2C below the 33-year average. There was some week sunshine at which the the UV level registered at the top of the ‘Medium’ range.

Overnight the thick cloud cover limited the fall in temperature to 8.1C just after 5am. This morning has dawned overcast with thick, quite low cloud, with a hint of moisture in the air at the 08.00 time readings are taken.