The deep depression that was Storm Nelson on Thursday brought us winds gusting to 40mph and a substantial additional rainfall. The maximum did not get above my 40-year average with a peak of just 9.5C being 1.1C below average. The minimum of 4.8C occurred just after midnight, at 01.08, early Friday, however that was 2.3C above the long-term average thanks to the continuing cloud cover and southerly breeze. An additional 16.9mm of precipitation has taken the monthly rainfall totally 111.3m, which is 181% of my 40-year average or +49.9mm.
At the moment there are two previous years with greater March rainfall, namely 2018 with 130.9mm and 2023 with 163.3mm.
Thunder was heard at 15.58 and later at 17.10 as a line of intense rainfall, and numerous lightning flashes, were contained in a rain band moving northeastwards just to the west of Marlborough.
Friday gave us brief glimpses of sunshine after sunrise but also brief showers. This is likely to be the pattern for much of the day as the intense depression, named Storm Nelson by the Spanish Meteorological Service, is just to the west of Ireland and will still having considerable influence on our weather. After a quieter few hours overnight the wind is forecast to strengthen this afternoon before becoming calmer during the evening. The wind has backed a few degrees and is now coming from the south-southwest. At 08.55 the rain radar showed a brief gap in the shower activity this morning until the next line of showers arrives late morning, currently over west Somerset.
