Month: April 2024

Wednesday produced the fifth consecutive below average maximum with a peak of just 11.2C at 15.15 being 2.9C below the average. At least it was a dry day although the variable cloud meant the UV level was only ‘Moderate’.

The temperature slowly fell away in the evening that by 23.00 registered 1.7C and then no surprise to find it dipped below freezing for almost three hours with a minimum of -0.7C at 02.23 producing not only a ground frost but an air frost, only the second this month.

After the sun had risen above the cloud bank on the eastern horizon on Thursday it began to shine strongly just after 07.30 lifting the temperature to 5.9C at 08.00. However, shortly after 08.15 advancing cloud began to mask the sun. The wind has backed into the west overnight and will continue from that direction until late evening when it will come from the northeast or north-northeast.

Today we will be under a ‘trough’, which forms as the jet stream dips down and forms a bowl shape in the pressure gradient. It will result in cooler weather and rain that is likely around midday or shortly afterwards and likely to become heavy during the afternoon. The barometric pressure has fallen further, with a reading of 1007.0mb at 08.00,a drop of 24mb since its peak on Sunday. The wind fell light overnight, assisting the drop in temperature and is likely to remain light for much of the day.

Tuesday once again brought a below average maximum (-2.4C) with a high of just 11.7C late in the afternoon at 16.20. The continuous cloud cover gave us a minimum of 5.4C at 00.10 early Wednesday, which was 1.7C above average. Tuesday was a dry day but the UV level, thanks to the cloud, was only in the ‘Moderate’ category.

Wednesday dawned dull, and dreary as clumps of thicker cloud drifted down on the brisk northerly breeze bringing intermittent light drizzle, as observed at 07.00, but not measurable.

The recent anticyclone continues to decline, current pressure at 08.00 was 1018.8mb, down 6mb since Tuesday that will continue to direct the cold northerly air stream over the UK. However, later this afternoon a depression over the Continent will take control of our weather and the wind will back into the southwest into Thursday before once again changing to an easterly as the low relocates over the UK.

The slow moving weather front drifting off the cold North Sea on Monday plagued our area all day with variable light rain and drizzle, a depressing day. The thermometer struggled to reach a high of just 8.3C at 15.46, which was a significant 5.8C below my 40-year average. This made it the coldest day since 2nd March. However, there was a mitigating factor in that there was very little wind, the strongest gust reached just 8 mph on Monday so no wind chill as occurred over the weekend. The precipitation amounted to 2.7mm that took the monthly total to 47.1mm being 82% of the long-term average.

At least the minimum of 5.7C, that occurred just after midnight at 00.02, was above average at +2.0C.

Brightness greeted the new day on Tuesday but thankfully stronger sunshine broke the variable cloud just on 08.00 that had lifted the temperature to 6.4C by that time.

The recent anticyclone is easing away westwards and slowly declining. The change will be minimal on Tuesday so the drift of cold northerly air will continue. For Tuesday and into Wednesday we are trapped between the high pressure to the west and low-pressure over the Continent that will continue the feed of cold air for the next two days.

The breezy wind from the north east on Sunday combined with limited sunshine meant another cool day with the thermometer not rising above 11.3C being 2.8C below the average. In fact it was the coldest day this month also since 28th March.

However, it was a dry day with the UV level peaking in the ‘High’ category again. Initially overnight the temperature dropped well below average with a minimum of 1.6. at 01.26 early Monday but recovered as cloud spread across again, to 5.5C at 08.00.

The wind on Monday will be much lighter so it won’t feel quite so cold as Sunday even though it is going to be a cloudy day with precipitation imminent. The wind will back into the north-northwest before veering this afternoon back to northeast, but still light. The barometric pressure is still high with a reading of 1030.5mb at 08.00. A weather front will slowly cross the area during daylight hours producing variable amounts of rain.

With six successive dry days the evaporation rate has risen to a daily rate of between 2mm and 3mm.

Once again the maximum on Saturday did not rise above the average with a peak of just 12.6C thanks to the stream of cooler air from a brisk northeasterly. There was much sunshine during the morning but after midday the cloud began to slowly build, as forecast, as the air had travelled over the cold North Sea picking up moisture.

Under clear skies the thermometer dropped slowly to a minimum of 0.4C at 02.30 before slowly beginning to rise again reaching 7.1C at 08.00.

Initially there was weak sunshine after dawn on Sunday but after 07.30 more consistent strong sunshine broke through the cloud breaks. The brisk northeasterly meant wind chill was evident again with it feeling more like 4C outside when at 08.00 the thermometer showed 7.1C.

The centre of the anticyclone has relocated from western England yesterday to off the coast of Northumberland today. This will continue the run of cool air, principally from the north-northeast, and brisk. Therefore if out of the sun and in the breeze it will continue to feel cool. The anticyclone will move very little until after Wednesday so a few cool, mainly dry days ahead.

The centre of the anticyclone is very close to Marlborough resulting in a further rise in barometric pressure to 1031.1mb at 08.00, the highest pressure since 2nd February.