Friday was the sixth successive day that the maximum was below average. The peak of 7.7C, logged at 12.04, was a degree higher than on Friday but still 3.0C below my long-term average. Cloud thickened in the afternoon but although there were a few spots of rain observed around 15.00 it was not sufficient to be measurable. The cloud overnight meant no air frost, for the first time in four days, as the thermometer did not sink below 1.1C, logged at 06.15 early Saturday, also below average at -1.6C.
Saturday dawned with a mostly cloudy sky although there were brief glimpses of the sun just after 08.00 by which time the thermometer had eased upwards to register 2.3C. However, the brisk northeasterly breeze produced a wind chill again so outside at 0800 it felt more like 0.8C.
At the middle point of March the total rainfall is just 1.5mm set against the equivalent loss of rainfall through evaporation, from ground sources and plant life, now totalling 19.8mm.
The anticyclone has strengthened with the pressure having risen to 1022.2mb at 08.00, up 13mb since yesterday at that time, which is beginning to cut off the Arctic northerly air although the air stream from the northeast is from a cold Continent and from as far east as Russia, which is still very cold. Unfortunately, I think it will not be until Tuesday, from the forecast synoptic charts, that there will be any significant warmer weather, and then only modest until later in the week.