With 11.39 hours of sunshine on Monday it was the sunniest day since 31st July. Although the wind was strong from the north east, and gusting to 33mph at its peak, the thermometer steadily rose to a maximum of 17.5C, which was 3.4C above the average. Out in the wind, due to wind chill, it would have felt a couple of degrees cooler in the afternoon.
The wind from this direction is dry so it was not surprising to find that 4.5mm of equivalent rainfall evaporated into the atmosphere from ground sources and plant life on Monday. Although we had the wettest April day on the 17th, that I have recorded since 1984, the rainfall total for April stands at 38.4mm whereas the evaporation total is 56.4mm.
It was not quite as cool a night as the previous low with a minimum of 6.1C at 06.17 Tuesday morning although wind chill meant it felt more like 3.9C.
The sun was evident as soon as it rose above the eastern horizon on Tuesday lifting the temperature to 9.0C at 08.00. The wind strength at the moment is not as strong as on Monday. The current 10 minute average is 7mph whereas on Monday it was regularly between 11mph and 12mph. However, it is likely to rise in strength as the morning progresses and the temperature rises.
