South West and Central Southern England Regional Weather Discussion 23/04/17 onwards

[Ciderwithrosie]

Blowing a hoolie here too, glimpses of sun . Temp 15 C . 

[matt111]

The winds dropped now although maybe it was better with the wind as at least the sun came out for a few minutes. Now back to complete cloud cover. 14.1°C. 

[Frosty hollows]

Blue skies,glorious sunshine. Feeling warmer than 14.8 C, but windy enough to send my empty food bin on a jaunt up the street!

[matt111]

Quite windy again now with things being blown around the garden. Sunnier now though than what it was earlier. 14.4°C. 

[knocker]

The main issue here this afternoon has been the easterly wind gusting up to 60mph

[Andy Bown]

I have a question for people like Evening Thunder who reported a lot of rain last Sunday/Monday ; how is the ground looking in your area? Does it show signs of how dry it has been except for that 2 day period?

I ask because in this area and not just my back yard there was hardly any rain on those 2 days and it's been bone dry for 4 days since, not even a hint of morning dew to dampen the grass! Therefore everything is bone dry and cracking up.

What constitutes drought conditions? There has been only 13.5mm since 23rd March! That's 44 days and, after what looked being a rare potentially damp day, tomorrow will also be dry and it will be so at least until next Wednesday. By then we will be up to 50 days with just those 13.5mm!

We have paid for dry Spring situations like this previously with very wet summers, however equally there must be every chance of it remaining dry. I have heard/seen it written/said that such dry ground conditions can aid heatwaves so there is potential for real heat.

As an aside, what an odd day today, howling Easterly gale and lots of (eventually warm) sunshine.

[matt111]

3 minutes ago, Andy Bown said:

I have a question for people like Evening Thunder who reported a lot of rain last Sunday/Monday ; how is the ground looking in your area? Does it show signs of how dry it has been except for that 2 day period?

I ask because in this area and not just my back yard there was hardly any rain on those 2 days and it's been bone dry for 4 days since, not even a hint of morning dew to dampen the grass! Therefore everything is bone dry and cracking up.

What constitutes drought conditions? There has been only 13.5mm since 23rd March! That's 44 days and, after what looked being a rare potentially damp day, tomorrow will also be dry and it will be so at least until next Wednesday. By then we will be up to 50 days with just those 13.5mm!

We have paid for dry Spring situations like this previously with very wet summers, however equally there must be every chance of it remaining dry. I have heard/seen it written/said that such dry ground conditions can aid heatwaves so there is potential for real heat.

As an aside, what an odd day today, howling Easterly gale and lots of (eventually warm) sunshine.

I posted this picture below last week and not much has changed even with the 5mm we had over the weekend. Maybe a tiny bit of green appearing but more or less the same as then. 

[Dean E]

42 minutes ago, Andy Bown said:

I have a question for people like Evening Thunder who reported a lot of rain last Sunday/Monday ; how is the ground looking in your area? Does it show signs of how dry it has been except for that 2 day period?

I ask because in this area and not just my back yard there was hardly any rain on those 2 days and it's been bone dry for 4 days since, not even a hint of morning dew to dampen the grass! Therefore everything is bone dry and cracking up.

What constitutes drought conditions? There has been only 13.5mm since 23rd March! That's 44 days and, after what looked being a rare potentially damp day, tomorrow will also be dry and it will be so at least until next Wednesday. By then we will be up to 50 days with just those 13.5mm!

We have paid for dry Spring situations like this previously with very wet summers, however equally there must be every chance of it remaining dry. I have heard/seen it written/said that such dry ground conditions can aid heatwaves so there is potential for real heat.

As an aside, what an odd day today, howling Easterly gale and lots of (eventually warm) sunshine.

 

36 minutes ago, matt111 said:

I posted this picture below last week and not much has changed even with the 5mm we had over the weekend. Maybe a tiny bit of green appearing but more or less the same as then. 

Can also confirm scenes like yours here. Been an incredibly dry Spring (and year!) so far. Total of 55.9mm of rain since 1st of March and only 5.4mm in the whole of April. 

If this continues for a further month or 2 with very below average, I can see the dreaded 'hose pipe ban' being deployed! 

[matt111]

4 minutes ago, Dean E said:

I can see the dreaded 'hose pipe ban' being deployed! 

Slightly more rain here since 1st March. 59.0mm although I had nearly double your April total at 10.0mm.

[Mapantz]

While it has been dry recently, we're certainly not close to drought conditions in this part of the region. The last hosepipe ban I can remember, was decades ago.

[matt111]

3 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

While it has been dry recently, we're certainly not close to drought conditions in this part of the region. The last hosepipe ban I can remember, was decades ago.

Your March total is more than March and April combined here. Exactly the same as here so far this month. 

[ThundersnowDays]

Just 52mm of rain since 1st March here.

[MP-R]

1 hour ago, Andy Bown said:

We have paid for dry Spring situations like this previously with very wet summers, however equally there must be every chance of it remaining dry. I have heard/seen it written/said that such dry ground conditions can aid heatwaves so there is potential for real heat.

As an aside, what an odd day today, howling Easterly gale and lots of (eventually warm) sunshine.

Yes! Do you remember the hot spell in late May 2010? The uppers weren't exceptional but after such a dry April and May the temperature shot up and I think some places surpassed 29-30C.

The gale has been noticeable here with garden furniture and implements that are normally quite sheltered, blowing around down the side of the house. Can hear it too from inside. Sounds like autumn out there.

[knocker]

Not good this morning for Flora Day at Helston. Ns and St, continuous moderate rain, temp 9C and a fresh easterly gusting 30mph.

[Mapantz]

There has been a few sunny spells here, but mostly cloudy, although bright. Feeling warm too!

Temp: 16.2°C - Hum: 65% - Dew: 9.6°C - Bar: 1010.23hPa - Wind: ENE ~ NE @ 6mph.

[lettice]

Lovely warm sunshine here today, just a little cloud cover that passed over about an hour ago.
Temp has just hit 19.2c.
NE wind 10-12mph with a few 16-19mph gusts.
1009.6 hPa and 56% humidity.

[matt111]

Feels very different out there today. Much warmer and just a light breeze. Mostly cloudy although the suns come out on the last few minutes. 18.1°C. 

[Bristawl Si]

Cloudy, 14c but that pesky wind makes it feel more like 8/9c to me.

[Dorsetbred]

With 18.4°C at: 13:00, ideal weather to clean  the conservatory, glad the wind has dropped. (A job I hate doing each year and wait until the warmth arrives as I always end up soaked)..

Edited May 6, 2017 by Dorsetbred

[Dorsetbred]

Interesting afternoon, watching the radar around 15:50, as rain developed, as the air appeared to rise over the Purbecks, and really kicked off a decent shower activity, and appeared to depart from Weymouth about 17:25.

Mapantz, were you watching?

[matt111]

Ended up being the warmest day of the year so far here with a high of 18.3°C. 

[knocker]

Early morning fog and some thin St which will soon clear and leave a clear sky. temp 8C and no wind. Perfect day to pop down to the lake and see Sidney and the rest.

[Ciderwithrosie]

It's a beautiful hazy sunny morning , opend up the conservatory door as it was ( according to my new temp sensor getting on for 25 C ) , 

iit's 12.5 C outside , a light breeze .rather lovely , either time in the garden or time for a walk :-) with the camera . 

[lettice]

That was a lovely warm sunny day yesterday, 19.4c high, but was 17c-19c for most of the day and early evening.
NE wind was 8-12 mph for most of it.

Cloudy today, 10.8c, Northerly wind 8mph.
1021.2 hPa, 75% humidity
No rain here so far this month.

[Mapantz]

Sunshine early this morning, then clouded over, now the sun is coming back out to play again.

Temp: 15.1°C - Hum: 63% - Dew: 8.1°C - Bar: 1022.45hPa - Wind: N @ 3mph.

@Dorsetbred The skies did go weird here, yesterday - late afternoon. It looked thundery, despite it not being.