Sunshine to lift the spirits – but still a bit nippy
FOR once the weather seems to be in tune with us. In a world that is growing daily quieter thanks to self-isolation, we are finally getting a spell of settled weather. Yesterday’s frosty start followed by dry, sunny conditions will be repeated almost exactly today.
The cause of the becalming is a dominant high-pressure system that is slowly moving away to the east. The further its core travels over the North Sea, the more likely it is to generate those cool easterly winds that we all remember from this time last year with the “Beast From the East”. So the eastern seaboard in particular, but most of the rest of the country in general, will still feel a bit nippy in the breeze, despite the sparkling sunshine that most will enjoy.
Anywhere from Norwich, through Hull and Newcastle up to Edinburgh is likely to suffer that chilling effect most, so expect 46F (8C) – below the seasonal average.
The further west you go, the better it gets, so 52F (11C) in Cardiff, Liverpool and Glasgow. And, tomorrow, the wind direction will shift to southerly, drawing in slightly warmer air and a modest hike in temperatures.
By Tuesday, low pressure will start to make inroads into north-western Scotland and parts of the north of Ireland, and the resulting rain will spread more widely across the whole of the UK during Wednesday. Once that is out of the way, though, there is more high pressure on the cards, just the sort of gentle warming that the scientists tell us will play a part in slowing the spread of coronavirus.
We are all trying in these tough times to count our blessings, and into the mix might be added a marked improvement in air quality, when we take our brief constitutionals or while away the hours in the garden, with empty roads leading to a drop in nitrogen dioxide, and staying at home cutting emissions.