Change of wind direction looks set to bring pleasant spring sunshine and showers to Aylesbury Vale

The weather has been rather stuck in a rut over the past week, with high pressure dominant to the north of the UK, leading to an easterly flow of air.

For Aylesbury Vale, an easterly in mid-spring can be disappointing, with a lot of cloud and the chilling effect of the easterly breeze blowing off a cold North Sea.

Over the past week, we’ve actually seen daytime temperatures close to where they should be, typically the low teens Celsius. We’ve seen some chilly nights, though, and the mercury dipped just below freezing on Friday and Monday nights.

However, sheltered parts of western Scotland have had almost summer-like weather, with daytime temperatures peaking at between 19 and 21C with plenty of sunshine.

The reason for the warmth in the north-west is down to a phenomenon known as the Foehn Effect. As cool, moisture-laden air moves in off the North Sea, it is forced to rise up over the landmass of the UK and, in Scotland, it has to ascend over the mountain ranges. As the air descends to the lee of the mountains, it dries out and warms up, leading to the stunning mid-spring weather witnessed in western Scotland.

Following a chilly week in Aylesbury Vale this week, when winds swung around to the north, we’re likely to see temperatures slowly climbing into this weekend as the northerly is cut off and winds switch to the south or south-east. Whilst there are likely to be some showers, there should be some pleasant spring sunshine too.