Monthly retrospective for October 2015

It was a rather dry month away from the NE and east coasts and often dominated by high pressure but dull in the south, though quite sunny in the main in the north. The (Hadley) CET mean temperature was near 11.0C, slightly above the average.

October saw temperature anomalies range from rather above average in far northern parts (Lerwick in the Shetland Isles was 1.8C above average) to near average elsewhere. One of the warmest places by day was Heathrow with a mean maximum temperature of 15.7C. The coldest by night was again Shap Fell with a mean minimum of 4.0C. Most of the UK was just above average in fact. Pressure was very much higher than average, as much as 8mb in parts of Scotland, more like 4mb in the south.

October was a notably dry month in places, Edinburgh saw just 25% of its normal rainfall, St Athan in South Wales 27%. However, parts of the north east & east saw well above average, Leeming saw about 140% of its normal amount of rain and other parts of the NE and east were also somewhat above average but mostly amounts were between 50-75% of average rainfall.

Generally, it was rather duller than average right across the UK as a whole away from the Highlands, the NW of Scotland, N Ireland & western & SW'ern coastal areas. Brize Norton (Oxon) saw just 60% of average and much of the south & SE saw figures between 70-90% of average.

By the end of October sea temperature anomalies were still about a degree above average around most UK coasts though nearer two degrees around the north of Scotland but slightly below average around south western coasts. Soil temperatures were near average but soil moisture was generally somewhat below average for most parts of the UK but slightly above in some eastern and north eastern parts.

 

Now looking at October in more detail.

On the 1st, under high pressure and clear skies Braemar in Highland Scotland was both the warmest & coldest place in the UK again after doing something similar on September 30th. It was the warmest place in the UK in October as well as holding that title in September. Its daily range was 24.7C, the max being 22.7C, the min -2.0C. The 2nd was one of the last in the run of fine weather days dominated by high pressure in the previous few weeks. There were 10.9 hours of bright sunshine at Charterhall (Berwickshire) & Durham (Co Durham) reached 20.9C by day after -2.7C at Ravensworth (N Yorks) overnight with -4C on the grass at Shap in Cumbria.

The 5th was a wet dull day in many parts of the south in particular as low pressure dominated. Otterbourne (Hants) saw 27mm on the 24 hours to 21Z. Where there was some brightness even with little in the way of sunshine it was quite warm however locally in mild semi tropical air, Nantwich in Cheshire reached 21.0C.

The 6th was a rather unsettled day as low pressure dominated still across the UK with thunderstorms locally in places in the afternoon in the north Midlands and northern England. Bradford (West Yorks) saw 27mm of rain in the 24 hours to 21Z. However despite the rain it was again quite warm, even muggy in places, Preston (Lancs) reached 20.4C. The 9th saw a lot of early fog about under high pressure and it was locally chilly too, -2C at Aboyne (Highlands) with -4C on the grass.

On the 13th too under high pressure, a cold night on the grass at Altnaharra (in northern Scotland) with -3.7C and -6C on the grass. The 14th also saw quite a chilly night in parts of Northern England under high pressure, Shap (Cumbria) fell to -2.9C with -5C on the grass at Shap as well as Pershore (Worcs). On the 17th, under high pressure it was cold in parts of central Scotland at first, Braemar (Highlands) fell to -5.0C, the lowest temperature in the UK in October. It was -7C on the grass at Tulloch Bridge.

On the 21st, under a mild westerly flow and helped by a foehn effect it was a very warm day locally in parts of E Scotland, Craibstone (Aberdeenshire) reached 21.0C, not far off the all time UK maximum for the 22nd. Orographic enhancement though saw to it that parts of Wales equally were very wet, Goggerdan (Dyfed) saw 36mm in the 24 hours to 21Z. The 22nd was wet in the far north & NW but drier elsewhere, Cassley (Highlands) saw 23mm in the 24 hours to 21Z.

On the 23rd, it continued unsettled in the far north whilst remaining drier though rather dull elsewhere, Skye (in the NW Isles) saw 24mm in the 24 hours to 21Z. Then after a wet day on the 24th, there was another 19mm at Achnagart (Ross and Cromarty), making 51mm in 48 hours. On the 27th it was rather warm in places under a mild SE'ly flow, Kew (outer London) reached 19.9C. However, rain moved in the far SW and was quite persistent & heavy, Cardinham in SW Cornwall saw 27mm in the 24 hours to 21Z. On the 28th a front was slow moving over the east and Midlands bringing quite a lot of rain in places in an otherwise rather dry October, Sheffield saw 34mm in the 24 hours to 21Z and parts of NE London saw 25-30mm too. To the SE of this though it remained rather mild and quite sunny by day. The month finished mild though rather dull for many and the 30th was a very mild day with 19.2C reached in Nantwich (Cheshire).

 

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