Wednesday was a relatively calm day, before the storm arrived, with the thermometer peaking at 13.1C, which was 2.9C above the 39-year average, thanks to the mild air stream from the Atlantic. The strongest wind gust, not maintained, was 27mph. It was also a mild night with a minimum of 8.1C being 4.2C above the average.
Although there were brief showers in the daytime the main rainfall began just before 20.30 and continued throughout the night that meant a daily total of 28.7mm. This was the wettest day since the deluge on 17th September 2023 when 49.7mm was recorded.
The barometric pressure began to fall rapidly just after 15.00 on Wednesday as Storm Ciaran approached to reach a low of 957.1mb at 06.05 on Thursday, very close to the low (952mb) recorded just to the north of our area. This extreme low pressure was a record for my station set up in 1984.
Because the centre of Storm Ciaran passed very close to our area early on Thursday, it has meant relatively calm conditions at the moment before they rise in strength as the centre moves away eastward. A significant rise in strength is likely to occur just after midday, continuing into the evening.The pressure has begun to rise with a reading of 959.2mb at 08.00 Thursday.
As the centre moved away this morning the wind made a 245 degree turn, anticlockwise, from south to northwest.
October 2023 Review
The month began with above average temperatures as warm, moist air flowed up from mid-Atlantic. By the 6th a large anticyclone centred over France directed even warmer air from Iberia and north Africa. By the 9th the thermometer had peaked at 24.6C being 9.9C above the long-term average and the warmest day since 10th September. It was the second warmest day I have recorded since 1st October 2011 when 26.7C was recorded.
The anticyclone began to weaken on the 12th although the last of the very warm air raised the thermometer to 20.4C on the 13th. During that afternoon the temperature began to drop slowly as cloud thickened that by 17.00 produced rain that by 17.15 was very heavy as a weather front passed over the area. At that time the wind abruptly veered from south to north and the thermometer dropped to around 10C in gusty wind conditions.
Storm Babet arrived on the 18th but thankfully the worst of the strong winds and intense rain were to the north of our area as the maximum wind gust was just 26mph although there were many hours of rain amounting to 15.8mm.
The monthly rainfall total rose above the long-term average (+3mm) on the 25th after 13mm fell during the previous twenty-four hours.
The very low barometric pressure of 975.7mb on the 20th was the lowest pressure since 20th January 2021.
A succession of depressions marked the end of the month with variable sunshine and often frequent showers.
October was a mild month with the average temperature 0.4C above the 39-year average. A record was broken for the warmest night in October since this station was set up in 1984 with a minimum of 16.1C overnight 1st to the 2nd.
We don’t need reminding that October was a very wet month. There were only 14 totally dry days with several considerable daily falls, for example, 21.0mm on the 19th, 18.0mm on the 13th, 15.8mm on the 18th and 13.0mm on the 24th.
The total October rainfall was 121.6mm being 135% of the 39-year average or + 31.4mm. The rainfall for the period January to October was 885.6mm being 215mm above the 39-year average. It has been the second wettest January to October since my records began in 1984, the year 2014 was the record year that brought 920.6mm for that period.
The wet and unsettled month was due to a succession of depressions crossing the country with the average barometric pressure of 1007.5mb being 7mb below the long-term average. The lowest pressure of 975.7mb was recorded on the 20th.
Fog was observed in the early hours of the 2nd that was followed later in the day by thunder at 14.05 and 14.20.