Author: Eric Gilbert

After almost a week under the low pressure system to the west it finally moved off to the east with a consequent change in our weather. The wind backed into the northwest, not seen for a month, and a dry day. The wind was lighter and with strong sunshine in the afternoon the thermometer rose to 20.4C, which was 1.5C above the average.

It was a mild night with the temperature no lower than 12.0C being 2.7C above the average due to cloud cover. At 04.06 a small shower passed over producing 0.6mm of rain. Most of the evidence of this had disappeared shortly after dawn as broken sunshine greeted the new day.

Due to the departure of the depression the barometric pressure has been rising with a reading of 1015.4mb at 08.00, up 10mb in the past twenty-four hours.

Another 7.2mm of precipitation fell on Thursday afternoon during a thunderstorm at 15.30. That brought the monthly total to 35.1mm when the 38-year average is 66.9mm. The September total is now greater than was the combined total for July and August. The five continuous days with rainfall we have just experienced has not occurred since 14th-18th May.

Due to the overcast conditions and thick cloud associated with the storm the maximum of 18.7C was just below the average (-0.2C) making it the first below average maximum since 25th August. The depression brought all the cloud and rainfall as it moved very slowly across the UK that meant the wind veered into the southwest for much of the day.

The overcast conditions overnight meant another mild night when the thermometer did not fall below 14.1C, which was 4.8C above the average.

The diurnal temperature range, the difference between maximum and minimum, was just over 4C compared with a range of 11C earlier in the month.

Friday dawned with the overcast conditions still prevailing but at 08.24, as I write, the sun broke through, if briefly.

The low pressure has begun to move away to the east with the barometric pressure starting to rise with a reading at 08.00 of 1005.5mb, up over 2mb from the low yesterday. As the centre of the low moves slowly away the wind is forecast to veer into the north-northwest or north west today.

Both the maximum of 20.4C and the minimum of 12.8C were above the 38-year average with +1.5C and +3.5C respectively. However, the past five days have seen a gradual decline in daytime temperatures as the ridge of high pressure receded and taken over by the slow moving depression to the southwest. The maxima for the past five days have been 22.6C, 22.2C, 21.9C, 20.7C and 20.4C. respectively. A sign of late summer and approaching Autumn, perhaps?

There was a shower at 20.20 also two very brief showers early this morning amounting to 2.4C that brought the monthly total to 27.9mm when the 38-year average is 66.9mm.

Thursday produced a mainly cloudy start to the day with occasional glimpses of brightness but no sunshine.

The slow moving depression, that has lingered in the western approaches for several days, appears to making a move and forecast to move across the UK. Today it is closer and given us the lowest barometric pressure this month and since 15th August of 1003.5mb at 08.00.

The mild weather continued on Tuesday with both the maximum of 20.7C and minimum of 14.1C above average, +1.8C and + 4.9C respectively.

More rain fell amounting to 5.7mm that brought the monthly total to 25.5mm. The three day total was greater than that in August 18.0mm or July 14.1mm.

Wednesday started bright with weak sunshine but just after 07.15 a large shower area from the south, passing just to the east over Hungerford, blocked out the sun. However, just before 08.25 the cloud eased away and broken sunken returned.

The wind continues predominantly from the south, as yesterday, so another mild day in sight. The low pressure system just off the west coast is still influencing our weather with the pressure at 08.00 of 1008.4mb.

Much welcome rain for gardeners fell in the past twenty-four hours, at least helping the fruit and late flowers to recover a little. It will hopefully help the Brussels sprouts and cabbages put on growth for the autumn/winter whilst there is considerable residual warmth in the ground. By mid-afternoon an additional 2.9mm had fallen, however between 20.00 and 22.00 a slow moving rain band, about 40 miles wide, slowly passed over the area bringing another 12.1mm of moderate rainfall. Thus the daily rainfall total was 15.0mm making it the wettest day since 16th August (15.9mm). The wind, predominantly from the Southeast, was brisk with a peak gust of 20mph.

The maximum temperature was again above average, as every day this month, with a peak of 21.9C (+3.0C). Likewise the overnight minimum, registered at 02.45, with a low of 13.0C (+3.7C). A warm start by day and night to Meteorological Autumn.

Tuesday began bright but total cloud cover obliterated any sign of the sun. By 08.00 the thermometer had crept up to 15.7C