Author: Eric Gilbert

Tuesday was a wet and breezy day that produced another 3.8mm of rainfall that brought the monthly total to 167.5mm, which is 81.9mm above the 36-year average. We have only had six totally dry days in October. The day started with the wind coming from the south but late morning it veered more into the southwest then west, gusting to a peak 21mph. There was one very brief burst of sunshine that triggered the sunshine recorder early morning then died away for thee rest of the day.

Temperatures were up a little on the Monday figures with a maximum of 13.7C being 1.C below average but a cloudy night saw the thermometer drop to 7.1C being exactly average for October.

Wednesday saw thin cloud that meant a bright start but no direct sunshine.

The westerly breeze on Monday, a cooler direction, meant both the maximum of 13.1C was below average (-1.5C) and the minimum of 6.1C (-1.0C). Sunshine on midday was in short supply, just 2.3 hours, but welcome.

A warm front passing over the area in the early hours of Tuesday meant a build up of cloud that lifted the thermometer to 8.1C at 08.00 but produced 1.4mm of rainfall starting just after 05.45.

A very deep depression in the north Atlantic has subsumed the remains of the Atlantic Storm Epsilon and currently has an unusually low barometric pressure at its centre of 943mb. The local pressure at 08.00 was 998.2mb and falling rapidly. We will feel the effects of this depression during today and tomorrow. Its forecast track is to the north so we won’t experience the full force of the system. The wind is currently coming from the south but later this morning will veer into the southwest as the depression moves eastwards.

There was a short respite from the rain on Sunday as we enjoyed 4.2 hours of sunshine and just 1.0mm of rainfall. Temperatures by day and night were again below average with a maximum of 12.8C (-1.8C). The thermometer fell away late evening to a minimum of 5.2C (-1.9C) recorded at 01.37 Monday morning. Cloud then built up with the thermometer recovering to 7.3C at 08.00 Monday morning.

There was a little sunshine after dawn on Monday but just before 08.00 shower clouds drifted over that produced light rain. The barometric pressure is still low with a current reading of 996.2mb thanks to the deep depression that has slowly moved eastwards to the north of Scotland and then into the North Sea. The result will be reduced wind strength and a change in the direction to come from the west.

Saturday was dominated by the effects of the deep depression to the northwest of Scotland bringing rain and wind. The wind strength rose during daylight hours with a maximum gust of 35mph at 15.46. There were periods of rain throughout the day and evening with a particularly intense rain event as a squall moved through at 20.00 with a rainfall rate of 65mm/hour for a few minutes.

The daily rainfall on Saturday amounted to 10.1mm, which brought the monthly total to 161.3mm. This October total broke the previous record of 159.3mm set in 2004 and amounts to 188% of the 36-year average.

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 14.0C on Saturday, just 0.6C below average, whereas the minimum of 7.1C was exactly average. Thankfully the deep depression began to fill late yesterday, increasing by 12mb, thus the pressure gradient is reduced resulting in the wind dying down.

Initially on Sunday the sun was obscured by the hang back of cloud from the depression slowly moving eastwards. However, by 07.40 the sun made a very welcome appearance. In contrast to Saturday the wind has almost completely fallen out with hardy a breath of air at 08.00.

With little sunshine, just 1 hour, and a brisk wind from the southwest on Friday it was not surprising that the peak temperature of 13.1C was again below average (-1.5C). There was brief rain around 10.00 that amounted to 0.5mm but the remaining part of the day and night were dry.

During the evening the thermometer fell steadily away to reach a minimum of 5.3C at 00.10 early on Saturday being 1.8C below average. The temperature then began to climb again as cloud built up ahead of the next rain band.

Three depressions on Friday in the North Atlantic have now combined to form a deep low pressure system to the north west of Scotland that produced the thicker cloud and an increasing wind speed from 03.00 on Saturday morning. Light drizzle was observed at 07.45 with a gust of 21mph. By 08.00 the temperature had risen to 10.9C. The barometric pressure is now falling rapidly with a current reading of 1003.5mb whereas the centre of the depression had a reading of 953mb at 08.00. This considerable variation in pressure is producing a steep pressure gradient that will see the wind strength increasing considerably during Saturday. The rain radar shows a wide band of heavy rain approaching the West Country that will reach us in a few hours.