Author: Eric Gilbert

Saturday saw rain and drizzle all morning and well into the afternoonfrom the extensive weather front. However, at 15.15 the thermometer read 14.8C but within 15 minutes this had dramatically fallen 4C, the wind had veered from south west to north west and the barometric pressure immediately began to rise.

All this occurred as a cold front made its way down south eastwards across the country. There was no sunshine during the day, not surprisingly, but for the first time my equipment gave a zero reading for solar energy at 100w/sq.m

Rainfall for the past twenty-four hours amounted to 13.5mm bringing the monthly total to 149.4mm, which is 65.8mm above the 35-year average. Thus is not a station record as in 2004 October produced 1593mm.

Due to the initial warm air the maximum was 14.2C, just below average, but the cold polar maritime air meant a minimum of 1.2C just after dawn on Sunday.

Sunday after dawn saw the hang back of cloud from the weather front but weak sunshine breaking through.

The next weather front made itself felt on Friday as although there was a dry start to the day drizzle arrived just after midday and continued for most of the afternoon. Heavy rain fell between midnight and 01.00 Saturday morning producing 9.4mm. This brought the October rainfall total to 135.7mm, which is 52mm above the 35-year average but still only the sixth wettest since my records began in 1984.

It was a mild day with the maximum of 14.9C just above average followed by an exceptionally mild night when the thermometer did not fall below 14.2C, which was 7C above average.

The southern air flow began to pick up just after dawn on Friday and increased steadily throughout daylight hours with a maximum gust of 36mph at 15.42. It remained windy overnight with another peak gust just before 06.00 on Saturday.

With the barometric pressure currently reading 1005mb on Saturday at 08.00 and the lowest this week, it is not surprising to find the thick cloud and strong winds are still in evidence as a weather front, stretching 3,000 miles down into the southern Atlantic, meanders across the country.

Thursday gave us a murky day with virtually no sunshine, just 0.5 hours with overnight rain amounting to 1.8mm. This brought the monthly rainfall total to 126mm, which is 43mm above average but still far less than the very wet October that occurred in 2004 with 159.3mm.

Temperatures by day were again depressed with a maximum of 12.7c (-2C) but 1.3C above overnight due to the extensive cloud cover that minimised warmth radiating into the atmosphere with a low of 8.3C.

Friday arrived with total cloud cover in advance of the next wide rain band now moving eastwards over the West Country.

The warm front edging in from the east meant a gloomy day on Wednesday with depressed temperatures by day, maximum of 12.2C (-2.5C) and little sunshine, less than an hour.

There were a few spots of rain just after midday but not measurable.

The maximum gust if wind was just 8mph, the calmest day since 28th March, coming from an easterly then south easterly direction.

The cloud meant a mild night with the minimum of 9.2C being 2 C above average.

Thursday dawned with thick, low cloud giving murky conditions, limiting visibility to 500m.

Tuesday saw the return of the sun, with 5.5 hours, under the influence of a small ridge of high pressure as the thermometer rose to a maximum of 15.2C, which was 0.6C above average. However, increasing cloud from mid afternoon blocked out late afternoon sunshine.

The temperature fell away steadily overnight to produce a minimum of 2.8C at 03.38 allowing fog to form so that by 08.00 Wednesday morning the visibility was reduced to 100m. Thus was the first foggy morning since 26th August.

The barometric pressure has also fallen in the past twenty-four hours, by 7mb, as a small depression over the near content maked itself felt.