Category: Commentary

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 20.8C on Saturday making it the warmest day since 21st September being a significant 6.2C above the 38-year average.

It was a dry day after ten consecutive days with rain.The monthly rainfall total now stands at 95.7mm being 107% of the long-term average, which makes it only the second above average month this year, February being the other wet month.

Due to cloud cover the past night has also been very mild with a low of 12.2C, which was 4.9C above the long-term average.

Sunday arrived with continuing total cloud cover, the breeze appearing to back a few degrees into the southeast as the complex of three low pressures centres relocate.

Another mild day on Friday also night thanks to the flow of warm air from far south that saw the thermometer rise to 16.9C being 2.3C above the average. After the rain, residual cloud cleared by mid-morning when the sun came out and gave us another very pleasant day.

A rain band crosses the area in the earth hours of Saturday producing 4.2mm of precipitation. The low of 11.3C was 4.0C above the average.

The rain band had cleared by dawn on Saturday but residual cloud meant no immediate sunshine. A complex area of three low pressure systems still dominate our weather, just to the west of the UK, as a result the flow of warm southerly air will continue for another day.

The thermometer rose to a maximum of 19.1C on Thursday making it the warmest day of the month also since 22nd September being 4.5C above the average. The record for the warmest October day was set on 1st October 2011 with a peak of 26.7C.

The trend for the mean October temperature has shown an upward trend during the past twenty years or so with a rise of 0.8C.

The past night was again mild with the thermometer dropping just 4C overnight with a low of 14.6C, which was 7.1C above average. Rain began to fall at 06.20 on Friday producing another 1.9mm of precipitation by 08.00 taking the monthly total to 91.5mm, just 2mm above the long-term trend. October is now only the second month with above average rainfall in 2022, February being the other wet month.

The arrival of daylight on Friday was weak as the latest rain band was passing over the area. The warm, moist air flow continues from a southerly quadrant for another day.

Yet another welcome above average maximum temperature on Wednesday that saw the thermometer rise to 17.8C, which was a significant 3.2C above the 38-year average. Likewise, the overnight minimum of 11.8C was 4.5C above average. The southerly breeze brought the warm air from far south, originating in the region of Africa , however it was a very windy day with a maximum gust of 32mph at 11.23 making it the windiest day since way back on 7th April.

Thursday dawned grey with heavy, low cloud and very light rain that by 08.00 added 0.3mm to the monthly total that at 89.6mm is exactly average for October. The warm air brought on a south or possibly later southeasterly air flow continues for another day.

The mild, moist air stream on a southerly breeze continued on Tuesday with the maximum of 16.6C 2.0C above the average.

It has been an exceedingly mild night with the minimum of 14.3C only 0.3C below the the average maximum for October and a significant 7.5C above the average minimum. This made it the warmest night since 25th August.

The diurnal temperature range, therefore, was a difference of just 2.3C between day and night.

Wednesday started dry but light rain arrived at 07.35.