October was unsettled throughout with frequent rain, often in large amounts. The first nine days (eight in Scotland and Northern Ireland) were consistently warm, though this was followed by a week of rather cold weather. From the 17th to the 27th it became quite warm again, and the month finished with four days of temperatures close to the seasonal norm.
Mean maximum temperature during October ranged from 17.0°C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens (both London) to 10.6°C at Lerwick (Shetland), while mean minimum temperature varied between 13.0°C at Portland (Dorset) and 5.6°C at Loch Glascarnoch (Wester Ross). Mean maxima ranged from about 0.5 degC above normal over most of Scotland to 1.5 degC above in the English Midlands, while mean minima ranged from 1.0 degC above in northern Scotland to 3.0 degC above in the Midlands. The normal referred to is the mean for 1981-2010. The Central England Temperature (CET) of 12.8°C was 2.1 degC above the long-term mean, making this the warmest October since 2006, though it was only 0.1 degC warmer than October 2011. In the last 100 years just 6 Octobers were warmer while 94 were colder.
The highest maximum at a standard site (i.e excluding rooftop and mountain sites) in the UK was 22.4°C recorded at Donna Nook (Lincs) on the 7th, while the lowest minimum was minus 3.6°C, at Dalwhinnie (Inverness-shire) on the 12th. The lowest daytime maximum was 6.4°C at Loch Glascarnoch (Wester Ross) on the 9th, while the warmest night was that of the 3rd/4th with a minimum of 17.1°C at Lee-on-Solent (Hants).
Rainfall averaged over England and Wales during October was 148mm which is 143 per cent of the average for the standard reference period 1981-2010, making this the wettest October since 2000. In the last 100 years only 9 Octobers were wetter while 91 were drier. The equivalent figures for Scotland were 129mm and 121 per cent of the normal amount, and for Northern Ireland 116mm and 112 per cent. Monthly totals at routinely-available sites varied between 335mm at Capel Curig (Caernarfon) and 48mm at Kinloss (Morayshire). The heaviest daily fall was 62mm on the 11th at Herstmonceux (East Sussex).
Sunshine averaged over England and Wales during October was 92 hours which is 82 per cent of the 1981-2010 mean; this was the dullest October since 2005. In the last 100 years, 16 Octobers were duller while 84 were sunnier. The equivalent figures for Scotland were 68 hours and 76 per cent, and for Northern Ireland 96 hours and 105 per cent. Largest total in the UK was 157 hours at St Helier (Jersey) and the smallest was 44 hours at Kirkwall (Orkney).
Strongest winds during October occurred on the 28th with gusts to 71 knots at Langdon Bay (near Dover), while in the Dover Straits a gust to 91 knots was recorded at Sandettie Light Vessel.
© Philip Eden