Weather log Oct 2020

Weather log Oct 2020

WW = West Wales
Lwn = Llanwnnen
AG = Aldermans Green, Coventry
CL = Church Lawford
ROW = Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
CC = Capel Curig, Snowdonia
MH = Milford Haven
Mids = Midlands
CITE = Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire  


COL = Climatological Observers Link
PWS = Personal weather station

Cool unsettled start to the month with copious rainfall:

Sat 3rd/ Sun 4th widely over two inches rainfall during these two days, locally over 4 inches hilly areas of Wales; -Llanwnnen 40.8mm in the 24 hours to 0900 4th; Coventry 38.0mm had its wettest October day since 1949 (38.3mm). 24 hour totals to 1200 4th: Trawsgoed 45.0mm, CL 42mm, Hereford 33mm, Nottingham 20mm, Pembrey 10.6mm. Swyddfynnon, Ceredigion officially the wettest place in the UK for the 24 hours to 2100 4th with 48.3mm. Needless to say there was severe flooding in places, particularly parts of Snowdonia..

Tue 6th plentiful showers with thunder in places (inc Bedworth, Warks 1630)...one shower after the other here in Ceredigion for much of the day!

A very wet start to the month, some places already above the whole October average by the end of the first week.

A change to some pleasant settled Autumn conditions mid month:

Wed 14th pleasant sunny spells especially WW with temperatures in places getting rather above average (unusual for this far cool October), maxima Pembrey Sands 15.7c, Lwn 15.6c, Trawsgoed 15.5c, Newport, Salop 15.4c, Shawbury & Shobdon 14.7c, CL 13.1c, CC 12.2c

Thu 15th frost in places, mainly restricted to ground frosts mid Wales, but here at Lwn min -0.3c was the first air frost of the season, there was also fog to start the day which saw sunny periods especially WW; other min Trawsgoed +0.4c, Pembrey 2.4c, Pershore 2.9c, Nottingham 5.9c, Mumbles 7.5c

Fri 16th another local frost Wales, min Lwn -1.1c, Tirabad 1.8c, Pembrey 2.9c, Shobdon 3.1c, Hereford 6.6c (note large local variation!), Mumbles 7.4c

Unsetted again from 20th with rain at times and variable temperatures:

Fri 30th warm sector much rain for Wales (over 100mm parts of Snowdonia); a very mild night widely staying above 12c; minima Hereford 13.9c, Trawsgoed 13.7c, Coventry 13.7c, Shobdon 13.2c, Lwn 12.8c, CC 12.3c

Nature notes

Fri 9th 4 or 5 Swallow feeding above gardens for a few minutes at dusk of a cool day just after a hail shower. First for almost a fortnight and likely the last of the year..

Wed 14th Aberystwyth, dozens of Pied Wagtails roosting in trees along a back road early evening; first of the Pier Starlings but hundreds rather than thousands there at this stage..

Sat 17th quite a few bats Aberaeron at dusk in the woods and along the river

Redwings heard often throughout the month but none seen, this was either late afternoon when they were in the forestry or flying over during the evenings, they have a faint whistling call and are Winter visitors along with the Fieldfare, another Thrush.

Sat 31st several (larger) bats dusk driving back from forestry.

The odd red Holly berry during October, not sure if new or old ones!

A few Hazel catkin appeared during the month

October 2020 summary

Dull, wet and rather cool

All areas had above average rain with locally twice the average (mainly in the South Midlands this); all areas had a dull month, just half the average for parts of Cardigan Bay; temperatures cool to average for October

Rainfall totals October 2020

Valley 117.2mm (116%)

Capel Curig 376.6mm (126%)

Aberdaron 120.2mm (113%)

Trawsgoed 192.0mm (132%)

Aberporth 132.2mm (118%)

Llanwnnen 240.3mm (168%)

Pembrey Sands c 155mm

Milford Haven 143.0mm

Mumbles 157.8mm (128%)

Nottingham 92.6mm

Shawbury c 95mm

Coleshill 104.2mm (143%)

Coventry, Bablake School 114.4mm (169%)

Church Lawford 118.6mm (177%)

Pershore 110.2mm (183%)

Hereford 118.4mm (151%)

COL/ PWS rainfall

Cosby, Leic 88.3mm (128%)

Warstock, Bham 122.7mm (154%)

Alvechurch, Worc 125.5mm (139%)

Towcester, Northants 142.2mm (189%)

Sunshine totals Oct 2020

Aberporth 49.0 hrs (48%)

Llanwnnen 54 hrs (62%)

Nottingham 52.5 hrs