CITE = Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire
COL = Climatological Observers Link
PWS = Personal weather station
MO = Met Office
CET = Central England temperature series
NRW = National Resources Wales
EA = Environment Agency
est = estimated
inc = including
cf= compared with
A rare and prolonged September heatwave early in the month (3 successive days over 25c required for this in Ceredigion and above 27c in the Midlands):
Sat 2nd start of the spell with a fine warm day, maxima Lwn 24.8c, Whitechurch (near Cardigan) 24.6c, Trawsgoed 23.9c, Astwood Bank (Worc) 23.8c, Nottingham 23.6c, Coventry 22.2c, Aberporth 19.8c.
Sun 3rd very warm sunny period, maxima ROW 27.0c, Lwn 26.3c, Coventry & Pershore 26.1c, Nottingham 25.3c, Shobdon 25.1c, Trawsgoed 25.0c, Valley 20.4c.
Mon 4th hot or very hot; Llanwnnen 30.1c (September heat record beating 29.7c from 2021); other max Whitechurch 30.2c (hottest in UK), ROW 29.9c, Trawsgoed 29.5c, CITE 29.4c, Coleshill 29.3c, Hereford 29.1c, Aberporth & Nottingham 28.4c, CL & Pembrey Sands 28.3c, CC & Shobdon 28.2c, Aberdaron & Valley 26.2c, Mona 24.7c. It is likely that today was the hottest September day for West Wales since 1906 when Aberystwyth reached 30c.
Tue 5th very warm night parts of WW, minima Mumbles 18.2c, Trawsgoed 17.4c, although with Lwn a cooler 12.3c and Shobdon 8.8c. Hot or very hot, sunny periods, max ROW 29.8c, Pershore 28.7c, CITE 28.1c, Lwn 27.6c, Coventry, Shobdon & Trawsgoed 27.5c, Pershore 27.4c, Aberporth 27.1c, Nottingham 26.4c. MH 24.4c. The heatwave threshold has now been attained here at Lwn with the third successive day above 25c.
Wed 6th widely hot again, maxima ROW 29.5c, Pershore 28.9c, CITE & CL 28.5c, Shobdon 28.3c, Lwn 27.6c, Trawsgoed 26.9c, Valley 22.9c. Most of the Midlands and WW have now attained the heatwave threshold (e.g. Coventry above 27c past 3 days).
Thu 7th exceptionally warm night in places, minima Mumbles 20.2c, Aberporth 19.6c, Pershore 18.4c, Coventry 17.7c, Nottingham 16.4c, Lwn 14.9c, CL 15.5c, CC 14.4c. Thunder and lightning affected Pembrokeshire during the early hours though with little rain. Hot or very hot day again, remarkably even though WW was rather cloudy most places still managed above 80f, sunny spells Midlands maxima CITE 30.9c, CL 30.6c, Pershore 30.0c, Nottingham & Whitechurch 29.1c, Lwn 28.4c, Valley 28.0c, Aberporth & Trawsgoed 27.4c, Pembrey Sands & Shawbury 27.5c, Mumbles 25.2c.
Fri 8th the remarkably prolonged Autumn heatwave goes on (probably now the most prolonged, although not quite most intense since record began. (35.6c in S Yorkshire September 1906) while the highest so far this spell is 32.6c in Cambridgeshire yesterday. Minima Mumbles 18.9c, Aberporth 18.7c remarkable. Hot or very hot inland, maxima ROW 30.5c, Hereford 30.2c, CITE 30.1c, Pershore 30.0c, Coleshill 29.9c, Coventry 29.7c, Lwn 29.1c, Nottingham 28.2c, Trawsgoed 26.9c, Aberdaron 22.2c.
Sat 9th very warm September night for many places, here at Lwn it was the warmest September night on record (beating 16.7c from both 2016 & 2011) although note that the October record night here is also 17.1c (01/10/11). Other minima Mumbles 18.5c, Hereford 18.3c, Aberporth 17.8c, Nottingham 17.9c, Coventry 17.2c, Pembrey Sands & Pershore 15.8c. Remarkably the heatwave now a week long here at Lwn (each day since last Sunday above 25c) max today 27.7c; at Coventry max 30.5c the hottest in September since 1911 and also the highest reading so late in the Season; other max Nottingham 30.8c, Hereford 30.6c, CL 30.5c, Shawbury 28.4c, Pembrey Sands 27.3c, Mumbles 22.2c. A few thunderstorms affected the NW Midlands pm.
Sun 10th a very warm night in parts, Coventry no lower than 18.7c made it the warmest September night on record for the city; other minima Mumbles 19.6c, Aberporth 18.7c, MH 18.6c, Shobdon 15.5c, Lwn 14.2c, CC 12.9c. Much less warm WW today while very warm Midlands although not quite 27c for Coventry and so a 6 day long heatwave ended there. Maxima CL & Coleshill 26.5c, Nottingham 24.9c, Trawsgoed 24.0c, Shawbury 23.4c, Aberporth & Lwn 22.3c, Aberdaron & MH 21.4c. Cambridge max 32.5c, just beyond the Midlands region was hottest in the UK today. Rain or showers in places, some thunderstorms, with quite severe storms affecting E Mids afternoon, a rumble of thunder heard from Coventry afternoon (cell near Southam). A spectacular large storm affected mid Wales around dusk this was clearly visible from such places as Coventry, High Wycombe, Gloucester and Salisbury Plain, locations from where people filmed and photographed the lightning from almost 100 miles distant!
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| Mid Wales storm cloud from Coventry |
Heatwave summary: unprecedented for September in terms of length although it was hotter in September 1906 (35.6c S Yorkshire) cf 33.2c Kew Gardens this spell (Sat 9th). Most remarkable fact being that somewhere in the UK exceeded 30c for 7 successive day which would be quite something even in the height of Summer. Mean maximum at Bablake, Coventry week ending Sunday 10th 28.4c or 10c above average! Most places running 5 or 6 degrees above the September average to 11th. For the CET region only 3 warmer starts (1st - 10th) to ANY month in 350 years!
Mon 11th warm night again, minima Mumbles 18.2c, Pembrey Sands 18.1c, Nottingham 17.5c, Coventry 17.3c, CC 16.2c, Lwn 15.8c, Shawbury 15.0c. Maxima generally 18 - 21c WW and 21 - 24c Midlands (Pershore College 25.4c, Coventry 23.7c, MH 21.2c, Lwn 20.2c, Aberdaron 17.6c).
Tue 12th last of the warm nights minima widely over 15c away from N Wales, Pembrey Sands 16.8c, CL, Hereford, Lwn & Pershore 15.8c, Shawbury 14.0c, Aberdaron 12.2c. Cold front slowly edged south and so down to average or below by day. Spells of rain for the Midlands in particular, around an inch for much of N Mids, while Coventry and Rugby areas also caught some heavy rain afternoon (King's Newnham 18.8mm today). Cooler than of late daytime, all places below 20c, maxima ROW 19.8c, Pembrey Sands 18.7c, Lwn & Shobdon 18.0c, CL 17.6c, Nottingham 15.5c, CC 14.9c.
Fri 15th a short lived return to warmth, maxima Wellesbourne 23.9c, Pershore 23.5c, Coventry 23.3c, Lwn & Nottingham 22.7c, Trawsgoed 22.3c, Shobdon 21.1c, CC 17.2c.
First half of September very warm, quite sunny, rainfall varying from very dry/ dry quite widely to rather wet parts of N Wales:
Most places running at 4c above average.
Rainfall 1st to 0900 16th: Valley c 45mm (rather wet), CC 63.8mm, Trawsgoed c 20mm (dry), Aberporth c 12mm, Llanwnnen 25.7mm (dry), Pembrey Sands c 8mm (very dry), MH 14.8mm, Mumbles 9.0mm (very dry); Nottingham c 27mm (average), Shawbury c 30mm, Coleshill c 12mm, Coventry 11.4mm (very dry), CL 17mm, Pershore 8.0mm (very dry), Hereford c 13mm.
Sunshine to 15th: Llanwnnen 79 hours (estimated), Coventry 99 hours (sunny), Shobdon 90 hrs.
Became much more unsettled after mid month with temperatures average at best:
Mon 18th heavy rain and thunderstorms much of the Midlands (east of B'ham) overnight, giving over 2 inches in places (Leicestershire & Notts) while much of the Coventry area had an inch or more (Bablake school 26.8mm) much of this rain fell in under 3 hours (also PWS Earlsdon 35mm).
Tue 19th wet and windy WW with high orographic rainfall totals over hilly areas, widely an inch with over 4 inches for some high ground today; CC 90.2mm wettest MO station in the UK (to 2100).
Wed 20th reported on BBC Wales weather that Cwm Dyli (NRW) in Snowdonia received 162mm rainfall in 36 hours to this morning. Here at Lwn 38.9mm measured 0900 made it the second wettest September day recorded here (after 46.6mm in 2018). For the Midlands yesterday just a little rain in places, the fronts not arriving until overnight or this morning and totals generally not large here. Other rainfall amounts (24 hours to 0900) Pembrey Sands 25mm, Trawsgoed 22mm, Shobdon 15mm, Aberporth 11mm, Nottingham 2mm, Coventry 1mm. Strongest wind gusts to 75mph at Capel Curig, generally inland strongest gusts 35- 45mph and 45- 60mph along coasts.
Continued unsettled towards month end:
Sun 24th Whitechurch, near Cardigan, 40.2mm wettest place in Wales.
Tue 26th showers and some longer spells of rain, thunder in places Midlands
Wed 27th named storm Agnes (first of the Season) mainly affected Ireland, strong winds for WW with rain at times, quite windy later Midlands with some light rain. Many exposed parts of Wales gusts around 60mph; max gusts Capel Curig 84mph, Llanwnnen estimated 50mph, Coventry just 33mph.
Sat 30th a wet end to the month across much of WW, Whitechurch (Pembs) 28.0mm wettest in the UK. Here at Lwn heavy rain the following morning with 7mm in 2 hours made it the wettest September here (due to data being 'thrown back' to the previous day when measured at 0900 GMT).
Nature notes
First week or so: Chiffchaff singing on and off from the trees at the bottom of the garden (lacking the strength and urgency of its Spring song however always nice to hear before they head south). Robins back in song so not so quiet as July and August now. Singing louder and more often 8th - 9th. Plenty of hirundines still enjoying the hot weather. Plentiful butterflies too in particular, Large Whites, Speckled Woods and Tortoiseshells.
Fri 8th Aberaeron late House Martin chick poking out of a nest looked ready to go. A dozen or so above the town this afternoon.
Sat 9th lane by forestry very surprised to see a laburnum with a few flowers (never seen this outside of May/ June).
The unseasonable hot weather has resulted in a growth spurt by the grass and weeds, shrubs and brambles, etc, which is most unusual as things are usually slowing down by now. Also quite a few flowers in the garden containers having a second flush. Lots of bees on the wildflower meadow Lampeter Uni this week.
Occasional brief song of Chiffchaff still as of 20th; most Swallows and Martins seem to have departed soon after mid month with the cooler unsettled weather; Chiffchaff sounded louder 21st.
Thu 21st hirundines back! 20 to 30 mixed Swallow and House Martin here this afternoon, then 20 plus Lampeter.
Mon 25th Chiffchaff still singing sometimes most days lately, quite stridently at times.
Holly berries turning red late month.
