Weather log November 2023
Key:
Thu 2nd named storm Ciaran, this mainly affected the south of England and in particular the Channel Islands where wind gusts to 100mph were reported. It was a notable low pressure area giving very low atmospheric pressure down close to 950mbar, the deepest across southern UK for several decades. Here at Lwn lowest pressure 961 mbar in the early hours (lowest since 956 mbar March 2008)), while 960 mbar at Coventry was believed to be the lowest on record (beating 961 mbar from December 1989). Weather-wise unremarkable for most of Wales & Midlands, the low centre tracked along southern England with tightest isobars on its southern flank, slacker pressure gradients to its north and west. That saying exposed Welsh coasts still had gusts to 60mph. Spells of rain or showers gave over an inch to parts of WW with Whitechurch 29.8mm again wettest in Wales.
First half of November continued unsettled and at times wet, temperatures around average:
Fri 10th showery past few days, Penuwch (NRW), Ceredigion caught 37mm (midnight to midnight) and was the wettest gauge in the UK, (Llanwnnen 14mm). Isolated lightning sferics today.
Sat 11th widespread grass frost Midlands with local air frost, minima Pershore -1.7c, Shobdon -0.5c, CL +1.2c, Lwn 2.6c, Coleshill 3.5c, Aberdaron 6.8c. Ice on the windscreen at LL this evening.
Sun 12th another widespread ground frost Midlands, minima Shobdon -1.0c, CL +0.5c, Coventry +1.3c, Lwn 2.7c (before rain late in the night).
We have been away at LL, Warks since Wed 8th where some rain or showers, also pleasant sunny spells, nowhere near as wet as back home.
Mon 13th showery, a few lightning sferics mid Wales late evening (Aberystwyth perhaps?).
Tue 14th sferics in places mid & N Wales during the early hours.
First half November (1st - 15th): rather mild, rainfall generally on the wet side, very wet some areas; sunshine average to quite sunny. Little frost still.
Rainfall totals 1st -15th:
Mona 53.4mm (average)
Llanwnnen 127.3mm (very wet)
Pembrey Sands 80.2mm (rather wet)
MH 91.6mm (wet)
Mumbles 98.6mm (very wet)
Coventry 42.4mm (rather wet)
CL 36.8mm (rather wet)
Pershore 38.8mm (rather wet|)
Shobdon 67.6mm (very wet)
Sunshine 1st - 15th Nov:
Llanwnnen 25 hrs (average)
Coventry c 45 hours (quite sunny)
Shobdon 40 hrs (average)
Thu 16th a pleasant dry afternoon for a change with sunny spells parts of WW, things drying up somewhat as little rain past few days. Whitechurch max 11.9c (warmest in UK), also Lwn 10.2c, in contrast a cool and cloudy day Mids with a low crossing the English channel, chilly east winds here (max Coventry 7.2c, ROW 9.3c).
Drier after 20th and much colder into last week:
Tue 21st Whitechurch max 12.3c warmest in UK (Lwn 9.8c).
Sat 25th first really cold night, minima Tirabad -6.0c, Lwn -5.9c, Pershore -5.5c, CC -3.3c, Market Bosworth & Trawsgoed -2.9c, Coventry -1.8c, Nottingham -1.0c, Aberdaron 3.3c. It was the coldest November night at Llanwnnen since 2016 (-11.0c 30th), however note the record cold October night in 2018 (-8.0c 30th).
Wed 29th cold or very cold for November, maxima Tirabad 2.1c, Sutton Bonington (Notts) 4.2c, CL 4.3c, Coventry 4.9c, Lwn 5.1c, Winterbourne (B'ham) 6.1c, Mumbles 8.2c.
Thu 30th frost, quite severe in places, minima Pershore -5.8c, Shawbury -5.1c, CITE -5.0c, CL, Lwn & Whitechurch (Pembs) -4.4c, Nottingham & Trawsgoed -2.5c, Aberporth 0.0c, Mumbles +1.3c. Snow flurries gave a dusting parts of E Mids (inc Leicester). Cold/ very cold by day again, Llanwnnen (max 3.4c) had the coldest November day for 11 years (when max 1.8c 29/11/12). Other maxima Tirabad (near Sennybridge, Powys) 1.0c, CC 2.1c, Shawbury 3.2c, Trawsgoed 3.4c, Coventry 3.7c, Nottingham 4.0c, Pershore 5.1c,Valley 5.4c, Astwood Bank (Worc) 5.5c.
Nature notes:
Wed 1st Aberystwyth several thousand Starling in murmuration towards sunset (4 to 4.30pm).
First week, lack of frost this Autumn to date has held back the usual vegetation dieback whilst permitting various flowers to keep on blooming (garden and wild varieties alike). Ash and Beech shedding leaves, Oak holding onto them.
Plenty of plants in flower, coming into flower in fact, still some Fox and Cubs about.
Tue 7th Neuadd lane, prolific new growth, leafing and flowering, inc Ox Eye Daisy, Red Campion, Red Clover. Celandine leaves showing on south- facing bank. Fresh Oak and Hazel leaves, most plentiful small purple flowers in the hedges (Cranesbill I think); hedgerows sprouted again after trim earlier in Autumn (especially Hazel and Wild Rose), Beech buds and Hazel Buds alongside already formed catkins. Fresh fern fronds, a mixture of dead ones, still green ones and new ones. Blackberries flowering and others with unripe fruit that has recently appeared months after the main crop. Several Fieldfare and Redwing.
Garden, Lords and Ladies by the shed has regained foliage after these died back late Summer.
Second week at LL (Warks) plentiful growth and blooming going on here to (as if a second Spring), Nettle flowers, Dandelions amongst many other species of garden and country plant.
Tue 14th Song Thrush singing Uni dusk.
Late month: profuse blooming and growth continued into last week.
One of the Cherry trees has blossomed by Dulas, Lampeter Uni, lots of daisies, some Dandelions, garden blackberry flowers and fruit (small unripe), a few raspberries turning red, many garden flowers Fuchsia, Roses, dozens of different types as though a second Spring.
Late month sharp frosts appear to have killed off some vegetation but not others, most bracken now browned off, however in the garden there are near ripe Raspberries and unripe Blackberries!
Thu 30th Neuadd lane: Celandine leaves on south- facing bank prolific (these should not flower until late February/ March. A few Celandine leaves in our garden too. Also Primrose leafage, this quite normal at any time of year. A few Beech buds have started to open then been halted by the cold, quite a few Hazel catkins.
Most leaves off month end.
November 2023 summary
Rather mild; rainfall varying from rather dry to wet; sunshine rather dull to quite sunny
Rainfall totals November 2023
Mona, Anglesey 106.4mm (average)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular c 95mm (rather dry)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog c 110mm (average)
Llanwnnen, Ceredigion 177.2mm (112%)
Pembrey Sands, Carms 119.8mm (93%)
Milford Haven, Pembs 139.4mm (102%)
Mumbles, near Swansea 133.6mm (113%)
Shawbury, Salop c 85mm (rather wet)
Coleshill c 50mm (rather dry)
Coventry, Bablake School 66.4mm (105%)
CL, Warks 55.0mm (92%)
Pershore, Worc 53.6mm (83%)
Hereford c 80mm (rather wet)
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges Nov 2023
Llyn Cefni (Ynys Mon) 124.6mm (average)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 213.6mm (average)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 423.6mm (rather wet)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 294.0mm (rather wet)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 122.8mm (rather wet)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 177.2mm (rather wet)
Penuwch (Ceredigion) 238.4mm (very wet)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 189.8mm (wet)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 162.0mm (rather wet)
Pencader (Carms) 187.6mm (average)
Abergorllech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 202.8mm (rather wet)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 207.6mm (rather wet)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 168.6mm (rather wet)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 189.2mm (wet)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 100.6mm (rather dry)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 251.8mm (wet)
Tenby (Pembs) 173.8mm (wet)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 158.0mm (rather wet)
COL stations rainfall Nov 2023
Llansadwrn 122.6mm (92%)
Ludlow, Salop 64.0mm (83%)
Alvechurch, Worc 70.7mm (83%)
Warstock, Brum 79.3mm (101%)
Cosby, Leic 42.5mm (66%)
Hinckley 75.6mm
Towcester, Northants 65.8mmn (89%)
Sunshine totals Nov 2023
Llanwnnen estimated 42 hours estimated (79%)
Coventry, Bablake School 84.9 hrs (129%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 64.2 hrs (94%)
COL stations sun Nov 2023
Ludlow 75.1 hrs
Alvechurch 83.7 hours
Cosby 83.8 hrs
Towcester 93.5 hrs
Autumn 2023 summary
Very mild and wet; sunshine rather dull to rather sunny
Coventry: the third warmest Autumn since records began in the city in 1892. Sunniest Autumn since 2007 (339.6 hrs).
Llanwnnen: the wettest Autumn locally since year 2000 (Cellan NRW c 650mm), the previous wettest here being 528.2mm 2018. Mildest since 2011.
September very warm, variable rainfall, average sun.
October wet/ very wet, very mild, dull to average sunshine.
November rather mild, rainfall average or wet, rather dull to sunny.
Rainfall totals Autumn 2023
Mona, Anglesey 407.6mm (wet)
Aberdaron c 399mm (wet)
Aberporth c 330mm (rather wet)
Llanwnnen 559.5mm (133%)
Pembrey Sands c 520mm (very wet)
Coleshill c 240mm (rather wet)
Coventry 266.4mm (139%)
Church Lawford (Rugby) 212.0mm (112%)
Pershore 230.6mm (wet)
Shobdon 301.4mm (wet)
Sunshine totals Autumn 2023
Llanwnnen (estimated) 213 hours (80%)
Coventry, Bablake School 313.5 hours (110%)
Shobdon (Herefordshire) 277.0 hrs (rather dull)
