September weather

Throughout much of September, the weather was reasonably settled and quiet, although at times there were outbreaks of rain and it was also rather warm, especially around the 7th/8th. However, a marked change came about on the 27th with much more unsettled and notably cooler conditions for the last few days of the month.

Mean monthly temperatures were well above average, with rainfall and sunshine near average, although Northern Ireland was particularly dull.

The provisional UK mean temperature was 14.7°C, which is 2.1°C above the 1981 to 2010 long-term average, only slightly cooler than August’s mean temperature.

It ranks as the second warmest September in a series from 1884. Mean monthly maxima and minima were both similarly elevated relative to normal.

Most parts of the UK saw rainfall totals not far from average, with some areas rather drier and much of this rainfall fell in the final four days of the month.

Overall, the UK had 82% of average September rainfall. Sunshine was rather above average in many eastern areas but below average in the north-west of the UK giving an overall figure of 96% of average.

The UK monthly extremes were as follows: a maximum temperature of 30.8°C was recorded at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, on the 7th; a minimum temperature of -1.4°C was recorded at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, on the 30th; in the 24 hours ending at 9 am on the 29th, 76.6 mm of rain fell at White Barrow, Devon; and a wind gust of 64 knots (74 mph) was recorded at Needles, Isle of Wight on the 27th.