Summary for October, 2006

=========================

HEADLINE: EXCEPTIONALLY MILD AGAIN: RATHER WET OVERALL - PERIODS HEAVY RAIN

(last updated: 01/1100 NOVEMBER)

 

Location:   Tawfield/Wooden Hill area of SW Bracknell, Berkshire, UK

Altitude 80 m (other location details see elsewhere on web site.)

(temperatures [standard screen] degC; rainfall/melted snowfall mm; snow depths cm; )

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TEMPERATURES ETC.

Highest day maximum (date):... 20.2(09)

Highest 24hr maximum (date):.. 20.2(09)

 

Lowest night minimum  (date):... 05.7(27)

Lowest 24hr minimum   (date):... 05.7(27)

 

Lowest overnight grass minimum (date):... 02.6(27)

[ number of days grass minimum < 0degC: ... 00 ]

 

[ Lowest day maximum  (date):...   13.1(23)]

[ Highest night minimum (date):... 15.0(10)]

 

A. Mean Day (09-18Z) maximum:   ... 16.4

A. Mean Night (18-09Z) minimum: ... 11.2

A. Mean of Day Max & Night min: ... 13.8

 

B. Mean 24hr maximum:... 16.5     [+2.9 anomaly on eLTA of 13.6degC]

B. Mean 24hr minimum:... 10.9      [+3.6 anomaly on eLTA of  7.3degC]

B. Mean of 24hr max & min:... 13.7 [+3.2 anomaly on eLTA of 10.5degC]

 

(data below relate to 24 hr day beginning 09Z on date given)

Nr of days minimum at 09UTC <0.0degC:00

Nr of days maximum at 09UTC >=21degC:00

Nr of days maximum at 09UTC >=25degC:00

Nr of days maximum at 09UTC >=30degC:00

(Notes relating to temperature & allied observations:

See remarks on this month's notable temperature regime below)

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PRECIPITATION (PPN/mm)

Total rainfall/melted snow etc:... 101.5  [135% of eLTA of 75mm]

Highest 24hr total:............... 16.9(19)

No. days PPN total >= 0.2:19

No. days PPN total >= 1.0:13

No. days PPN total >=10.0:04

No. days PPN total >=25.0:00

(Notes relating to precipitation & allied observations:

30th Sept./1st: periodic rain overnight, credited to September rainfall;

1st: pr(slight), temporarily moderate, isol heavy, through day; very brief thunderstorms ~1041 & 1322Z; further moderate rain shower early evening;

2nd: pr/R 1350-1445Z (major line convection aligned along flow), otherwise pr(slight)/ocnl pr from ~1030Z – 1600Z;

2nd/3rd: heavy overnight dew = 0.1mm

3rd: ir(slight, ocnl moderate) from ~17Z to ~2030Z;

4th: pr(very slight / few drops)~1230Z;

5th: r(slight) from ~0825Z, continuing through morning & afternoon, with period r between 1430 & 1600Z, then dr(slight ocnl moderate), this ceased by 1715Z;

5th/6th: r(slight), ocnl r, through latter evening & overnight, with short period R ~ 0845Z;

6th: r(slight), ocnl r until early afternoon, with period R (bordering on 'torrential') between 1212 & 1232Z: thereafter, pr(mainly slight) until ~19Z;

9th: ir(slight) from early hours until ~06Z; sporadic pr(slight) between 1440 & 1510Z (slow-moving/variable activity front);

10th: r(slight)/r between 01 & 0230Z: dr / r(slight, ocnl moderate) thereafter, with short burst R 0905-0910, before dying out by 0930Z;

11th: r(slight)/r, short bursts R, between 0200 & 0645Z, accompanied now and then by thunder – infrequent for the most part (see below); further thunder from 0825Z, with r(R) from 0855Z – 1025Z, and period mainly R between 0905 & 0935Z (total rain 09-1025Z: 13.7mm), thunder rumbled on for another 10-15 mins. r(slight), tempo r, from 1735Z, ceased by 1845Z;

18th: r(slight) ~04Z; pr(slight) ~ 1025Z;

19th: periods of rain, occasionally moderate, isolated heavy, during second half of the night, with discrete period of r/R (& squally wind) between 0600 & 0650Z; pr(very slight)~0840Z; pr(R) at times throughout day, with lengthy dry/fine spells between;

19th/20th: lengthy periods r/R overnight, finally clearing abruptly ~0745Z;

21st: sporadic rain between 06 & 07Z; pr(slight) 0845-0900Z; further pr(slight/moderate) during day & early evening, but with lengthy dry spells;

22nd: r(slight) began 0845Z, intermittent for a time, then r(R) between 11 & 16Z, then idr(slight, ocnl moderate), dying out early hours 23rd;

23rd: r(mainly slight) between 1530 & 1630Z;

24th: r/R (extended periods) 01-04Z, with idr(light), ocnl r, thereafter, dying out by 1045Z;

25th: r(slight) 0645Z-0945Z; r(slight)/r 1450Z-1615Z; ir(slight) 1750Z – mid-evening;

26th: ir(few droplets) 1240-1255Z [frontolysing cold frontal passage];

27th: ir(slight, isol moderate), from 1525-1630Z; 

27th/28th: ir(mainly light) overnight / early hours;

28th/29th: ir(slight, tempo moderate) late evening / early hours;

30th: id(very slight) ~0930/1000Z & late afternoon / early evening;

 

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OTHER TOTALS

Number of days thunder heard: (dates).. 02 (01,11)

Number of days hail < 0.5cm diameter:.. 00

Number of days hail >=0.5cm diameter:.. 00

Number of days snow/rain & snow:....... 00

Number of days snow lying at 09UTC:.... 00

Deepest snow cover (date,s):........... -

Number of days fog (visibility < 1km @ 09UTC).. 01

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Additional comments on the weather in October, 2006

1st: heavier showers accompanied by squally winds, though not more than F6.

 

2nd/3rd: heavy overnight dew = 0.1mm

 

10th: early hours – periods of fog (vis < 1km)

 

13th/14th: heavy overnight dew / persistent wet fog (from late evening to at least 0900GMT) = 0.1mm in gauge

 

31st: although not strictly meteorological, it is worth noting that the overwhelming majority of deciduous trees are in 'full-leaf', with leaf-colour being near-green or deep-green for most. Only today has there been a noticeable fall of *some* leaves.

 

[thunder]

1st: tl(slight / single or double-rumble jobs only)~ 1041 & 1322Z.

 

11th:

(a): tl(slight / average discharge 1 per 15-30mins) between 0240 & 0645Z, with tl (moderate activity / discharge ~ 5mins interval), between 0345 & 0415Z: rain heavy in very short bursts, otherwise slight/moderate rainfall.

(b): tl(very slight / isolated discharges) from 0825Z, with moderate/heavy rain from 0855Z, becoming tl(moderate / discharge every 2 or 3 mins)r/R between 0920 & 0935Z, then tl(slight) by 0950Z, finally ceased by 1040Z. (see note appended at bottom re: lightning damage in Bullbrook)

 

[snow]

Nil

 

... these data can also be viewed at:-

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/booty.weather/metinfo/wxdata/climintro.htm

    Tn    Tx    Tg    RR      Tn    Tx    RR       RR24hr  Remark code (below)

    (09Z) (09Z) (09Z)(18-09Z) (18Z) (18Z) (09-18Z) (from 09Z today)

01  14.4  16.8  12.5  00.2    15.7  18.1  04.6     05.0     A

02  12.6  15.7  11.1  00.4    14.2  18.2  07.2     07.3

03  08.4  14.2  06.6  00.1    11.0  15.4 (00.5)    00.5     BC

04  07.4 (11.6) 05.6  tr      10.4  14.9  tr       tr       D

05  08.0  12.5  05.3  tr      12.4  15.2  03.7     04.9     EF

 

06  14.7  16.4  13.4  01.2    13.8  17.9  07.0     07.1     G

07  09.1  13.8  06.8  00.1    11.6  15.5  -        tr      

08  09.4  13.0  06.6  tr      12.1  16.4  -        00.3     HI

09  12.6  16.5  10.2  00.3    16.5  20.2  tr       01.3     J

10  15.0  17.7  12.6  01.3    16.5  19.4  01.5     05.2

 

11  14.5  17.1  12.6  03.7    15.5  18.1  14.2     15.4

12  08.3  16.3  06.2  01.2    10.7  17.0  -        tr  

13  09.5  14.2  06.8  tr      12.6  17.2  -        00.1     K

14  09.7  13.8  07.1  00.1    11.7  17.2  -        -        LM

15  12.6  14.8  10.2  -       14.0  16.9  -        -   

 

16  11.2  14.4  09.9  -       11.5  17.9  -        -  

17  11.2  15.9  07.7  -       12.5  16.5  -        tr       N

18  13.1  15.8  10.9  tr      14.5  17.8  tr       09.7    

19  14.1  16.1  13.6  09.7    13.5  16.4  04.1     16.9

20  12.7  14.1  11.8  12.8    13.2  16.0  -        00.8

 

21  12.7  14.0  11.0  00.8    13.6  16.7  00.5     00.5

22  11.7  13.6  09.3  tr      13.2  15.2  09.6     11.6     O

23  10.8  15.2  10.7  02.0    11.2  13.1  00.2     11.2

24  10.8  11.8  10.0  11.0    10.3  13.5  00.2     01.3

25  08.4  11.0  05.3  01.1    11.0  14.3  01.2     01.8     P

 

26  13.4  16.3  12.9  00.6    12.4  18.0  tr       tr       Q

27  05.7  12.4  02.6  -       08.2  13.7  00.2     00.4     R

28  10.9  15.1  08.5  00.2    15.1  16.7  -        00.2     S

29  12.6  16.0  09.8  00.2    10.6  14.0  -        -   

30  10.4  12.4  07.6  -       12.4  16.6  tr       tr  

 

31  11.2  15.2  08.3  tr      11.2  13.6  tr       tr  

 

Readings taken at 0900 and 1800 UTC. Where the NIGHT maximum or DAY minimum are significantly different from 24hr values, this will be noted in the listing against a 'Remarks' letter. There are two mean temperatures shown: the first is the mean of the average day maximum and average night minimum (A), and the second is the average of the 24hr maximum and 24hr minimum (B) .. the anomalies are shown for this latter figure from 1971-2000 estimated Long Term Averages. Rainfall is credited to the 24hr day beginning 0900 UTC.

 

Remarks:

A. night max.(16.8) occurred 01/09Z

B. 0.1mm in gauge from heavy dew deposit overnight

C. Readings made at 21Z (away in Poole): day max, day min & night min are OK, but rainfall occurred mainly in the period 18-21Z

D. tr PPN from heavy overnight dew

E. day max.(15.2) at 18Z (air mass change late afternoon)

F. day min.(12.4), also 24hr min 6th, occurred 05/09Z

G. night max.(16.4), also 24hr max 5th, occurred 06/09Z

H. heavy dew overnight, with a 'trace' in gauge at 09Z

I. day min.(12.1), also 24hr min. 9th, occurred 08/09Z

J. night max.(16.5), also 24hr max. 8th, occurred 09/09Z

K. heavy dew overnight, with a 'trace' in gauge at 09Z

L. 0.1mm from heavy dew / wet fog overnight

M. day min.(11.7), also 24hr min. 15th, occurred 14/09Z

N. day min.(12.5), also 24hr min. 18th, occurred 17/09Z

O. day max.(15.2), also 24hr max. 22nd (and night max 23rd) occurred at 18Z

P. day min.(11.0), also 24hr min. 26th, occurred 25/09Z

Q. night max.(16.3), also 24hr max. 25th, occurred 26/09Z

R. day min.(8.2), also 24hr min. 28th, occurred 27/09Z

S. night max.(15.1), also 24hr max. 27th, occurred 28/09Z

 

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Number of occasions (24hr periods) THIS YEAR (2006)

maximum temperature >= 21degC (70degF) = 92

minimum temperature >= 16degC (61degF) = 24

 

Rolling 12 month temperature anomaly: +1.0 (was +1.0 end last month)

 

Rolling 12 month rainfall: 93% of eLTA (was 91% end last month)

Rolling 24 month rainfall: 85% of eLTA (was 86% end last month)

 

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Total rainfall for this year (2006) so far: 537.3 mm, representing 95% of the 'average' that we should have by the end of October (568mm).

 

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MONTHLY NOTES:

[TEMPERATURE]

 

The 24hr temperature anomaly of +3.2, places this October in the 'top-3' warmest such-named months in the past 35 years in a composite local record, along with last year (2005, by a whisker the warmest) & 2001. Taken with September of this year, the combined September & October temperature is the highest in that same record.

 

For the year (so far), we have now had three months (Jul, Sep & Oct) with anomalies >+3degC. If we were to only have 'average' temperatures over the remaining two months of this year, we would equal our previous warmest years for the 1971-2005 period (1990 & 1999). 

 

[PRECIPITATION]

 

This October has been the wettest any-named month since October 2004. 

 

Octobers have been (locally) turning wetter as the following figures show -

[Mean October precipitation totals by decade]:

1971-1980: 57.4mm

1981-1990: 75.7mm

1991-2000: 83.5mm

(1997-2006/last 10 yr): 99.7mm

 

Looking at the differences between the 1961-1990 & 1971-2000 climatological periods, October is the month with the greatest increase (by some considerable margin) at +16%. [September has the next greatest change at +7%].

 

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The following extracted from the "Bracknell Midweek" newspaper, dated 18th October, 2006: although no time of event is noted within the report, the Fire Brigade responded at 1040am BST (0940GMT), so I suspect that the event was allied to my report of thunder activity at (b) in the thunder section above.

 

"Lightning strike sends debris flying through roofs: Exploding tree drives families out of homes"

 

"Homes were devastated when wood debris came raining down from an 100-foot tree which exploded after being hit by a spectacular lightning bolt. Nobody was hurt in last Wednesday's (11th) incident, which saw hundreds of branches flying through the air, smashing through brickwork and breaking roofs".

 

"Two families have been forced to move out because their houses are structurally unsafe due to the damage caused from the 200-year old Wellingtonia tree, in Dean Close, Bullbrook."