Autumn 2021 - Moans, Ramps & Chat

[Weather Enthusiast91]

Last night was the first night of the season that I started to notice that the nights are gradually drawing in. Went out at 9pm and it was a little darker than it has been as of late at that same time. From mid August, I will really start to notice it more.

[markyo]

13 minutes ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Last night was the first night of the season that I started to notice that the nights are gradually drawing in. Went out at 9pm and it was a little darker than it has been as of late at that same time. From mid August, I will really start to notice it more.

Yep by far the best season of the year is nearly upon us....just got to get through the next 4 to 6 weeks without that vile, sweaty, sleepless, draining heat returning.!

[MP-R]

I think I’ll be bored of September weather before the month even arrives by the end of next week!

[East Lancs Rain]

44 minutes ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Last night was the first night of the season that I started to notice that the nights are gradually drawing in. Went out at 9pm and it was a little darker than it has been as of late at that same time. From mid August, I will really start to notice it more.

I've been noticing the darker evenings for a while now. Last night was fully dark by about 10 pm due to thick cloud cover.

14 minutes ago, MP-R said:

I think I’ll be bored of September weather before the month even arrives by the end of next week!

It's been October weather here since Tuesday. Today it is thick cloud, breezy, damp feel and 15C. On Thursday the high was 13.9 and drizzle nearly all day! Early next week looks better, 19-20C and partly cloudy, before deteroating again later on in the week. 

 

As much as I hate the heat, 15C and thick cloud is not my ideal weather conditions for what I consider to be high summer.

Edited July 31, 2021 by East Lancs Rain

[MP-R]

19 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

 

It's been October weather here since Tuesday. Today it is thick cloud, breezy, damp feel and 15C. On Thursday the high was 13.9 and drizzle nearly all day! Early next week looks better, 19-20C and partly cloudy, before deteroating again later on in the week. 

 

That sounds pretty dire, Octoberish indeed. Apart from the heatwave, this month has felt like a warm version of September here. Never horrendously unsettled, but rarely settled either. Just a lot of fluid meh weather. This looks like continuing into next week two with the potential for an Equinox-style low at the end of the week, but perhaps something more August-like beyond that. Fingers crossed.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

10 minutes ago, MP-R said:

That sounds pretty dire, Octoberish indeed. Apart from the heatwave, this month has felt like a warm version of September here. Never horrendously unsettled, but rarely settled either. Just a lot of fluid meh weather. This looks like continuing into next week two with the potential for an Equinox-style low at the end of the week, but perhaps something more August-like beyond that. Fingers crossed.

Sorry for going off on a tangent a bit here... but whilst September often brings lovely benign weather, the weather enthusiast part of me finds it to usually be the least interesting out of the autumn months. Autumn hasn't yet gotten fully underway but it isn't high summer either. As you say, meh. It's usually from early to mid October all the excitement really starts to kick in.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Weather Enthusiast91

[MP-R]

7 minutes ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Sorry for going off on a tangent a bit here... but whilst September often brings lovely benign weather, the weather enthusiast part of me finds it to usually be the least interesting out of the autumn months. Autumn hasn't yet gotten fully underway but it isn't high summer either. As you say, meh. It's usually from early to mid October all the excitement really starts to kick in.

Yes exactly, and sadly a lot of the benign weather is often on the cloudy side. Thinking back to the few settled Septembers we've had e.g. 2014 and 2009, very few days were actually sunny!

I much preferred the more changeable and unsettled Septembers like 2005, 2006, 2010-13, 2016 and 2017 for the weather that actually happened. If we're going to have a high pressure spell in September, let's have it like last year or 2003 when it still felt summery.

[NEVES SCREAMER]

37 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

I've been noticing the darker evenings for a while now. Last night was fully dark by about 10 pm due to thick cloud cover.

It's been October weather here since Tuesday. Today it is thick cloud, breezy, damp feel and 15C. On Thursday the high was 13.9 and drizzle nearly all day! Early next week looks better, 19-20C and partly cloudy, before deteroating again later on in the week. 

 

As much as I hate the heat, 15C and thick cloud is not my ideal weather conditions for what I consider to be high summer.

Was dire here this morning up till lunchtime with rain more often than not. Better afternoon, warmer, a few sunny spells, breezy. There seems to be a bit of hope for a better spell of weather from mid August. 

[Don]

13 minutes ago, MP-R said:

Yes exactly, and sadly a lot of the benign weather is often on the cloudy side. Thinking back to the few settled Septembers we've had e.g. 2014 and 2009, very few days were actually sunny!

I much preferred the more changeable and unsettled Septembers like 2005, 2006, 2010-13, 2016 and 2017 for the weather that actually happened. If we're going to have a high pressure spell in September, let's have it like last year or 2003 when it still felt summery.

Must have been different for your location as I remember September 2009 being a very sunny month.

[East Lancs Rain]

25 minutes ago, MP-R said:

Yes exactly, and sadly a lot of the benign weather is often on the cloudy side. Thinking back to the few settled Septembers we've had e.g. 2014 and 2009, very few days were actually sunny!

I much preferred the more changeable and unsettled Septembers like 2005, 2006, 2010-13, 2016 and 2017 for the weather that actually happened. If we're going to have a high pressure spell in September, let's have it like last year or 2003 when it still felt summery.

Really? I've always thought of September as a dry, settled and sunny month, with little to no hot weather but no cold either. My memories of September 2009 and 2014 were of a warm, dry and sunny September, same with 2016, I don't remember 2011 being too bad either. 2019 was cool and unsettled at the beggining and the end but was dry and sunny in the middle. September 2017 was absolutely dire though, barely any dry days and virtually zero warmth whatsoever. September 2018 wasn't too bad but a bit on the cool and unsettled side. Last September was pretty good though apart from the last week.

25 minutes ago, NEVES SCREAMER said:

Was dire here this morning up till lunchtime with rain more often than not. Better afternoon, warmer, a few sunny spells, breezy. There seems to be a bit of hope for a better spell of weather from mid August. 

Yes, the models are hinting at that at the moment. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by East Lancs Rain

[MP-R]

18 minutes ago, Don said:

Must have been different for your location as I remember September 2009 being a very sunny month.

I remember the sunshine in the month, but it was nothing exceptional for how settled the month was overall. I totaled 149 hours here, not bad, but nothing special. September 2014, which was even more settled, had even less sunshine at 138 hours. Last September was more mobile and more unsettled in the final third but finished with 173 hours.

9 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

Really? I've always thought of September as a dry, settled and sunny month, with little to no hot weather but no cold either. My memories of September 2009 and 2014 were of a warm, dry and sunny September, same with 2016, I don't remember 2011 being too bad either. 2019 was cool and unsettled at the beggining and the end but was dry and sunny in the middle. September 2017 was absolutely dire though, barely any dry days and virtually zero warmth whatsoever. September 2018 wasn't too bad but a bit on the cool and unsettled side. Last September was pretty good though apart from the last week.

Yes, the models are hinting at that at the moment. 

I've often found September as an overrated month on this forum, and the records don't seem to back up this idea of a dry, settled and sunny month. Sure, we can almost guarantee a settled spell at some point in September, while I was at school it tended to be in the first week back after the holidays, but then we can do that with almost every other month in the year. 2011 and 2016 are very much remembered for the heatwave conditions, but the former only occupied the final few days of the month and 2016's plumes were just that. While a very respectable month at face value, it was far from settled despite warmth (similar to 2006 in a way). These Septembers certainly blew a few cobwebs away:

   

  

 

My favourite September settled spells were:

13th-21st September 2020

26th-30th September 2015 (continued into October)

01st-05th September 2013

28th-30th September 2011

07th-12th September 2006

01st-13th September 2005 (not strictly settled, but sunny)

01st-09th September 2004

12th-17th September 2003

[summer blizzard]

I agree with others that September is normally the most forgettable month. If pushed I perhaps think SEP 07 may be my preferred.

[damianslaw]

1 hour ago, summer blizzard said:

I agree with others that September is normally the most forgettable month. If pushed I perhaps think SEP 07 may be my preferred.

Yes hands down September on average is our most benign, clement month, one when I least look at the models.. its often a snooze fest.

[summer blizzard]

1 hour ago, damianslaw said:

Yes hands down September on average is our most benign, clement month, one when I least look at the models.. its often a snooze fest.

Yeah. If it's wet the only notable thing is if you can get a 9C Maxima, it's never windy enough for proper gales, there's never more than one frost chance and not anywhere populated and if it ever gets hot it feels humid (though it rarely does outside the opening day).

August and October are capable of much more extreme weather in their own ways. It's perhaps surprising we don't view spring months as boringly.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

1 hour ago, damianslaw said:

Yes hands down September on average is our most benign, clement month, one when I least look at the models.. its often a snooze fest.

for north! child of Nadine hardly 'benign', many rough days in Sept here

[damianslaw]

12 hours ago, I remember Atlantic 252 said:

for north! child of Nadine hardly 'benign', many rough days in Sept here

Yes tropical storm activity can add spice to September. It tends to deliver spells of very pleasant weather, whilst nice, very uninteresting.

[East Lancs Rain]

19 hours ago, MP-R said:

I remember the sunshine in the month, but it was nothing exceptional for how settled the month was overall. I totaled 149 hours here, not bad, but nothing special. September 2014, which was even more settled, had even less sunshine at 138 hours. Last September was more mobile and more unsettled in the final third but finished with 173 hours.

I've often found September as an overrated month on this forum, and the records don't seem to back up this idea of a dry, settled and sunny month. Sure, we can almost guarantee a settled spell at some point in September, while I was at school it tended to be in the first week back after the holidays, but then we can do that with almost every other month in the year. 2011 and 2016 are very much remembered for the heatwave conditions, but the former only occupied the final few days of the month and 2016's plumes were just that. While a very respectable month at face value, it was far from settled despite warmth (similar to 2006 in a way). These Septembers certainly blew a few cobwebs away:

   

  

 

My favourite September settled spells were:

13th-21st September 2020

26th-30th September 2015 (continued into October)

01st-05th September 2013

28th-30th September 2011

07th-12th September 2006

01st-13th September 2005 (not strictly settled, but sunny)

01st-09th September 2004

12th-17th September 2003

I have to say I don't remember any of those unsettled spells, they look like the charts you'd expect to see between October and March, or during an unsettled summer period.

 

I've actually had a look back through the sunshine stats from a local weather station not too far from here. Our average here for September is only 96 hours according to this (not sure how accurate it is though, as would mean I only average 3 hours sunshine a day, in a month where there is 12-13 hours available) but it's good for comparison purposes.

 

higham-weather.com

 

Sep 09 only had 94 hours here, almost bang on average, same as Sep 07 and 08. Sep 10 was much sunnier though with 148 hours (I do remember that one being quite sunny as well). Sep 12 and 17 were absolutely pitiful, with just 60 and 58 hours respectively, little over 2 hours per day. I remember Sep 17 was really bad here, not just for sunshine but also for lack of warmth and excessive rainfall. Sep 14 (again what I remember as a warm sunny month) only had 99 hours, very close to avergae, yet Sep 15 had 142. Sep 15 was a lot cooler than Sep 14 though, but I would have expected the sunshine to be lower as well. Sep 16, again what I remember being a mostly warm, dry and sunny September had 109 hours, only slightly above average. Funny how our memories of the weather don't always correlate with the stats.

 

For example, most people consider the April just gone to be a cold month, and indeed it was, but only becuase of the really cold nights. I had a look at the CET, and while it was the coldest April for about 35 years, the average daytime CET was actually bang on average, it was just the nights were about 3 degrees below average, which brought the mean CET down. It was also one of (if not the driest and sunniest on record), but I remember April 2020 being sunnier, perhaps becuase it was much warmer. With average daytime temps, and near record breaking sunshine it was actually a very pleasant month, I'm sure if we got a month like that in summer, with average daytime temps, but nights 3 degrees below average and with loads of sunshine and barely any rain, I'm sure most people would consider it to be a really pleasant summer month, considering most people aren't even awake around the time the temperature reaches it's miniumum (usually around 5 am in summer). 

 

On the other hand if we got an April with average daytime temps, but nights were 3 degrees above average, with loads of cloud and rain, most people would consider that to be a really bad April, but CET wise it would be a very mild April. April 2018 was a bit like that, and a lot of people thought it was a cold month, I didn't agree. We tend to get a lot of summer months like that, near normal maxima, above average minima, above average rainfall and below average sunshine. CET wise it looks like it was a good summer, but most people won't remember it that way.

15 hours ago, summer blizzard said:

Yeah. If it's wet the only notable thing is if you can get a 9C Maxima, it's never windy enough for proper gales, there's never more than one frost chance and not anywhere populated and if it ever gets hot it feels humid (though it rarely does outside the opening day).

August and October are capable of much more extreme weather in their own ways. It's perhaps surprising we don't view spring months as boringly.

I guess becuase in April you can get anything from 25C and sunny to frost and snow, whereas snow is virtually impossible in September unless you live in the Scottish Highands.  I guess May is the closest month to September in terms of temps and weather, often a benign and pleasant month, although statistically (apart from temperature) May is better, with more sunshine, less rain and longer daylight hours. Frost and cold mornings are much more noticeable in Autumn than they are in Spring, as the sun rises much later, statistically Spring has colder nights than Autumn but it doesn't usually feel that way, due to darker mornings and also acclimatisation (by autumn our bodies are not used to cold temps, so it's much more of a shock to the system).

Edited August 1, 2021 by East Lancs Rain

[MP-R]

59 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

I have to say I don't remember any of those unsettled spells, they look like the charts you'd expect to see between October and March, or during an unsettled summer period.

 

I've actually had a look back through the sunshine stats from a local weather station not too far from here. Our average here for September is only 96 hours according to this (not sure how accurate it is though, as would mean I only average 3 hours sunshine a day, in a month where there is 12-13 hours available) but it's good for comparison purposes.

 

higham-weather.com

 

Sep 09 only had 94 hours here, almost bang on average, same as Sep 07 and 08. Sep 10 was much sunnier though with 148 hours (I do remember that one being quite sunny as well). Sep 12 and 17 were absolutely pitiful, with just 60 and 58 hours respectively, little over 2 hours per day. I remember Sep 17 was really bad here, not just for sunshine but also for lack of warmth and excessive rainfall. Sep 14 (again what I remember as a warm sunny month) only had 99 hours, very close to avergae, yet Sep 15 had 142. Sep 15 was a lot cooler than Sep 14 though, but I would have expected the sunshine to be lower as well. Sep 16, again what I remember being a mostly warm, dry and sunny September had 109 hours, only slightly above average. Funny how our memories of the weather don't always correlate with the stats.

 

For example, most people consider the April just gone to be a cold month, and indeed it was, but only becuase of the really cold nights. I had a look at the CET, and while it was the coldest April for about 35 years, the average daytime CET was actually bang on average, it was just the nights were about 3 degrees below average, which brought the mean CET down. It was also one of (if not the driest and sunniest on record), but I remember April 2020 being sunnier, perhaps becuase it was much warmer. With average daytime temps, and near record breaking sunshine it was actually a very pleasant month, I'm sure if we got a month like that in summer, with average daytime temps, but nights 3 degrees below average and with loads of sunshine and barely any rain, I'm sure most people would consider it to be a really pleasant summer month, considering most people aren't even awake around the time the temperature reaches it's miniumum (usually around 5 am in summer). 

 

On the other hand if we got an April with average daytime temps, but nights were 3 degrees above average, with loads of cloud and rain, most people would consider that to be a really bad April, but CET wise it would be a very mild April. April 2018 was a bit like that, and a lot of people thought it was a cold month, I didn't agree. We tend to get a lot of summer months like that, near normal maxima, above average minima, above average rainfall and below average sunshine. CET wise it looks like it was a good summer, but most people won't remember it that way.

I guess becuase in April you can get anything from 25C and sunny to frost and snow, whereas snow is virtually impossible in September unless you live in the Scottish Highands.  I guess May is the closest month to September in terms of temps and weather, often a benign and pleasant month, although statistically (apart from temperature) May is better, with more sunshine, less rain and longer daylight hours. Frost and cold mornings are much more noticeable in Autumn than they are in Spring, as the sun rises much later, statistically Spring has colder nights than Autumn but it doesn't usually feel that way, due to darker mornings and also acclimatisation (by autumn our bodies are not used to cold temps, so it's much more of a shock to the system).

Just goes to show the regional variation eh. A good September I’d probably consider pretty mediocre down here.

Re extremes, May is more likely to drop an unwelcome chilly northerly whereas September is more likely bring the first gales or humdinger thunderstorms if the setup is right.

Of course the feel of things is very different with humidity higher in September, lower light levels and weaker sun but greater residual warmth. If the Atlantic allows, plumes can still pack a punch into September, especially early on.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

53 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

 

For example, most people consider the April just gone to be a cold month, and indeed it was, but only becuase of the really cold nights. I had a look at the CET, and while it was the coldest April for about 35 years, the average daytime CET was actually bang on average, it was just the nights were about 3 degrees below average, which brought the mean CET down. It was also one of (if not the driest and sunniest on record), but I remember April 2020 being sunnier, perhaps becuase it was much warmer. With average daytime temps, and near record breaking sunshine it was actually a very pleasant month, I'm sure if we got a month like that in summer, with average daytime temps, but nights 3 degrees below average and with loads of sunshine and barely any rain, I'm sure most people would consider it to be a really pleasant summer month, considering most people aren't even awake around the time the temperature reaches it's miniumum (usually around 5 am in summer). 

Yes indeed. As well as this, we have been spoiled with many warmer than average Aprils over the last couple of decades or so (obviously with exceptions here and there). So the April just gone would have felt cooler than average to some people, when in fact the daytime temps were overall around average.

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Autumnal Equinox next month - nearly there

[al78]

20 hours ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Yes indeed. As well as this, we have been spoiled with many warmer than average Aprils over the last couple of decades or so (obviously with exceptions here and there). So the April just gone would have felt cooler than average to some people, when in fact the daytime temps were overall around average.

That is because it was cooler than average by day over much of the UK.

When you plant potatoes at the end of March and they don't emerge until well into May, you know temperatures have been below average. The flora and fauna doesn't lie.

Edited August 2, 2021 by al78

[Sunny76]

5 hours ago, Turnedoutniceagain said:

Autumnal Equinox next month - nearly there

That’s still a long way off. Late September is practically 2 months away.

[East Lancs Rain]

1 hour ago, Sunny76 said:

That’s still a long way off. Late September is practically 2 months away.

Yes it's still about 50 days away. For some reason when I read the post I thought it was only a month away. I guess the words "next month" threw me off.

[Dangerous55019]

On 31/07/2021 at 17:37, MP-R said:

I remember the sunshine in the month, but it was nothing exceptional for how settled the month was overall. I totaled 149 hours here, not bad, but nothing special. September 2014, which was even more settled, had even less sunshine at 138 hours. Last September was more mobile and more unsettled in the final third but finished with 173 hours.

I've often found September as an overrated month on this forum, and the records don't seem to back up this idea of a dry, settled and sunny month. Sure, we can almost guarantee a settled spell at some point in September, while I was at school it tended to be in the first week back after the holidays, but then we can do that with almost every other month in the year. 2011 and 2016 are very much remembered for the heatwave conditions, but the former only occupied the final few days of the month and 2016's plumes were just that. While a very respectable month at face value, it was far from settled despite warmth (similar to 2006 in a way). These Septembers certainly blew a few cobwebs away:

   

  

 

My favourite September settled spells were:

13th-21st September 2020

26th-30th September 2015 (continued into October)

01st-05th September 2013

28th-30th September 2011

07th-12th September 2006

01st-13th September 2005 (not strictly settled, but sunny)

01st-09th September 2004

12th-17th September 2003

You seem to have forgotten about September 2014.

[Dangerous55019]

On 31/07/2021 at 17:37, MP-R said:

I remember the sunshine in the month, but it was nothing exceptional for how settled the month was overall. I totaled 149 hours here, not bad, but nothing special. September 2014, which was even more settled, had even less sunshine at 138 hours. Last September was more mobile and more unsettled in the final third but finished with 173 hours.

I've often found September as an overrated month on this forum, and the records don't seem to back up this idea of a dry, settled and sunny month. Sure, we can almost guarantee a settled spell at some point in September, while I was at school it tended to be in the first week back after the holidays, but then we can do that with almost every other month in the year. 2011 and 2016 are very much remembered for the heatwave conditions, but the former only occupied the final few days of the month and 2016's plumes were just that. While a very respectable month at face value, it was far from settled despite warmth (similar to 2006 in a way). These Septembers certainly blew a few cobwebs away:

   

  

 

My favourite September settled spells were:

13th-21st September 2020

26th-30th September 2015 (continued into October)

01st-05th September 2013

28th-30th September 2011

07th-12th September 2006

01st-13th September 2005 (not strictly settled, but sunny)

01st-09th September 2004

12th-17th September 2003

Please ignore my last post/comment… That’ll teach me for scan reading. D’oh!