September proved to be a month of contrasts. The first few days were very warm and dry with a maximum of 27.1C on the 4th, the fourth highest I have recorded. However, as the month progressed temperatures fell away many degrees below the average with a low maximum of only 12.9C on the 17th. During the latter part of the month the Scandinavian high pressure brought a welcome lift in temperatures, sunshine and minimal rainfall. The mean temperature was very close to the long-term average being just 0.02C above.
A very dry start to the month was broken in the middle by substantial totals of 19.2mm and 15.4mm on the 13th and 17th respectively. This figure contrasts with the extremes of 11.1mm in 2009 and previously in 2006 of 131.9mm.
There was a disappointing amount of sunshine, the total being the lowest for five years, 96% compared to the last few years. Not surprisingly, the figure for solar power was well down at 87% compared to the average for recent years.
The weather station of Marlborough, Wiltshire
