New Met Office data has shown September was the wettest month on record for some counties in the UK.
Though no national rainfall records have been broken, according to the provisional figures, some parts of the country experienced a 300 per cent increase in the average rainfall.
September was the wettest calendar month in Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire since records began in 1836.
Other severely impacted regions included Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and Wiltshire.
It was also a damp month in London, with temperatures significantly dropping over the last week alongside rain and weather warnings.
The capital recorded 122.2 millimetres of rain in September, 135 per cent more than the meteorological average, but not in the top 10 wettest parts of the nation.
While parts of the South West and East Midlands suffered torrential rain and flooding in September, other parts of the country remained surprisingly dry.
According to the data, Scotland and Northern Ireland were noticeably drier than usual in September.
Met Office Scientist Emily Carlisle said: “September saw unsettled weather across the UK. The jet stream was south-shifted for most of the month, making it very wet for some in the south, but rather dry for some in the north.
Ignoring how human-generated climate change already affects our weather systems and rain levels is hard.
The last decade was 10 per cent wetter than 1961 to 1990.
So what’s in store for October?
London weather forecast for October
The Met Office’s latest figures point to a drier start to October for many parts of the country — including London.
The forecaster said Thursday (October 3) in the capital would be “mainly dry with good spells of sunshine, though [there will be] some patchy cloud around at times.”
Unfortunately, the dry spell will not last very long either — so don’t forget your brollies.
Most forecasts suggest that October will also be pretty “unsettled,” with a period of low pressure lingering throughout the rest of the month, causing plenty of rain and windy conditions.
There will also be below-average temperatures, particularly in the north and north west of the country.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wisson said: “After a drier interlude, the weather will gradually get wetter and windier through the weekend, as high pressure drifts away to the east and is slowly replaced with low pressure, bringing increasing amounts of wind and rain.”
The Met Office’s long-range forecast for October 17-31 is: “A continuation of low-pressure systems tracking in from the Atlantic is the most likely scenario for the rest of October. This means wet and windy weather at times, especially across England and Wales, but with a suggestion that Scotland and Northern Ireland may be more likely to see longer breaks in the weather, and more in the way of drier spells.
“It is possible that these drier conditions could be seen more widely later in the month as higher pressure further north extends southwards for a time. This would also bring an increased chance of overnight fog and frost. Temperatures will tend to be close to average overall in the south, but probably below average in the north and north west.”
Visit the Met Office website for more detailed information.
