UK Climate/Monthly climate summaries/September 1996

The UK in September 1996: Michael Hulme on last month's weather

Daytime temperatures
September was a warm month over much of the UK, the exception being the east and south-east of England. In these latter areas daytime temperatures were up to 1°C below normal, bring held down by easterly or north-easterly winds. Elsewhere, temperatures were slightly above average and in the western and northern regions 1°C to 2°C above average. For the country as a whole September was nearly 0.5°C warmer than usual.

Rainfall
September 1996 was very different to September 1995. Last year, rainfall was about 50% above average; this year it was about 60% below average. All of the locations monitored here were below their normal monthly total, the wettest being parts of the south coast and the northwest of the UK. Many regions recorded less than 25mm of rainfall during the month and it was only a wet few days at the end September that enabled even these totals to be reached. The 29th was the fourth wettest day of 1996 with a nationwide average of 10mm - unusual to have such a wet day in such a dry month. Rainfall during 1996 has been well below average.

Sunshine
The UK was generally quite sunny during September, especially so in the western and northern regions. While the country as a whole recorded 20% more sunshine than usual, Belfast and Glasgow enjoyed 60% more, but the south-east coast of England recorded 10% to 20% less sunshine than normal. After a dull start to the year, the last four months have all been much sunnier than the average.

Dr Mike Hulme is a Research Climatologist at the University of East Anglia

September 1996: mild, sunny and very dry

Mean monthly extremes