The following represents a final assessment of the weather experienced across the UK during Autumn 2008 (September/October/November) and how it compares with the 1971 to 2000 average (period used for the seasonal forecast).
Mean temperatures were 0.2 °C above the 1971-2000 average during September, 0.6 °C below average during October and 0.3 °C above average during November. Mean temperatures for the autumn were very close to average, although it was the coldest for the UK since 1993. A very cold end to October with some areas having their coldest daily maximum October temperatures (in a daily areal series back to 1960) on the 28th or 29th. A cold end to November too, with Northern Ireland having its coldest November daily maximum on the 30th (in a daily areal series back to 1960) and many other areas having their coldest daily maximum since autumn 1993 on the 29th or 30th.
Rainfall amounts were close to the 1971-2000 average during September with 106%, October was above average with 133% and November was slightly below average with 90%. Some notable variations for autumn, with isolated parts of NE England and the Midlands recording over 150% of the average rainfall, whilst parts of eastern Scotland recorded less than 70% of the average rainfall. It was the wettest autumn since 2000 for northern England.
Sunshine durations were below the 1971-2000 average during September with 83%, October was above average with 120% and November was just below average with 92%. It was the dullest autumn since 2001 for England and the UK.
|The mean value for the season is 9.1 °C, which is equal to the 1971-2000 average. The coldest autumn since 1993, when 7.6 °C was recorded.||The total for the season is 368.4 mm, which is 110% of the 1971-2000 average.||The total for the season is 267.2 hours, which is 98% of the 1971-2000 average.|
Last updated: 27 February 2013