October 2024. A changeable month. Chilly at first with night frosts, warmer from mid‐month

A changeable month. Chilly at first with night frosts, warmer from mid-monthMean monthly sea-level pressure was around average across the UK with a mean southwesterly airflow owing to high pressure across the Azores and eastern Europe.This was a month of two halves; while there were some cold spells and frosty nights quite early in the month, warmer weather later resulted in UK mean temperatures of 0.7 degC above the long-term average.Rainfall was close to or rather below normal, and it was drier than average across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and west Wales.Northern England and parts of eastern Scotland had above average sunshine, but elsewhere totals were close to the average, and parts of southern England and western Scotland were relatively dull.Low pressure to the east of England slowly relinquished its grip over the first 2 days; rain over the Midlands and East Anglia died out and quieter conditions followed under the influence of high pressure to the north.There was variable cloud and some sunshine, and nights were chilly with a minimum of -4.1C at Braemar (Aberdeenshire) on the 3rd.From the 5th, the highest pressure was to the east, and the UK came under the influence of a deep depression in the eastern Atlantic.Associated fronts and slow-moving bands of rain, some heavy and thundery, affected all areas over the next few days as the depression drifted slowly east to reach southern England by the 9th.The lowest pressure was well to the east of the UK by the 10th, and chilly northerly winds extended south to all areas.These gave brighter skies and coastal showers followed by a cold night with a minimum of -3.5C at Sennybridge (Powys) on the 11th.Another cold front reinforced the supply of arctic air on the 12th, bringing a band of rain southeast, heaviest in the north, followed by blustery showers that were wintry over the highest ground in Scotland.There was a widespread frost overnight 12th/13th, followed by another frosty night across northeast Scotland 13th/14th when there was a minimum of -4.1C at Aboyne (Aberdeenshire).By this time, southern areas were affected by frontal rain which slowly died out on the 14th when northern areas were mainly sunny.Much warmer southerly winds then extended north on the 15th accompanied by light rain, drizzle and hill fog especially in western parts.It was warmest and brightest in southeast England and East Anglia, with a maximum of 22.5C at St James's Park on the 16th when many western areas were decidedly wet with flooding reported in Shropshire and Herefordshire.Brighter, fresher conditions extended east on the 17th, and a frontal wave brought a wet day to eastern England on the 19th, but temperatures continued to be well above average.On the 20th, a very deep depression to the northwest of Ireland (959hPa at 1200 utc) brought severe gales to some northern and western areas with disruption to transport and power supplies over Northern Ireland and western Scotland.Aberdaron (Gwynedd) reported a gust of 71kn.The strong winds eased the next day, and continental high pressure introduced a more settled spell from the 22nd.Cloud amounts were variable with mist and fog overnight but there were sunny spells for many by day with maxima widely above 16C in England and Wales.A depression to the southwest of the UK then gave some showery rain to parts of England and Wales on the 25th and 26th.A cold front briefly introduced brighter and chillier weather on the 27th, before a warm front and its associated warm sector brought copious orographic rainfall to some western areas overnight; 74.2mm was recorded at Ulpha Duddon Waterworks (Cumbria) in the 24h ending 0900 utc on the 28th.High pressure then ensured quiet, rather gloomy conditions until the month's end with local drizzle and hill fog, but areas to the lee of high ground were often brighter and it remained very mild.