Autumn 2012

[Weather-history]

Ducklings in October? This from 1995

[Rainy]

Flock of fieldfares`here today Chattering amongst the hawthorn berries.

Suspect they are a bit early.

[Rainy]

And madness in humans - wasn't LSD first synthesised from ergot - hence the mention of hallucinations in a previous post of yours? I'm still trying to find leaves definitely changing colour around here, to no avail. Being decidedly red/green colourblind doesn't help,but still....

Yes LSD type connection and other ingredients. I'm no chemist though.

Medics understand the science now. It's thought ergot could have been the cause of the strange behaviour at Salem. The people unwittingly had been eating ergot infected meal after a poor wet season. Folks were tried, found guilty of witchcraft and executed.

see Salem Witch Trials.

Still plenty of ergot about here.

[Summer Sun]

Matt Hugo's thoughts for October can be found here - http://matthugo.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/october-2012-whats-in-store/

[Turnedoutniceagain]

It's a funny old Autumn this year - Patchy is the word. I've was on the road a bit last week - Manchester, Derby, Cardiff, Salisbury and all points in between, the variation in leaf fall was amazing. Parts of Salisbury Plain near Tidworth/Bulford - the trees are bare, about 20 miles North and they're still 'summer green'.

I've got Blackberry bushes with fruit like golf balls and others still in flower??

[Mountain Snow]

Autumns definitely a couple of weeks early this year, can't remember so many leaves falling in September. It seems we have skipped a month this year and gone from August straight to October. I wonder if Winter will arrive early?!

[damianslaw]

Autumns definitely a couple of weeks early this year, can't remember so many leaves falling in September. It seems we have skipped a month this year and gone from August straight to October. I wonder if Winter will arrive early?!

Unfortunately the strong winds of recent days have had the effect of bringing down quite a number of leaves before they have had time to change colour. Recent autumns have seen very few gales and thus the leaves have been able to stay on the trees well into November. I do think autumn leaf colour change has started earlier this year, but nothing too unusual, just earlier than recent years.

I heard a blackbird at dawn this evening - it had a rather wistful melancholic sound. They often reassert themselves at this time of year, marking their territory, much like robins do, but all birdsong during autumn is usually rather wistful compared to the joyous rauchous sounds of early spring.. it all ends to the general feel of things winding down at this time of year.

I hope we don't see too many strong winds in the coming weeks, autumn splendour doesn't reach its peak until late october in the Lake District - it is a beautiful time to visit these parts.

[Bottesford]

Yes a lot of debris around mixing with the rain to create some very slippery and dangerous surfaces for walking & cycling on. Still that's the normal way of things in autumn - there must be so many more accidents in October & November than any other time of year especially after the clock move.

Agree about the birdsong and nature in general - autumn is a time of tiredness, decay and a feeling of things 'finishing off' before going to sleep. Does look nice though although give me spring any time!

If only we humans could do the same - it does seem work, school and such really kick into gear around this time of year right at the time it starts getting harder to get up and have the energy to do things. But then again who wants all their holiday in winter? Most probably wouldn't!

[reef]

Theres still few signs of Autumn around here, some trees have leaves which are starting to brown a little but the majority are completely green.

I wouldnt be suprised if things were confused though, especially as March was sunnier than any of the summer months and had almost double what June had!

[Chris K]

Theres still few signs of Autumn around here, some trees have leaves which are starting to brown a little but the majority are completely green.

This was similar to me but its all starting to turn all of a sudden since the start of the weekend just gone, with much more leaves displaying their colours and falling. Still starting later than last year though, where it all began turning early september.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Chris K

[Weather-history]

A good autumn gale, a stormy Bonfire night 1996

105mph gust at Malin Head

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Exactly 2 weeks after that, I had a snowfest!

[Summer Sun]

Chief Forecaster’s View

It is expected to be cold across many parts of the United Kingdom during Saturday night, with a fairly widespread ground frost and also air frost in some rural areas away from the far north of Scotland and parts of East Anglia. A Chief Forecasters View has been issued for most regions in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Central and Southern Scotland.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html

[UV-RAY]

Chief Forecaster’s View

It is expected to be cold across many parts of the United Kingdom during Saturday night, with a fairly widespread ground frost and also air frost in some rural areas away from the far north of Scotland and parts of East Anglia. A Chief Forecasters View has been issued for most regions in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Central and Southern Scotland.

http://www.metoffice...st_weather.html

Who does the forecasts the rest of the time, the tea lady.

[laserguy]

Who does the forecasts the rest of the time, the tea lady.

You'd think so,sometimes. Probably her that comes out with all that global warming claptrap too,after studying the patterns left in the tea leaves at the bottom of her brewpot.

[AWD]

Some thoughts from Brian Gaze on the northern blocking scenario;

During the last couple of weeks it has felt as though autumn has been tightening its grip on us much quicker than has often been the case in recent years, with a number of days bringing wet and overcast conditions and temperatures struggling into double figures even in the south. Couple this with the output from the medium and long range computer forecasting models which are tending to be keen on the idea of northern blocking developing as we go through October, and you do begin to wonder if something interesting is cooking! We’ll see how winter pans out in due course, but what I will see is if the current trends continue the snow could arrive early this year. This could end up amounting to nothing, with a typical flat zonal flow establishing itself again, but at the moment that’s not what looks likely, and things are looking seriously interesting.

http://www.theweatheroutlook.com

[damianslaw]

Enjoying the softer mellow side of autumn right now. Third day in a row with no rain, little wind, frosty nights and lots of sunshine. Looks like we will see another two days like this before things break down on Thursday. Yes temperatures are nothing special, but it does feel very pleasant. The current weather is wonderful stuff, and just the tonic knowing once the clocks go back such feeling weather can't return until as early as late feb/early march.

[AderynCoch]

Enjoying the softer mellow side of autumn right now. Third day in a row with no rain, little wind, frosty nights and lots of sunshine. Looks like we will see another two days like this before things break down on Thursday. Yes temperatures are nothing special, but it does feel very pleasant. The current weather is wonderful stuff, and just the tonic knowing once the clocks go back such feeling weather can't return until as early as late feb/early march.

I agree. Perfect walking weather as well in sharp contrast to the previous couple of weeks.

[Snowangel-MK]

I agree. Perfect walking weather as well in sharp contrast to the previous couple of weeks.

It certainly is, I love walking at anytime of year but autumn walks in woodland or forests are wonderful - yesterday I went to Salcey Forest it had rained a bit before hand but the sun was trying to come out and the birds were singing, there was a wonderful smell of foliage and earth.

the leaves were only just starting to fall but everytime there was a gentle breeze they would flutter down from the trees.

[Mountain Snow]

Enjoying the softer mellow side of autumn right now. Third day in a row with no rain, little wind, frosty nights and lots of sunshine. Looks like we will see another two days like this before things break down on Thursday. Yes temperatures are nothing special, but it does feel very pleasant. The current weather is wonderful stuff, and just the tonic knowing once the clocks go back such feeling weather can't return until as early as late feb/early march.

Indeed! Most settled spell of weather since late May. The house is currently sat just above an inversion, houses further down the hill are still freezing in thick fog while we're basking in brilliant sunshine! With the lack of wind temperatures by early afternoon are quite pleasant, I've been working outside in a T-shirt these past few days. Just a shame the autumn colour Isn't at its peak yet.

[Summer Sun]

Latest from Matt Hugo on twitter

Latest ECMWF 32 day going for a noteworthy Scandinavian high pressure as Oct progresses, bringing settled weather to the UK. I'm skeptical!.

[Weather-history]

An October date minimum record may have been broken last night. The 9th October minimum record is -3.3C. Tulloch Bridge recorded around -5.0C, so we wait for the Met Office.

Edited October 9, 2012 by Weather-history

[Relativistic]

An October date minimum record may have been broken last night. The 9th October minimum record is -3.3C. Tulloch Bridge recorded around -5.0C, so we wait for the Met Office.

Wow, that's pretty impressive!

About walking in Autumn, it truly is wonderful! When your up early, walking through a forest or wood with the frosted leaves crunching underfoot and the sunshine on your face. What more could you ask for!

[damianslaw]

Indeed! Most settled spell of weather since late May. The house is currently sat just above an inversion, houses further down the hill are still freezing in thick fog while we're basking in brilliant sunshine! With the lack of wind temperatures by early afternoon are quite pleasant, I've been working outside in a T-shirt these past few days. Just a shame the autumn colour Isn't at its peak yet.

Yes under settled conditions this time of year can deliver thick freezing fog in the lakeland valleys whilst places with a bit of height peak out of the gloom and you then have wonderful horizons. In these parts the Kent Valley often sees such conditions and a mist/fog can cover the whole length of Lake Windermere whilst the hills bask in glorious blue skies. I do love such conditions. Optimum time for such weather in the autumn in the Lake District is end of October/early November when autumn colour is at its peak - alas that particular period of the year isn't renowned for its settled conditions, we are much more likely to see the current conditions in mid October- slightly before the peak of autumn colour.

The last 4 days have delivered almost perfect ideal walking weather - optimum temperatures combined with no wind and sparkling visibility with none of the ice/snow issues or the humidity/heat of the summer and the need to slap the suncream on. I walked along the southern edge of Ullswater on Saturday and it was superb - pity I didn't do it on Sunday - which was a stunner of the day, one of the best of the year and as you say the current spell of weather is nearly on a par with late March and late May in terms of being the 'best' weather we have seen all year - emphasising just how terrible the summer was, even September failed to deliver more than a couple of decent days. Tomorrow will see a continuation of such conditions, but then all change come Thursday and the outlook thereafter is looking decidedly unsettled.. we won't/can't now experience such conditions until very late winter/early spring at the earliest - hope everyone has made the most of it.

Edited October 9, 2012 by damianslaw

[Bottesford]

It has indeed been a lovely spell and I enjoyed working in the garden all day Saturday in the pleasant conditions. Sadly the sun is too low in the sky to shine in my garden much anymore but on walking around the area it really is nice in this kind of weather.

I'm definitely enjoying and making the most of the remaining daylight in the early evening. I still currently have enough time to quickly check round the garden on getting home plus see the autumn scenery as I travel. This pleasant weather helps too as I get plenty of sunshine fall on me whilst at work.

In only a short few weeks I (and many of us) will cease to see our homes in daylight during the week except during that brief morning rush around (with even that receding as the season progresses). Really, really wish we'd leave the clocks as they are then can just gradually watch the darkness enclose and get used to it slowly. The sudden plunge of the evening rush hour into darkness is horrible from both a mental side and a safety side. Always dread those first few days afterwards as people get used to driving in the dark again. The only benefit is gaining an hour on the Sunday.