The UK's best Indian summers

[BlueSkies_do_I_see]

I know the term Indian Summer gets bandied about a lot on these forums. Most of us on here remember the hot end to September 2011, with a warm/hot spell lasting for almost a week, and that was too early to be classed as an Indian summer.  Is that the latest in the year for such prolonged heat in the UK?  I know 1985 was similar in temperature and timing to 2011.But have there been later notable warm spells of say 5 days plus with temperatures in the 20s during Oct, or temps in the high teens + in November?I notice Oct 2001 was the warmest CET October but I was not in the UK at the time so have no idea what happened?

Edited September 4, 2013 by BlueSkies_do_I_see

[Don]

I think October 1995 must rank as one of the UK's best Indian summers.  It was a very dry and sunny month with a CET of 12.9C.  I believe temperatures reached 26C in the south east on the 8th.  Autumn 1995 was one of the warmest on record and was followed by a cold winter.

[Terminal Moraine]

October 1969 must rank as one of the best examples. Maxima were into the mid to high 20s at times during the first half of the month and still in the mid to high teens by the end of the month; it was also very dry.

[Don]

October 1969 must rank as one of the best examples. Maxima were into the mid to high 20s at times during the first half of the month and still in the mid to high teens by the end of the month; it was also very dry.

 Wasn't October 1969 the warmest on record until 2001?

[Terminal Moraine]

Wasn't October 1969 the warmest on record until 2001?

It was, and then shortly afterwards 2005 beat it too.

[Isolated Frost]

Here in Durham, October 2001 averaged 12.8c, warmer than May of that year (11.6c) and just behind June and September (both 12.9c), October 2001 was much warmer than October 2005 and 2011 here.

 

I can only really remember October 1st hitting 25c here, which was really notable, but that's about it. 

[Methuselah]

1973 and '78 weren't bad...

[Weather-history]

The first half of October 1921 was exceptional.

Looks at these highest temperatures recorded

4th: 27.2C

5th: 28.9C

6th: 28.9C

7th: 26.7C

8th: 25.6C

9th: 27.8C

10th: 25.6C

[summer blizzard]

As much as i enjoy a good dose of warm sunshine i've personally never seen much appeal to Indian Summers, possibly because of the day length however i suspect it's mostly because August-October is the time of year i care least about unless it's something spectacular like 1993 (temperature) or 2000 (rainfall).

[feb1991blizzard]

As much as i enjoy a good dose of warm sunshine i've personally never seen much appeal to Indian Summers, possibly because of the day length however i suspect it's mostly because August-October is the time of year i care least about unless it's something spectacular like 1993 (temperature) or 2000 (rainfall).

 

I hated this but surely heat fans must of enjoyed it.

 

[MP-R]

2011 is definitely the one that stands out for me - returning to university and having BBQs and sunbathing at Virginia Water when the year before freshers week was a washout.

 

2005 I remember for the late warmth but not the sunshine.

 

1995 I was far too young to remember but it looks like especially the first half of the month was very pleasant indeed after a seemingly wet September.

[NeilN]

2005 - It did feel like summer in October...can always remember the first week of September being boiling hot, in fact similar to this one at the start!

 

2006 - I remember late September/October being very warm?

 

2011 - those warm days in October were GLORIOUS! Made up for a rubbish summer.

Edited September 4, 2013 by nn2013

[BlueSkies_do_I_see]

There is a feeling right now as I stare out across green fields and blue skies that the season is about to turn. It makes me savour it all the more now, rather than take for granted endless July warmth. Now. we are getting the longer nights and chillier mornings.

I am really pleased to see how September is paning out as we missed out on our spring this year with what felt like a neverending easterly during March/April. It makes me wish for a delay to autumn this year.

Summer like temps ended on Sept 8 last year and that was the last we saw of heat for over 8 months!

Thanks for posting about all of those Indian summers. Here's hoping for a Sept 06 and Oct

01 and then I will be ready to let winter start to tighten its grip.

Edited September 4, 2013 by BlueSkies_do_I_see

[Weather-history]

I think October 1995 must rank as one of the UK's best Indian summers.  It was a very dry and sunny month with a CET of 12.9C.  I believe temperatures reached 26C in the south east on the 8th.  Autumn 1995 was one of the warmest on record and was followed by a cold winter.

[mike Meehan]

Perhaps it is because things, looking back appear to be so much better but the summer/indian summer of 1959 rank as the best ever in my book - no actual record breaking temps as I recall but an endless stream of beautiful clear days which lasted until the middle of October before it finally broke down.

 

In the September I travelled with the Air Cadets from Grimsby to Liverpool and thence to RAF Aldergrove where we spent our annual camp - on the mainland the grass was brown and we passed, I think the 'Lady Bower' reservoir, which had shrunk to a fraction of its normal size to be greeted by the surprisingly green of the Emerald Isle, the other side.

 

The ideal passing of summer through to winter would be with a dry clear autumn with an Indian summer gradually cooling so that eventually we get the night frosts and the hues of the leaves turning are contrasted against a beautiful azure sky.

[chrcoluk]

what has caused this hot weather that wont go away?

 

is it hot air pushed up from the south that refuses to move back south?

[Richard2901]

The best Indian Summer spell for Aberdeen was undoubtedly 1st - 4th October 1908. Nothing else can compare. Just a pity that it's so long ago there's no-one around who would be able to remember it.

 

1st: 75F (24C)

2nd: 74F (23C)

3rd: 77F (25C)

4th: 73F (23C)

 

An incredible spell that would be rare in summer and also coincided with the weekend in sharp contrast to all warm weather in the past 7 years. It was all over on Monday 5th though when it only reached 54F (12C). The rest of the month was pretty horrible with a run of 5 sunless days from 16th to 20th.

 

The last 40 years have been dire for high temperatures in October. The only spell of note was 3rd to 5th October 1997 all of which reached 20-22C and it was a weekend as well 

[Nick B]

The term 'Indian Summer' originated, as far as I am aware, in North America, but is now commonly used everywhere.  The US National Weather Service refers to it as a period of warmth with sunny and clear days with temperatures exceeding 70°F (21°C), usually in late September to mid-November, when a sharp frost has already occurred.

I know we're in the UK, so this may not happen quite as frequently as in the continental land mass of North America, but I feel it is correct to see our current period not as an Indian Summer, rather an extension of our lovely summery weather (beyond the 31st August cut-off for meteorological summer).  Once a reasonably large part of the country has had at least a ground frost if not a sharp air frost, then any warm weather following could be correctly termed an Indian Summer.  Just my own opinion, because I feel it is meant to be an unusual and rather special event, particularly if we experience it in this part of the world.  Relative warmth in early Autumn before frosts have occurred is pretty common, just as cold in March is, even if we haven't been particularly spoiled in recent years...

[laserguy]

...but I feel it is correct to see our current period not as an Indian Summer....

 Let's get all PC and modify our version to the Asian Subcontinent summer!

[Weather-history]

Edited September 5, 2013 by Weather-history

[Summer of 95]

I can't remember any instance of 21C occurring after the first air frost, though I remember a few very warm days for the time of year in early November 2003, after quite a frosty October. I was in London for a couple of days around the 4-5th and it must have been close to 20C, and sunny as well.

 

8th Oct 1995 was a glorious day, the rest of the month was pretty good apart from one sudden gale I remember near the end. Sep/Oct 2011 wasn't really an Indian summer, it was that year's summer!

[Weather-history]

I can't remember any instance of 21C occurring after the first air frost, though I remember a few very warm days for the time of year in early November 2003, after quite a frosty October. I was in London for a couple of days around the 4-5th and it must have been close to 20C, and sunny as well. !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T391o5UvMhYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Lz6Z0bZVQ