September 2011 and 2017

[Summer8906]

With forecasts suggesting a move back to something rather drier and more settled, albeit on the cool side, it's quite notable that it's been a while since we've had any Septembers which have been consistently cool and wet.

The two Septembers in the thread title are pretty recent, but in both, I spent much of the month outside the UK. Wonder what people's memories of these are?

The former obviously had a very, very good - historic even - final week, but from what I gather the first three weeks were consistently unsettled, windy, drizzly in the south and wet in the north, is that about right? The change to the notably settled weather seemed to co-incide with when I arrived back to the UK on Sat 24th - remarkably good timing for me personally, and I enjoyed an end to September warmer than what I'd experienced in the USA in the preceding weeks. I left on the 6th and recall the first three days being sunny and warm before a breakdown on the 4th, and the forecast for that week was, I think, pretty terrible.

In 2017 I was out of the country most of the first half, and around for the second half but have relatively few memories of it. I think it was the only September after 2000 to feature near-continuous unsettled weather though. Again, the first two days were warm and sunny before all-day rain occurred on Sun 3rd and the 4th/5th were breezy, changeable SW-lies. I then left and arrived back on the 17th: I recall reports of distinctly wet, windy and cool weather more or less the whole time I was away though, and 15C maxima even in the south on the 15th. Does that sound about right?

When I returned I seem to recall the 17th being fine but cool under a ridge, then the following week being relatively benign with some dry days and weak frontal systems. Then I remember Sat 23rd being a rare warm, sunny day with temps in the 20s and clear blue skies, before a warm but showery southerly-type day on Sun 24th and very wet weather in the final week. October by contrast was mostly warm and dry, featuring the red skies but bone-dry conditions of Ophelia; there was one week of wet weather after that culminating in Storm Brian but otherwise it was a pretty dry month, as was November - so a rare year when September was by some margin the wettest and most disturbed autumn month.

 

 

[MP-R]

Both Septembers were very unsettled, but 2011 comes out better of course because of the heatwave at the end, although it was overall more stormy with notable gales on the 06th and 12th/13th. 2017 by contrast, was perhaps more generally unsettled but rarely stormy other than the 08th-11th period.

Other similar periods in September include 05th-15th in 2010, 21st-30th in 2012, 11th-19th in 2013, 11th-18th in 2015, 22nd-30th in 2019 and 27th-30th in 2021.

[Summer8906]

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

Both Septembers were very unsettled, but 2011 comes out better of course because of the heatwave at the end, although it was overall more stormy with notable gales on the 06th and 12th/13th. 2017 by contrast, was perhaps more generally unsettled but rarely stormy other than the 08th-11th period.

Other similar periods in September include 05th-15th in 2010,

Remember this one, it was sunny for the first few days but then a somewhat-thundery cold front moved in during the first weekend (4th,5th) producing humid weather with occasional rain but no actual thunder where I was. The Monday was then very wet but the rest of the time (here) relatively dry, if rather cloudy. A further weak frontal system crossed on the 11th (a Saturday) which had persistent light rain, clearing up before dark, but otherwise no bad weather of note - though I left the UK on the morning of the 13th so can't comment on the final 3 days.

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

21st-30th in 2012,

This one I remember less than fondly. The spawn of Nadine, which had hung around in the Atlantic for seemingly weeks and spun up a secondary which invaded from Biscay and displaced a persistent anticyclone which had dominated the first three weeks. However I recall it being Sunday 23rd, not the 21st. Had spent the previous week in the south of France, returning by train and this was a rude awakening! Began a prolonged very disturbed, and generally cool (which at least meant sunshine from time to time in polar airmasses), spell which persisted, with few breaks, until early November.

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

 

11th-19th in 2013,

A very non-descript month this one. I don't remember the period being notably disturbed but I do remember frequent, mostly moderate, rain and cloudy skies. Rather like in 2010 the first week was fine and the weather broke - very suddenly - the weekend of the 7th/8th. The Friday (possibly Thursday?) had been hot and the weekend was showery and very much cooler, though fairly bright. After that a prolonged non-descript changeable period while the end of the month was warm but cloudy.

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

11th-18th in 2015,

Another one I missed, though heard about it. I think I got lucky with missing some of the worst September spells! The very sunny start and end to this month stand out, the sunshine at the end of the month being very reminiscent of 2011 but not as hot.

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

 

22nd-30th in 2019

The start of the winter of horror.

20 hours ago, MP-R said:

and 27th-30th in 2021.

Caught this, sadly. Returned from overseas last year just when the warm spell was breaking.

Edited September 15, 2022 by Summer8906

[MP-R]

47 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

Remember this one, it was sunny for the first few days but then a somewhat-thundery cold front moved in during the first weekend (4th,5th) producing humid weather with occasional rain but no actual thunder where I was. The Monday was then very wet but the rest of the time (here) relatively dry, if rather cloudy. A further weak frontal system crossed on the 11th (a Saturday) which had persistent light rain, clearing up before dark, but otherwise no bad weather of note - though I left the UK on the morning of the 13th so can't comment on the final 3 days.

This one I remember less than fondly. The spawn of Nadine, which had hung around in the Atlantic for seemingly weeks and spun up a secondary which invaded from Biscay and displaced a persistent anticyclone which had dominated the first three weeks. However I recall it being Sunday 23rd, not the 21st. Had spent the previous week in the south of France, returning by train and this was a rude awakening! Began a prolonged very disturbed, and generally cool (which at least meant sunshine from time to time in polar airmasses), spell which persisted, with few breaks, until early November.

 

You're talking about 2010 in the first paragraph no? That September had its moments but in contrast to 2011, the final week of the month was actually pretty chilly then wet again.

As for 2012, yes the real wet weather began on the 23rd but the 21st had a shallow low over the country which brought a generally cool dull day with persistent rain to this neck of the woods. A brief window of sunshine on the 22nd before a rapid deterioration the following day, and then the 24th registering my highest ever rainfall total since taking records. September 2012 seemed to collapse in installments, after the very anticyclonic first ten days, the middle third saw an interplay between ridges and generally weak frontal activity, then the final third brought the lion's share of the month's rain. I moved to Spain on the 27th, so missed the horrendously wet autumn and early winter here but was greeted by sodden conditions in Madrid later that same week. 

[Summer8906]

7 minutes ago, MP-R said:

You're talking about 2010 in the first paragraph no? That September had its moments but in contrast to 2011, the final week of the month was actually pretty chilly then wet again.

Yes, though specifically about the 5th-15th as that's the period you mentioned.

I do recall some wet weather at the end of the month (just the last few days, I think) followed by a very wet start to Oct. Seem to remember the weekend of the 25th/26th was cool and sunny, and the week of the 20th cloudy, dry and non-descript.

7 minutes ago, MP-R said:

As for 2012, yes the real wet weather began on the 23rd but the 21st had a shallow low over the country which brought a generally cool dull day with persistent rain to this neck of the woods.

Ah ok, I was in France that week so getting the weather info second-hand. But I arrived right into the spawn of Nadine when I returned!

7 minutes ago, MP-R said:

A brief window of sunshine on the 22nd before a rapid deterioration the following day, and then the 24th registering my highest ever rainfall total since taking records. September 2012 seemed to collapse in installments, after the very anticyclonic first ten days, the middle third saw an interplay between ridges and generally weak frontal activity, then the final third brought the lion's share of the month's rain.

I do remember some interruptions to the fine weather in the middle part of the month (notably on Sunday 9th) though here I seem to remember the warm sunny weather dominated. I left for France on this day in 2012 and recall it being very sunny. The holiday (of one week) was perhaps the only one I've ever had with literally zero rain.

7 minutes ago, MP-R said:

I moved to Spain on the 27th, so missed the horrendously wet autumn and early winter here but was greeted by sodden conditions in Madrid later that same week. 

I think Oct 2012 had a very low jetstream, with lows frequently moving across S England, so I guess that would have meant Spain would also have been wet, relative to normal? I'd guess also that winter 12/13 would have ended up very wet in Spain, with the prevailing synoptics?

Edited September 15, 2022 by Summer8906

[MP-R]

10 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

 

I think Oct 2012 had a very low jetstream, with lows frequently moving across S England, so I guess that would have meant Spain would also have been wet, relative to normal? I'd guess also that winter 12/13 would have ended up very wet in Spain, with the prevailing synoptics?

There were indeed some wet periods throughout my time there. Interestingly, the October and November wet spells came from lows coming up from way south of Spain. It was unsettled in mid December and again in mid January (both were cold periods in the UK). February was a dry northerly month, the northerlies over the UK reaching down to Iberia, then the final third of Feb right through to early April was often wet and windy (when the weather was most easterly in the UK). May was also unsettled.

 

Slight divergence from the thread's topic I must admit... 

[LetItSnow!]

I remember September 2017 brought some unforecast storms to London & the SE during the early hours of the 1st. I was cloud watching and could have sworn I saw attempts at tornadic activity, though it didn't come to anything. Dumped extreme amounts of heavy rain with local flooding as it became stuck over NW Kent. It was part of a generally exceptionally wet and thundery but cool period that lasted from July 2017 to September 2017. The rest of the month was much quieter than that, but generally persistently cool. I think my station managed a high only 25degC on the 4th, then it remained cool. I remember an early windstorm brought strong winds and heavy rain on the 13th before introducing a couple days of very still but chilly northerlies. The month was saved somewhat by a warmer end to the month as high pressure built in, but from memory, it only brought highs in the upper-teens/low-twenties. With my weather preferences, it wasn't a bad month at all but I can understand some would have thought it to be very underwhelming compared to September 2016. It didn't have the heat and storms of September 2016 nor the true chilly feel of September 2015, just generally quite cool, dull and wet.

I remember much less of September 2011 but I do have vague memories of that heatwave. My main memory of that is the big day though, October 1, 2011 - a day I remember spending by the sea with ice cream and us all being astounded it was October!

Edited September 21, 2022 by LetItSnow!

[Summer8906]

On 21/09/2022 at 20:32, LetItSnow! said:

I remember September 2017 brought some unforecast storms to London & the SE during the early hours of the 1st. I was cloud watching and could have sworn I saw attempts at tornadic activity, though it didn't come to anything. Dumped extreme amounts of heavy rain with local flooding as it became stuck over NW Kent.

Interesting, that must have been quite localised as it didn't affect Hampshire at all.

On 21/09/2022 at 20:32, LetItSnow! said:

It was part of a generally exceptionally wet and thundery but cool period that lasted from July 2017 to September 2017. The rest of the month was much quieter than that, but generally persistently cool. I think my station managed a high only 25degC on the 4th, then it remained cool.

Was it definitely the 4th, or was it the 2nd? I ask as I clearly remember the 2nd (a Sat) being fine and warm, the 3rd prolonged rain all day, then breezy unsettled weather on the 4th and 5th. (I then went on holiday, not returning until the 17th).

On 21/09/2022 at 20:32, LetItSnow! said:

I remember an early windstorm brought strong winds and heavy rain on the 13th before introducing a couple days of very still but chilly northerlies.

I do remember hearing about 15C highs around this time, so that would figure. I also remember hearing about perhaps a couple of windstorms during the period I was away, too. One was presumably the "A" storm, as I recall Storm Brian in October but no named storm before that. I returned on Sun 17th, by which time it had dried out and the temps were reasonable for the time of year.

On 21/09/2022 at 20:32, LetItSnow! said:

The month was saved somewhat by a warmer end to the month as high pressure built in, but from memory, it only brought highs in the upper-teens/low-twenties.

I do seem to recall the last week being wet again, though the third week was somewhat better. There was one very nice day on the 23rd (a Saturday) but it was very much a one-off if I remember right and it started going downhill again on the Sunday.

Edited September 25, 2022 by Summer8906

[MP-R]

9 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

 

Was it definitely the 4th, or was it the 2nd? I ask as I clearly remember the 2nd (a Sat) being fine and warm, the 3rd prolonged rain all day, then breezy unsettled weather on the 4th and 5th. (I then went on holiday, not returning until the 17th).

 

The 2nd was indeed a fine day (the nicest day of the month here). Had family visiting and did a long walk in the Mendip Hills and topped up the tan en route. The following day it all changed though - Sunday lunch indoors while it was cool and wet outside. That set the tone for the majority of the rest of the month bar a few aforementioned moments.