September 2006: Once again a major change of weather type was synchronised almost exactly with the calendar: August’s northwesterlies gave way to southerlies in September resulting in persistently high temperatures throughout the month. It was quite warm in Wiltshire especially at night and the minimum overnight 2nd/3rd at St James’s Park (London) was 18.9°C. The mean minimum temperature for the month was 12.8°C which was +3.2°C above the 30 year average for Lyneham. The highest temperature recorded during the month was on the 11th where thermometers topped 27.3°C. Clear skies and anti-cyclonic conditions allowed the sun to total 160 hours sunshine during the month, which was 111% of the norm. A total of 74mm of rain fell for the month which was slightly above the average, which helped top up underground aquifers, relieving worries for the water boards as the drought conditions seem to be residing. The grassland was very lush and green for an above average warm September, which nationally equaled the warmest September in 340 years of records.