What a mixed month!. Heavy rainfall, highest recorded temperatures and overall an extremely warm month, balmy and wet. Just the conditions to fool the plants. Lush grass that should have stopped growing, instead the lawnmowers have been in use right up to the last week, when the grass dried out that is. Around the country, Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire recorded 4.72 in of rain in 24 hours 11th October, and 5.51 inches in 48-hours (11th - 12th October). Such a fall can be expected to recur there only once in every one hundred years, on average. Other high 48-hour totals included 4.43 in at Eskdalemuir in Dumfriesshire, 4.41 in at Carlisle and 4.35 in at Keswick, both in Cumbria and 4.02 in at Carter Bar in the Scottish Borders. Lyneham was considerably dry in comparison only 11mm (0.43 in) of rain fell during the same 48-hour period. However, the majority of Lyneham's rainfall this month, has fallen in the latter two weeks. Remarkably, considering last month was warmer than normal a first ground frost and local air frost in SE England, was recorded, where the air min -0.5°C at Redhill aerodrome, also the day of the partial solar eclipse. Hotober, Britain enjoyed a late taste of summer as much of the country experienced the warmest October 27th since records began, would you like to know more.

The monthly temperatures for Lyneham have been on average 2.5°C above the mean temperature of 15.8°C with the highest day record of 21.3°C on the 11th October. The remarkable observation for the month, despite it being allot warmer than usual for an autumnal season, the sunshine figures were low, only 90% on the normal daily sun sunshine was recorded. There was a 9 day period where no sunshine was recorded, probably tied in with the 12 days of rainfall during the month, resulting in an accumulated 91mm monthly rainfall, which was 135% of the norm. So overall, October was a warm, soggy month, ideal for the plants and weeds.