'Britain had its driest November for almost 50 years
as the weather continued to spring surprises. The rainfall
last month was half the historic average for the time of
year.
This unseasoned weather follows a combination of peculiar
weather factors which led to spectacular leaf displays in
large parts of the country. In mid-November golden trees
have kept their leaves longer due to milder temperatures
and the result has been scenery similar to New England's
celebrated 'fall'. On the first day of December 2004, there
were even reports of daffodils blooming in Carlisle.
The unusual autumn followed a summer, which saw the wettest
August on record. This in
turn, contrasted with 2003, which had the driest August
for more than a century and the hottest temperatures ever
recorded.
The Met Office said the average rainfall in England and
Wales for this month was 46.1mm, making it the driest November
since 1956. There was only one noticeable day in Lyneham,
where we had a traditional soaking, that was on the 20th,
where 13mm of rain fell. The rest of the month, we had 14
dry days. A spokesman said winds from the north and east
carrying drier air had dominated, instead of the customary
south-westerly winds which pick up moisture from the Atlantic.
'Climate change' was one major explanation for the unpredictability
but another Britain's geographical location.
The spokesman added: 'We are in the middle of a battlefield.
Weather comes from the north and south and we are where
these weather systems meet. That leads to all kinds of weird
and wonderful weather. |
