Met Office: September drier than usual, warm weather set to continue in coming days

Last September was a drier month than usual, with rainfall measuring in at half the anticipated average, according to the Met Office.

September marked the start of the new precipitation year, but saw only 29.6mm of rainfall compared to the anticipated average of 59.2mm.

The Met Office said the weather presented various fluctuations, with the wettest day occurring six days into September. It was a week marked by unstable conditions, which delivered 11.2mm of rainfall.

On the same day, the Met Office also documented the most robust wind gust of the month, reaching 34 knots from the north-northeast. With an average wind speed of eight knots, September displayed windier characteristics compared to the season’s expectations.

Despite the turbulent first days of the month, weather conditions stabilised later on.

The maximum temperature of the month was reached on the 19th day, reaching 34°C, surpassing the typical maximum temperature by 5.4°C.

However, the mean air temperature for the month stood at 25°C, only marginally above the average of 24.9°C.

In contrast to the air temperatures, sea surface temperatures maintained an average of 26.9°C, a significant 5.7°C above the expected norm.

Despite the fluctuations in weather, September maintained an average of 8.6 hours of daily sunshine. The brightest day recorded an impressive 11.7 hours of sunshine, while the gloomiest day, occurring at the beginning of the month, remained entirely overcast.

In total, the Meteorological Office measured 258 hours of sunshine by the end of September, slightly exceeding the norm for the month.

Looking ahead, the weather forecast anticipates a continuation of stable conditions in the coming days, thanks to a high-pressure area situated over the central Mediterranean. This setup is expected to bring additional sunshine and higher-than-average temperatures.

Southerly winds, set to commence from Monday, will contribute to the rise in temperatures, with a maximum of 30°C projected for mid-week, up from 27°C on Saturday.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that a shift in weather patterns could be anticipated towards the end of the upcoming week as cooler northwesterly winds are expected to make an appearance.