"September days remind me of summer while September nights anticipate the winter days to come" - craftycabbage.com
The glorious weather of early September served as a poignant reminder of the summer we never had in July and August. There were 8 consecutive days (4th - 11th September inclusive) when the mean daily temperature recorded by my Davis weather station did not drop below 20 ℃. There were 10 consecutive days (2nd - 11th) when the maximum daily temperature was 25 ℃ or more, and 6 consecutive days (4th - 9th) when the daily maximum was 30 ℃ and above. The last two weeks of the month were noticeably cooler though still above the long-term average.
Three photos of the back garden this month. Can you spot the differences between Photo 1 and Photo 2?
Photo 1: Rear Garden on the 8th September
Early September was apple picking time, especially from the Rev W Wilks apple tree behind Mary. This tree fruits biennially and there was a good crop this year. Everything still looking green with plenty of flowering plants including cosmos, fuchsia, dahlias, osteospermum, rudbeckia, pansies, sunflowers and more.
Photo 2: Rear Garden on the 9th September
By the end of September, many flowers had peaked apart from the fuchsias which were still growing strong. The rose bed (to the right of the bird feeder) was having its third flush of the year.
Photo 3: Rear Garden on the 30th September
A time-lapse video of September's daily garden photos can be found in Video 1.
Video 1: Daily Garden Photos (September 2023)
Summary of Weather Parameters for September 2023
Overall, a warm month with the beginning of September very warm and dry.
Table 1: Weather Statistics for September 2023
September 2023
Weather Parameter
Value
Dates
Average Monthly Temperature
17 oC
Maximum Monthly Temperature
33 oC
8th & 9th
Minimum Monthly Temperature
5 oC
23rd
Number of Air Frost Days
0
Number of Hot Days (> 25 oC)
11
Monthly Precipitation
27.4 mm
Greatest 24 h Precipitation
5.0 mm
19th - 20th
Number of Dry Days
15
Monthly Sunshine Hours (estimated)
123
Average Wind Speed
2 km/h
Highest Wind Speed
40 km/h
20th
Maximum Barometric Pressure (Sea Level)
1027.2 hPa
3rd
Minimum Barometric Pressure (Sea Level)
992.2 hPa
20th
Average Barometric Pressure (Sea Level)
1013.6 hPa
Heating Degree Days
79.0
Cooling Degree Days
45.4
Figures 1 & 2 are graphical representations of daily minimum and maximum temperatures, rainfall and sunshine hours. The steady hot, dry conditions of early September contrasting with the cooler, wetter and more variable weather conditions in the final two-thirds of the month.
In Figures 3 & 4, I compare the September temperature, rainfall, and sunshine data for the last four years. September 2023 was not only the warmest, on average, in the 2020 - 2023 period but also registered the highest daily temperature (33 ℃). Rainfall was in the middle of the range for 2020 - 2023 with sunshine hours typical for this month.
Figure 3: September Temperature Data for the 2020 - 2023 Period
Figure 4: Rainfall & Sunshine Data (September 2020 - 2023)
The UK Met Office's Weather Report for September can be found here. The Met Office summarized September 2023 as follows:
"High pressure influenced the UK's weather for the first half of September, bringing fine,
sunny, dry conditions and the most significant spell of warmth since June. From 4th to 10th,
the UK experienced a significant heatwave with temperatures exceeding 30°C somewhere in
the UK for seven consecutive days: a September record."
The same summary works well for our Hereford garden!
Figures 5, 6, & 7 show, respectively, the mean temperature anomaly, and relative rainfall and sunshine data for the UK courtesy of the UK Met Office. The location of Herefordshire is clearly indicated in all three maps.
September 2023 was the equal-warmest (shared with 2006) September in the UK based on records going back to 1884. For England and Wales, it was the warmest September ever recorded. Both the Met Office data (Figure 5) and my local weather station (Figure 3) agree that Herefordshire was exceedingly warm in September.
Figure 5: UK Mean Temperature Anomalies, September 2023
Rainfall for the UK was slightly above the long-term average but near normal for Herefordshire (Figure 6).
Figure 6: UK Rainfall (% Typical) for September 2023
Scotland and Eastern England had above-average sunshine hours but Herefordshire was close to the average (Figure 7).
Figure 7: UK Sunshine Hours (% Typical) for September 2023
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