October started with a continuation of the abnormally fine
weather that concluded September, and the maximum temperature of 25.4C
on the 1st made this the seventh highest reading of the year.
Thereafter the mild and dry conditions continued for three weeks,
yielding a total rainfall of just 6.3mm. As soon as we went away ( and our thanks to Ann and Chris for keeping the recordings going), the
rains began, with the last ten days having some recorded rain on all but
one of them. Even so, at 67.5mm. the total was probably 3/4 of what we
would normally expect in October, and this turned out to be the driest
October for four years. Nearly half the total rainfall came down on the
26th.

This October  was also the warmest for five years, with the days
even warmer on average than in 2006, at 18.3C. Although the thermometer
dipped perilously close to freezing on three occasions, there was no air
frost; the lowest temperature being 0.4 on the morning of the 29th. So
the summer flowers continue to bloom, although they are beginning to
look rather tired because of the rain and the failing daylight.

Peter at Pottlelake