Flood-hit homes face demolition

September was 'a month of two halves' despite the heavy rain and flooding

by Laura Tobin, ITV Daybreak presenter
Two people brave the floods in York Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

I think the most interesting thing about September is the difference between the first three weeks and the final week.

We saw pretty decent weather until the 23rd with most of the wet and windy weather affecting Scotland and Northern Ireland (a reversal from what we had this summer).

A man with a broken umbrella walks through Stockport Credit: Dave Thompson/PA Wire

The South East had some fairly warm weather during the first few weeks with 29C widely reported on the 8th and 9th.

Rainfall amounts across the country away from the North West were unusually low during the first three weeks.

A band of blue colours across northern England denotes above average rainfall Credit: Met Office
Two brown areas, one across central Scotland and the other in East Anglia Credit: Met Office

Then, we welcomed in Autumn with a bang, between the 23rd and 26th humid air came up from the Azores and formed a low pressure (the deepest we have had in September for 30 years).

This brought high rainfall totals to some parts of the country, especially Northern England and Wales and strong, driving winds.

Gale force winds drive waves over the coastal road at Sandsend near Whitby Credit: John Giles/PA Wire

Many places saw a month's worth of rain in just three days, while Ravensworth in North Yorkshire had 130mm, double what they would normally have in September.

Overall - Rainfall overall has been pretty mixed, typically East Anglia and central Scotland were below average with 50-75% of a typical September falling.

Firefighters rescue stranded motorists from a flooded road outside Castleford, West Yorkshire Credit: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire

The big story is the above average rainfall for northern England, here we had 50% more or even double the normal months rainfall.

Mean temperature was around average for eastern areas and a little below average for western areas.

A resident of Knaresborough wades through water following flooding from the River Nidd Credit: John Giles/PA Wire

Sunshine was around average, Southeast England was a little above and northwestern areas were a little below.

So on the face of it you may think that September was average it was however anything but, it’s one we will be talking about for many years to come.

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