After the hot and humid, and later unsettled weather of August, the first two days were fine, sunny and very pleasant, but a transient low brought a cool, wet and windy day on the 3rd. The 4th and 5th were also fine, warm and sunny as high pressure re-established itself. After a nondescript few days, the 9th and 10th were both sunny, with clear, almost cloudless skies, but the temperature was only 43F in the early hours of the 10th. That day was the sunniest day of the month with cloudless skies and 70F recorded in the afternoon. However, a low arrived on the 12th bringing showers, and a strong north-westerly wind blew on the 13th with spells of rain. That day was cool as well.

The anticyclones regained their hold on the 14th and brought a summer like day on the 17th. Northerly winds returned on the 18th from the North-East, bringing cool days with a sharp wind. Another fine spells was seen between the 21st and 24th. On the 21st double digit (10 hours of sunshine was recorded) but there was a ground-frost on the 22nd, due to the clear skies. On the 24th the maxima was 69F and it was fine and sunny on the 23rd.

The 25th to the 27th were dull, dry with North-East winds, but the afternoon of the 28th was warm. Only 0.01 inches of rain was recorded between the 14th and 28th, but some rain fell on the final two days of the month, though it was never heavy.

September 1997 was above average for sunshine totals and was overall a warm month. It was both the warmest and sunniest September recorded since 1991. Like September last year, anticyclones were never far away, but unlike last year, there was no wet and unsettled final few days. Rainfall was well below average, making it the driest September recorded for 11 years, since that of 1986.

Kevin Phillips - 9.35pm - Friday 3rd October 1997.