Wettest September in over 100 years

Southern England saw record rainfall this September, making it the wettest September since 1918 for the region.

Ten counties across southern England statistically experienced their wettest September on record, with some places experiencing up to four times their average monthly rainfall.

Some of these counties included Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Several recorded 300% of their monthly averages.

Woburn in Bedfordshire, for example, recorded a monthly rainfall total of 248 mm, compared to the average of just 55 mm.

Across the UK as a whole, the monthly average came in at 1141.1 mm, which is 25% more rainfall than average, though still nowhere near any record-breaking statistics for the UK.

This is because Scotland and Northern Ireland saw below-average rainfall totals. Conversely, Wales had 39% more rainfall, while England saw a staggering 95% more.

While it would be more common for northern and western areas to take the brunt of the autumn rainfall, there was a reversal of fortunes this September.

This was in part due to the jet stream's more southerly orientation, driving low pressure systems, and therefore heavy bands of rain at times, further south.

Looking ahead, with the Atlantic becoming quite active, there is the chance that remnants of ex-tropical systems could bring further spells of wet and windy weather to our shores.

A continuation of the south-shifted jet stream through October looks on the cards for now too.