Sodden parts of Britain have experienced the wettest September on record after being deluged over the past week, leading to widespread flooding.
As yet more rain lashed the country today, provisional figures showed rainfall figures for last month reached new highs in 10 English counties, the Met Office said.
Of the areas recording their highest-ever September totals since records began in 1836, Gloucestershire was worst-hit with 212.2mm, or 8.35ins.
The figure is more than double the UK average for September, of 90mm (3.6ins).
Provisional figures showed rainfall figures for last month reached new highs in 10 English counties
Sodden parts of Britain have experienced the wettest September on record
Bedfordshire, where 182.7mm, or 7.2ins, fell, and Oxfordshire, which received 185.2mm/7.29ins of rainfall, recorded their highest-ever totals in any single month regardless of time of year, since 1836.
Other which received a soaking included Berkshire (172.1mm/6.77ins), Buckinghamshire (176mm/6.92 ins), Northamptonshire (171.3mm/6.74ins) and Wiltshire (196.5mm/7.73ins)
On Monday, the final day of September, over two more inches of rain fell in places, with the wettest place – Marsden, West Yorkshire – recording 57mm (2.2ins) in the 24 hours to 9am this morning – with further outbreaks of rain continuing through the day.
After flooding hit central England including Bedfordshire over the weekend, watercourses burst their banks yesterday in areas including Merseyside, where residents were evacuated from homes in Bootle, and Wigan, Greater Manchester, where pensioners’ bungalows were left underwater.
The saturated end to the month came despite warm and sunny weather in the middle of the month when even western Scotland saw temperatures reach 25C (77F).
But the pleasant conditions were brought to an end with heavy thunder which included as many as 13,000 lightning strikes in a single day – heralding an unsettled finish to the month.
Forecasters said the wettest conditions were generally experienced in southern areas.
Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle said: ‘September saw unsettled weather across the UK. The jet stream was south shifted for most of the month, making it very wet for some in the south, but rather dry for some in the north.
Forecasters said the wettest conditions were generally experienced in southern areas
Southern England had its wettest September since 1918, and its third wettest since 1836
‘The month began with heavy showers and thunderstorms to the south of the UK, whilst the north of the country saw much drier and warmer conditions.
‘Although mid-month saw a return to more settled weather and an increase in temperatures, low pressure was never too far away and the end of the month concluded with frontal systems bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms, with an Amber National Severe Weather Warning being issued.’
Overall, England saw 95% more rainfall than its September average, with Wales experiencing 39% more, the Met Office said.
Southern England had its wettest September since 1918, and its third wettest since 1836.
Meanwhile, temperatures and sunshine hours were close to average
The Met Office said Britain experienced an average of 122.7 hours, 4% less than usual
The average daily maximum temperature for England was 17.6C (63.68F), 0.5C below the 1991-2020 average, and 16.1C (60.98F) in Wales, 0.8C lower.
Some respite in the rain is now expected with a mostly cloudy day tomorrow, followed by dry conditions and sunny spells in most areas on Thursday and Friday, before more unsettled weather returns at the weekend.