An historical perspective on the climate statistics

for Coventry during September 2008


Temperature

Although the mean monthly temperature of 13.9C is exactly the same as
the 30-year climatological normal (1971-2000) for Coventry, this has
still been the coolest September in our region since 2001 (13.5C).

Just two years ago, we enjoyed the warmest September since at least
1892 in Coventry (17.2C). Not only this, but September 2006 was also
the warmest September month in the Central England Temperature series,
complied by the late Gordon Manley, since before 1659.

Although recent September months have been very mild locally, we
returned closer to normal in 2007 (14.3C), and we only have to go back
twelve years to find five consecutive cool September months from 1992
to 1996.

Just out of interest, our coldest September only managed a monthly
mean temperature of 10.6C in 1952.

Rainfall

We recorded 105.0mm of rain in the first twelve days of September, 94%
of the eventual monthly rainfall total (111.4mm).

This has been the wettest September in Coventry since 2000 (117.8mm).

Only four September months have recorded more rainfall in Coventry
than 2008 since 1900 (1918, 1965 1981 and 2000).

Sunshine

With just 110.2 hours of sunshine, this has been our dullest September
in the city since 2001 (93.8 hours).

Only three September months have recorded less sunshine than 2008 in
the past 30 years in Coventry (1993, 1994 and 2000).

Just out of interest, the dullest September on record (to 1894) in our
region only managed 57.3 hours of sunshine in 1896.




Days of note within September 2008

• 20th The warmest day of the month only managed a maximum temperature
of 21.2C – this is the lowest such value since 1974 (21.0C).

• 1st The month’s wettest day recorded 28.8mm of rain, making this the
wettest September day in Coventry since 2000 (33.8mm). Our wettest
September day on record was in 1994 with 44.5mm of rain.

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station
Coventry UK
www.bablakeweather.co.uk