We’re reaching the end of October and that means Halloween of course. It’s interesting when looking back at just how up and down this period can be. Even in the typically mild Southeast of England, we’ve seen quite the variety of weather around Halloween.
The recent trend has been mild, outstandingly mild at that with last year seeing 18-20C in London and East Anglia but Halloween 2014 broke all the record with a summer-like high of 23.6C recorded at Gravesend, Kent.
This broke the old UK Halloween record maximum of 20.0C set back in 1968 at Dartford, Kent.
While Halloween this year, last year and particularly the year before will be remembered as unusually mild, this time 8 years ago, we were in the midst of a record breaking late October cold and snowy spell.
Just 2 years separates the warmest (2001) from coldest (2003) Octobers on record for the UK. October has been as warm as 29.9C (2011) and as cold as -11C (1948)
October 2008 was the coldest since 2003 for many, hosting highs as warm as 22.9C and lows as cold as -6.6C but the most striking statistic from October 2008 is that London saw it’s first October snow in 74 years.
Article from the Met Office
Record low October temperatures and snow reported across many areas of the UK…
A cold last week to October 2008, with some stations setting new records for low maximum and minimum temperatures for October. Sleet and snow was also observed across many areas of the UK, notably over Northern Ireland and Scotland. The last occurrence of sleet or snow being reported across these areas was October 2003. The most notable snowfall (in terms of historical comparison) during this period occurred over SE England overnight on 28/29 October 2008 (see chart below).
Synoptic situation at 0000 UTC on 29 October 2008
A number of stations across the climate district of SE & Central S England reported a day of snow on 28/29 October 2008, including Reading University, Whiteknights (Berkshire), Hampstead (Greater London) and Odiham (Hampshire). The last previous date that any snow was recorded during October over this climate district was 29 October 1974, but in London it was 31 October 1934.
There were also reports of snow lying at 0900 UTC (the time which climate stations take their daily observations) on 29 October 2008 from stations across SE & Central S England, with High Wycombe (Buckinghamshire) recording 3 cm and Odiham recording 1 cm. The last previous October date with snow lying at 0900 UTC over this climate district was 29th October 1922.
The tables below show stations with long records which have set new record low 24 hour maximum or minimum temperatures for October.
| Station | Date (2008) | Maximum temperature (° C) |
Previous lowest October maximum temperature (° C) |
Digitised records back to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leuchars (Fife) | 28 October | 4.5 | 4.7 on 30 October 1974 | 1957 |
| Aberporth (Ceredigion) | 29 October | 5.2 | 7.4 on 22 October 2003 | 1957 |
| Nottingham, Watnall | 28 October | 5.3 | 5.4 on 30 October 1974 | 1957 |
| Shawbury (Shropshire) | 29 October | 5.5 | 6.2 on 30 October 1974 | 1957 |
| Ronaldsway (Isle of Man) | 28 October | 6.1 | 6.6 on 21 October 2003 | 1957 |
| Station | Date (2008) | Minimum temperature (° C) |
Previous lowest October minimum temperature (° C) |
Digitised records back to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coningsby (Lincolnshire) | 29 October | -4.2 | -3.8 on 29 October 1997 | 1978 |
| Lyneham (Wiltshire) | 29 October | -3.6 | -2.8 on 29 October 1997 | 1957 |
| Tiree (Outer Hebrides) | 29 October | -0.3 | -0.3 on 13 October 1971 | 1931 |
As well as station records, there are also regional and national daily temperature series back to 1960, which can be used to put the low temperatures into recent historic context. The tables below put the lowest daily maximum and minimum national values recorded during October 2008 into context with these daily series back to 1960.
| Area | Date (2008) | Maximum temperature (° C) |
Daily ranking |
Previous or record lowest October maximum temperature (° C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 28/29 October | 5.6 | 1st | 6.2 on 29 October 1974 |
| England | 29 October | 6.4 | 2nd | 5.6 on 30 October 1974 |
| Wales | 29 October | 4.7 | 1st | 6.2 on 22 October 2003 |
| Scotland | 28 October | 3.3 | 1st | 4.3 on 17 October 1973 |
| Northern Ireland | 29 October | 4.7 | 1st | 6.2 on 27 October 1992 |
| Area | Date (2008) | Minimum temperature (° C) |
Daily ranking |
Previous or record lowest October minimum temperature (° C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 29 October | -1.9 | 4th | -2.9 on 17 October 1993 |
| England | 29 October | -2.3 | Joint 3rd | -3.2 on 29 October 1997 |
| Wales | 29 October | -2.4 | Joint 2nd | -2.7 on 29 October 1983 |
| Scotland | 28 & 30 October | -1.9 | Joint 12th | -3.8 on 17 October 1993 |
| Northern Ireland | 29 October | -1.0 | Joint 10th | -2.8 on 18 October 1993 |
Last updated: 26 October 2012
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