October 2018:
This year was, equal with 2008, the sunniest
October since this data started in 2005.
For the 6th consecutive month rainfall was below average with October 2018's
rainfall being only 48.5% of the 30 year average.
The average temperature for the month was equal to the 30 year average with
minimum temperatures below average and maximum temperature above average. It
was however the coldest October since 2012 when the average temperature was
11.1°C
The 7.9°C average minimum temperature was the lowest since October 2008 when
7.7°C was recorded.
The maximum hourly solar radiation of 649.00 W/m2 starting at 11:00 on 1st
October 2018 was the highest for any October since data started in 2005.
The lowest daily maximum temperature of 6.4°C on the 27th was the lowest
recorded for Bristol since this parameter was collated from 1960.
The maximum temperature of 23.8°C recorded on the 10th was the highest for
October since 1st October 2011 when 28.5°C was recorded.
The lowest daily mean of 4.3°C on the 29th was the lowest for any October
since 2.9°C was recorded on 29th of October 2008.
The 12.5°C lowest daily maximum temperature recorded on the 18th and 30th
was the highest since 13.5°C was recorded on 18th October 2005.
The -0.1°C minimum temperature on the 31st was the lowest for October since
-1.1°C on 29th in 2008.
Annual 2017:
The annual average temperature of 12.1°C in 2017 was 0.8°C above the 30 year
average for Bristol. This makes 2017 the 3rd warmest year (equal with 1989,
1990 and 1997). Continuous records for average temperature having been found
since 1891 in Bristol.
The Total rainfall for 2017 was 751.0 mm. This is 138.9 mm less than the 30
year average for Bristol and the driest year since 2011 when only
723.1 mm was recorded. 2017 was the 39th direst year in Bristol in 165 years
of continuous annual data for the city.
It was the dullest year on record since this data started in 2005 with a
annual average 0f 37.7% of maximum sunshine. The average is 40.0%..
The
2017 Annual summary is here:
http://www.bristolweather.org/weather2017annual.htm
For the full monthly summary please go here:
http://www.bristolweather.org/weather2018oct.htm
The
Meteorological site is situated in an urban housing area approximately one
mile to the south of the Centre of Bristol.
This area is in a district called Totterdown.
Statistical correlations with the Bristol
Meteorological Office site, that was
less than two miles to the North and was
situated on top of a City Centre office block, were generally good with
rainfall and barometric data particularly close.
The site of the station is approximately 34 metres above sea level with the
manual instruments mounted in a Stevenson screen. The screen is sited
centrally in a small concreted garden area. A Snowdon
rain gauge is mounted correctly in the ground but does not have the full open
space required around it. A Davis
Vantage Pro2 Plus automatic weather station (AWS) was
added in May 2005 and this is mounted 4 feet above a concrete shelter. The
wind data is gathered automatically from a Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus anemometer which is
sited 3.3 metres (10 feet) above the house top.
Manual observations are still taken at approximately 09:00 hours GMT every
day for rainfall and cloud cover. Rainfall manually recorded in the Snowdon rain gauge is entered for the previous day. The
wind data is constantly logged and automatically reset at 24:00 hours GMT
every day (in the summer BST -1 hour. The Davis rainfall tipping bucket was recalibrated in November 2005 and is now
consistently under 3% under recording (an improvement from installation in
May 2005 when 10% was more
typically the norm).
Since the arrival of the Davis
Vantage Pro2 Plus equipment in May 2005 temperatures, humidity and barometric
pressure are recorded from the new equipment. These figures will be more
accurate and will be taken at exactly 09:00 GMT (in the summer BST -1 hour)
as the data is now logged to a computer.
By default the Davis
equipment records every parameter for the 24 hour period 00:00 to 23:59 BST
or GMT. Data analysis will enable manual data extraction of temperatures and
rainfall to 09:00 GMT (adjusted in the summer). Due to the 0.2 mm (tipping
bucket) measurements of precipitation recorded by the Davis equipment the
Snowdon rain gauge will still be used due to its greater accuracy (see
above).