Autumn Fine Spells (From Worcester News)

Autumn Fine Spells

1:07pm Monday 6th October 2008 in News By Paul Damari

After any poor summer, it is extremely pleasant to be able to enjoy an autumn fine spell, especially when its accompanied by warmer than average temperatures.

The only draw back is, that the days are shorter and the nights longer, encouraging mist, fog and frost to form night and early morning-tide. During some autumns we experience blocking anticyclones which bring weeks of settled climatic conditions, the ideal place for the high to be is to the south-east, drawing up dry air from France and sunny warm conditions.

If the high moves to the north, east to north-east winds will usher in plenty of moisture from off the North Sea, which then condense into low cloud and brings damp cold air in across the England and Wales. These dark damp cold dreary grey days can linger for long periods of time, causing some people to suffer from the winter blues often referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad). This weather condition is known by meteorologists as anticyclonic gloom and can also produce drizzle creating a film of moisture droplets on plant life and surfaces. But in fine warm spells of autumn weather, cold misty starts lead to a dramatic rise in temperature with the mercury sometimes climbing into the 70,s. Due to the fact that a high pressure cell is a region of subsiding air, precipitation is absent as the air sinks, warms up and dries out.

Sometimes a weather front may be trapped between two developing highs, producing rain when the barometer is high and dry. In some years a fine spell of weather often occurs around St Luke's Day 18th October, this is referred to as the St.Luke's Little Summer.

Next Week: Deep Atlantic Weather Systems.

The answer to the question in Hurricanes Part 2: Clear and Calm.

This weeks question:

For sunny weather to occur the high must be situated to the?

A/ North.

B/ South-east.

Best of Luck.

Glossary:

Funneling: The passage of wind through a confined space such as a narrow valley, increasing wind speed. Weather for coming week Monday 6th October-Friday 10th October. Low pressure early in the week replaced by a ridge of high pressure Wednesday onwards.

Weather conditions mixed to start the week.

Monday cloud, light showers.

Tuesday rainy morning sunshine and a few showers in the afternoon.

Wednesday, Thursday into Friday set fair with sunshine, light winds.

Risk of rain or showers Friday Night otherwise staying dry.

Maximum temperature 15-17c 59-63f.
Minimum temperature 9-12c 48-54 but 4-6c 39-43f on any clearer nights later.

Last Week's Observations (Monday-Sunday)
Highest day temperature..........17.6c on Monday 29th September.
Lowest night temperature.........Minus 0.5c on Sunday 5th October.
Wettest day.............................17.6 mm on Sunday 5th October.