Wick endure's century's windiest September
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This misery had been caused by the stagnation of the position of this large amplification of the polar-front jet stream that subsequently, by virtue of its undesirable location, had dragged cold polar air down and over the UK throughout spring and summer.
However, by September 1 the jet stream had become firmly situated to the north of the UK and with the exception of the 23rd to 26th (when a deep depression for the season that contained the remains of tropical storm Nadine were located over the UK) it remained there for the duration of September.
Crucially, the reconfiguration coupled with a corresponding narrowing and strengthening of this ribbon of strong upper winds that steer the weather systems from west to east exerted a very profound influence on the far north’s weather.
The predominately westerly winds that affected Wick and the far north gusted up to severe gale force at times and also imported changeable conditions from directly off the Atlantic as a series of deep depressions (that included extra tropical storms Kirk on the 4th followed by Leslie on the 14th) together with their attendant frontal systems swept north-eastwards between northern Scotland and Iceland.
The rather abrupt return to the “mobile” westerly conditions experienced in September were compelling evidence of the restoration of zonality (so called as differences between the polar and subtropical air mass types are clearly defined by a straight, narrow, very fast-flowing jet stream) across the northern hemisphere.
Wick’s weather statistics for September revealed the mean, maximum and minimum air temperatures corresponded almost exactly with their respective long-term contemporaries for the month.
Analysis of the rainfall figures also showed the month was significantly wetter than normal.
However, perhaps the most striking facet was the wind; specifically the significant number of days that hosted strong winds and gales. Indeed, it was easily Wick’s windiest September so far this century.
Wick’s mean air temperature for September was 10.92C (51.66F). The long-term early autumn number is 11C (51.8F).
The town’s average maximum air temperature for the period was 14.01C (57.22F), up 0.01C on the established seasonal number. With an area of high pressure receding south-eastwards into the near continent from England, the warmest day of the month proved to be the 8th when the temperature peaked at a very warm 20.2C (68.4F) at 5pm in the strong late afternoon sunshine coupled with a gentle westerly breeze.
Readings of 18.5C (65.3F) and 18C (64.4F) noted on the 2nd and 3rd respectively were warm for the time of the year. The coldest daytime air temperature of the month, just 10.8C (51.4F), occurred on the 21st when a cool NNW breeze affected the town.
Overnight air minima for the burgh averaged out at 7.83C (46.09F), down 0.17C on the long-term niche for the month. The highest overnight minimum air temperature was 13.7C (56.7F) recorded on the 3rd. Lowest overnight minimum air temperature was 2.2C (36F) noted on the 21st.
There were three ground frosts with values at 5cm over the grass down to minus 2C (28.4F) on the 21st and 23rd respectively.
Winds reached or exceeded 39 mph/33.9 knots (force eight) on nine dates. Wick’s windiest day of the month was the 4th when a boisterous force-seven westerly wind gusted up to 53 mph/46.1 knots and severe gale-force nine on the Beaufort scale at 2pm.
Precipitation was logged on 25 days. By the end of the month the amount of rain that fell added up to 84.4mm or 124.1 per cent of the long-term average expected for the month.
Wick’s wettest day was the 25th when 12.4mm (0.49 of an inch) filled the rain gauge as force-seven north-easterly winds pummelled the town. Thunder was audible in the town on one date.
