November was a cold and dry month with the first frosts of the season, which came fairly frequently and despite some overcast days at the month's end, sunshine totals were also just above average.

   After a changeable first 11 days of the month, during which the majority of the month's 64.6 mm of rain fell, high pressure became dominant with winds from a north westerly quarter and temperatures fell away.

   Consequently with that high pressure dominant during the second half of the month, MSLP was some +4.9 Mb above average.

   Overall a mean minimum of 1.12°c and a mean maximum of 7.86°c saw the temperature some 1.4°c below the 1981-2010 average, making it the coldest November since 2010 and which locally would make it the 21st coldest November since 1914 (with 7 years of missing data).

   Rainfall locally was in the region of 70% of the November average, the driest since 2007 and at Newton Rigg (68.8 mm) in a series back to 1914, November as been drier on 37 occasions with 59 wetter (3 years of missing data.)

   Figures from the Enviroment Agency’s rainfall sites were, (figure in brackets being the monthly average for 1961-90): Kirkby Thore 57.0 mm (80.9 mm) , Brothers Water 170.4 mm (271 mm), Nunwick Hall 62.4 mm (79.5 mm) and 254.6 mm at Seathwaite Farm (Borrowdale - 338 mm).

  ‘Data kindly provided by the Hydrometry and Telemetry team of the Enviroment Agency (Penrith)’.

   1st - 5th    The month started with a complete mix of weather for the first few days with the 1st bright and breezy as we sat within a slack pressure gradient and which saw the 2nd start with the first air frost of the season. But the 2nd was to be a particularly poor day as low pressure (LP) (982 Mb) arrived off the Atlantic and deposited 25.7 mm (one inch) of rain. On the associated cold front to that LP there was some hail mixed in with the rain and the afternoon saw frequent thunder and lightning and which at tea-time included some cloud to ground strikes.

   The 3rd saw the LP clearing north east and the day became showery but slowly improved as once again the pressure gradient slackened and come the 4th we were within a 'Col' of LP to the north and south and high pressure (HP) to the west and east. This gave a lovely sunny day but only after a frosty and foggy start and which curiously was only the first day of the year thus far to be recorded as a 'day of fog' at the 0900 hrs observation. Also the 4th was the first day of the season to record snow on several mountain summits.

   An occluded front brought rain overnight into the 5th followed by a drizzly day.

   6th - 9th    We now sat in an unstable westerly airflow with frequent troughs bringing showers. Generally overcast with limited brightness and feeling fresh and cool.

  10th - 16th    HP ridged in from the Atlantic through the majority of the period, but with fronts overnight into the 11th and again overnight into the 14th giving some rain. The 10th saw cold advection in a northerly flow which gave a sharp frost of rime due to the drop in temperature immediately following showers late on the 9th.

   But the 11th with the passage of that front saw the month's warmest day at 12.3°c (54.14°F) and overcast skies before the 12-13th were generally sunny as that ridge of HP once again nudged in from the south-west. However, as we sat at the top edge of that HP we were prone to a brisk and cold westerly wind, and then rain arrived late on the 13th on the new set of fronts.

   Those fronts cleared east during the 14th and HP (1043 Mb) was back in charge, ridging in off the Atlantic and the day was fine and sunny day, although with a cold sting in a very brisk north westerly wind that gusted to 40 Mph. The 15th was then flat and overcast, but fell much calmer.

   17th - 21st    This period remained generally unsettled as first LP near Norway extended a cold front back over the UK 17th, giving 5.9 mm of rain overnight into the 18th and with another cold front bringing further light rain.

   A weak ridge of HP 19th brought the return of frost 19th, but with it a beautiful sunny day - but now day-time temperatures were also starting to drop as the wind veered north westerly.

   The 20th-21st saw a new area of LP sat north of the UK and which brought showery conditions on troughs and with the 21st at just 4.7°c the first day of the season that remained below 5°c. However, HP from the Atlantic would generally take over until the month's end bringing more settled and dry conditions.

   22nd - 30th    The HP now nudged in off the Atlantic, maintaining the northerly flow and the days fell calm, cold and dry. After a sunny day 22nd, an anti-cyclonic gloom tended to descend and the days were also dull.

   The 23rd at -4.7°c (23.54°F) (Shap -6.3°c)c started with a sharp frost and the month's coldest night and at just 3.5°c (38.3°f) was also the month's coldest day under fairly heavy skies.

   Mean air pressure rose considerably during this period to 1041 Mb as that HP became dominant, but an incursion of a warm front 27th brought milder air behind and the 27-28th felt much warmer, with 10.5°c on the 27th.

   That milder air was blown away 29th as a cold front moved south and behind it brought a brisk and cool north westerly breeze which was drawn over the top and down the flank of the HP which was still sat in the Atlantic. Coupled with the HP slowly returning, this saw the month end on a cooler note.

   Rainfall totalled 64.6 mm for the month, with rain recorded on 17 days of which 12 were 'Wet days' (1.0mm +).

   The Mean Temperature for the month was 4.49°c      --      The Mean Max' was   7.86°c     --      The Mean Min'   1.12°c.

   We had 13 Air Frosts in the month (year 81)                  --      Grass frosts totalled 19 (year 123).

   The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 4.8°c on the 26th         to      a high of 9.9°c on the 1st     --      with a monthly mean of 6.9°c

   The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 7.7°c on the 28th      to      a high of 11.2°c on the 1st     --     with a monthly mean of 9.1°c

COMPARISONS:-

   * November 2013 rainfall was 43.5% of the November average for 2007 - 2012

   * November 2013 was 1.51°c colder than the November average for 2009 - 2012 and 1.4°c colder than the local long term average 1981-2010

  * The 3 month mean for September/October/November 2013 is              TEMP'     9.27°c         --          RAIN    326.5 mm


  *                     September/October/November 2012 was              TEMP'     8.10°c         --          RAIN    430.9 mm

  *                     September/October/November 2011 was              TEMP'    10.69°c         --          RAIN    347.7 mm

  *                     September/October/November 2010 was              TEMP'     8.37°c         --          RAIN    305.4 mm

  *                     September/October/November 2009 was              TEMP'     9.67°c         --          RAIN    411.2 mm

  *                     September/October/November 2008 was                                       --          RAIN    428.3 mm

  *                     September/October/November 2007 was                                       --          RAIN    198.7 mm


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                                          * 2013    To Date              TEMP'     8.75°c         --          RAIN    961.4 mm

                                          * 2012  Jan - Nov              TEMP'     8.74°c         --          RAIN   1175.7 mm

                                          * 2011  Jan - Nov              TEMP'     9.60°c         --          RAIN   1125.3 mm

                                          * 2010  Jan - Nov              TEMP'     8.29°c         --          RAIN    678.6 mm

                                          * 2009  Jan - Nov              TEMP'     9.50°c         --          RAIN   1171.5 mm

                                          * 2008  Jan - Nov                                       --          RAIN   1290.0 mm