September turned out to be a record breaker at Laurieston, according to findings compiled at the local weather research station.
Resident atmospheric scientist Geoff Monk logged a minimum temperature of 15.5C on the 26th – which turned out to the warmest night of the entire year.
And on the 8th the mercury rocketed to a sizzling 27.5C – the highest September temperature on record at Laurieston.
The reading was only 1.1C lower than the 28.6C measured at Charterhall in the Borders on the same date, which turned out to be Scotland’s hottest September day in 115
years. Over the month as a whole, minimum temperatures averaged 10.25C – well above the expected 8C.
Daytime maximums followed a similar pattern with the mean maximum finishing up at 18.3C, which is 2.3C above the long term mean.
Mr Monk told the News: “Despite the last four or five days being much cooler the month was actually warmer than July 2020. It really was exceptionally warm just as it was across much of Scotland.
“I would not be surprised if this September was the warmest there has ever been.”
Rainfall over the month also proved to be out of the ordinary – up to the 26th a paltry 42mm fell (1.5ins) but a late wet period took the monthly total to 119mm (4.7ins).
Mr Monk said: “Over the four months from the end of May until it started raining on September 26 just 205mm fell.
“It was a remarkably dry period.”
He added that conditions right at the end of the month were cold enough to see two grass frosts recorded.
Lowest minimum air temperature came on the 29th, when the thermometer dropped to 1.3C – by no means exceptional for the time of year. Mr Monk said: “We shall see what October brings,.”
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