Weather Watch: A dry and sunny September with chilly nights

The past month’s weather will be remembered for the worst September storm for 30 years bringing floods and devastation to many parts of northern Britain. But there was quite a contrast in the Anglia region.

Here it was drier than normal with only three-quarters of the usual rainfall. And, while there was plenty of sunshine, it was also the coldest September in this region for more than a decade.

Not all the data has been processed yet but early indications are that it has been the coolest September in the Anglia region since 2001. There was no significant rain in the region for the first 12 days of the month. Overall it didn't turn out as dry as September 2011 but it was drier than September 2010.

In the past decade, only 2008 and 2010 have had less September sunshine than normal during the month. This September the region averaged an extra hour of sunshine per day than we would normally see in an average month.

September 2012: Provisional weather statistics for the Anglia region:

• 173 hours of sunshine - 21% more than average

• 41 mm of rain - 74% of the normal amount

• Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 19C - slightly higher than normal

• Night time minimum temperatures averages 9C - about 1C lower than normal

The wettest place in the Anglia region during September 2012 was Weybourne on the north Norfolk coast with 51 mm (2 inches) of rain. The lowest rainfall total was recorded at Higham near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk where there was just under 30 mm (1.2 inches).

The hottest day of the month was Sunday 9 September when the temperature reached 29.3C at Writtle in Essex and in Cambridge.