ITV Channel Weather Watch: What to expect this October
Rustic orange, browns, and yellows have replaced the gentle greens of the summer - October has arrived.
As the trees shed their leafy canopies, some of us will mirror nature's clear-out with our own October traditions.
Perhaps you are preparing to pack away your summer styles in favour of a pair of cosy winter boots. Maybe you're looking forward to a spot of trick-or-treating or that first warming sip of pumpkin spice latte.
It's certainly feeling more wintery - but what else can we expect from the weather?
October weather trends
In October, we tend to see an increase in low-pressure systems moving in from the Atlantic, often bringing strong winds and plenty of rain.
In the average year, October tends to be one of the wettest months, seeing roughly twice as much rainfall as September.
South-westerly winds give rise to dull, damp conditions as the air moves over the relatively warm sea, picking up moisture as it does so.
Meanwhile, weather arriving from the north can be cold at this time of year because the Arctic is now rapidly cooling.
Occasionally, October can feature quieter periods of more settled weather where high pressure can dominate, and the weather may be sunnier, drier, and milder with late-season warmth.
This occurred last year when mid-October temperatures reached more than 25°C in Jersey and over 24°C in Guernsey.
With lengthening nights, we also start to see an increased risk of ground frosts, especially during more settled periods with clearer skies and lighter winds.
Average temperature in October:
Average rainfall in October:
Average amount of sunshine in October:
Wildlife watch
From seal pup season to migrating birds, autumn is a busy time in our islands' wildlife calendar...
Grey seals
Grey seal pup season begins along our shores, with pregnant females often returning to the beach where they were born to birth their own child.
Mother seals tend to favour smooth, sandy spots above the high tide line.
It is important not to disturb seals at this time and to keep dogs on leads if a seal is in the area.
Birds
October is one of the best months for bird spotting as feathered flyers from the north arrive or pass through in search of milder temperatures.
These include regular winter visitors, like Brent geese, and even native wood pigeon can be seen flocking by the thousands.
Hundreds of starlings and thrushes - like redwing and fieldfare - can also be seen taking flight together.
Some birds will also start switching their diets. Blackcaps go from feeding on nutritious insects over the summer to eating fruits such as blackberries and apples in the autumn. So if you attach a ripe apple to a tree in your garden, you may well attract a blackcap!
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs can begin hibernating in October, depending on the temperature and food stocks available.
The creatures will busy themselves gathering leaves and materials to build their nest - so while it can be tempting to sweep these up from your garden, leaving these natural materials can be a big help to these small mammals.
Hedgehogs often breed in the autumn if they miss out in the spring. If the mothers go into hibernation, the youngsters fend for themselves.
If they're out during daylight, it's often a sign that things aren't right and should be reported to Guernsey Hedgehog Rescue or Jersey's Hedgehog Preservation Group.
Plant life
Leaves on our trees begin to turn orange and yellow due to the month's diminishing sunlight.
With more clouds and shorter days, we see on average about four hours of sunlight a day in October.
This means there is not enough light for photosynthesis to occur, so trees begin to close down their food production systems - meaning their leaves will drop off or brown.
In terms of specfic plant life, October is a good time to see autumn squill, which grows in short grassland near the sea.
October skies
A full moon will be visible on Thursday 17 October this year; this will also be a supermoon.
A supermoon occurs at perigee: the point in the moon's orbit where it is closest to Earth so it may appear bigger and brighter.
Jupiter will be the second brightest object in the night sky behind the moon.
There are also some shooting star opportunities this month: the Draconids meteor shower peaks on Tuesday 8 but is visible until Thursday 10 October.
You can see up to 100 shooting stars in an hour and these are among the slowest meteors to grace our night skies, travelling at roughly 13 miles per second.
In contrast, meteors from the Orionid shower travel at about 40 miles per second.
This shower can be seen throughout the month but is most visible when the moon is less full around the evenings of Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 October.
Haunting Halloween weather phenomenons
October is synonymous with Halloween and all things spooky. But what are some of the creepier conditions we can see when it comes to our weather?
Dates for the diary
8 October - the Draconoid meteor shower peaks.
17 October - full moon and last supermoon of 2024.
18 October - Torteval Scarecrow Festival begins
19-20 October - Jersey's Cider Festival
21-22 October - Orionids meteor
31 October - Halloween 🎃
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