HALLOWE'EN. Weather Diaries wrapped round today in that I found myself posting the weather observations for a day in 2012 which had previously been the earliest non-diary archive entry. (Though there's some confusion there because Nov 2004-Nov 2011 have not yet been transcribed.)

7-8 low Sc
Sunny spells

COLD
Some sun a.m.
1300 7 large Cu, Ci

Some sun
eg 1200 6 Cu, Ci

Up at 4. Fine view of Orion and Canis Major over the rooftops, the streetlights being off. Saw down to eta Can Maj, nearly 30°S, without even trying.

Left at 7.30, had a fine cold walk across the south of town to the van hire place. It reminded me of the walk last December to the ultrasound place.

0400 0 * FROST
->Sun
COLD
P.M. Cu->Sc->8 Sc

Colder
Much sun

Into town. Couldn't get the paper I use for this diary - narrow feint, 80 gsm. I've got about 2 months to source some. Otherwise I could write on one side only of 70 gsm, or use wide feint 80 gsm , but they'd both use more paper. Or I could make the diary electronic, like Doogie Howser. But I value the meditative quality of writing, and the 'handwriting exercise'.

Rain was forecast for 2pm and it duly arrived at 1.50. Luckily I'd already got the sack barrow in from the shed to prepare for Monday.

0900 <8
->8
1350 RAIN, 1800 cont. All day WINDY

<=8 high S
1600 SHOWER
WINDY

Got soaked walking to work at 1.20, had to deploy the fans, fan heater and hairdryer.

RAIN till 1500
->some Sun

Typically 7 Cu Sun Cold
1630 SHOWER
1930 RAIN

Typically 6 large Cu Sun

Usual 4am start. Rotten dark wet morning.

RAIN on and off all day
8 S

Started adding Feb 1972-May 1973 to the file of extracts from the daily Guardian weather reports from the online archive. I'm using that file to try and reconstruct the pre-diary era. The purpose of this latest tranche is to include the time from my earliest memory, which can't be from earlier than Feb 1972.

Cold, some sun

Some sun

Up at 4.45, waited with an eye on the rainfall radar, got to work by 9.20.

HEAVY SHOWERS to 0700
->Sun ~5 low Cu
1600 with virgae

At 4pm a heavy shower began. I checked on the rainfall radar to see that it was just a shower, and stayed later than usual till it stopped. Only 18 minutes extra, but I felt like I was in Mad Men, working all night.

Much sun
1600 HEAVY SHOWER
1700 Sun
2000 HEAVY SHOWER

Hurried out at 7.10 because rain was forecast, got to work at 7.50.

8
0730 RAIN
stops
1300 <8 Sun
1600 SHOWER

8 S/Sc
->
Some sun p.m.

8 Ns
SPELLS OF RAIN, 1730 HEAVY
Sun-glimpses at times all day

Another wet day, up till 2pm.

RAIN overnight
SPELLS OF RAIN
till 1400
Sun-breaks

Hurried out just after 9 to the Tesco Express and Co-op, for minimal supplies. Rained all day as forecast. Glad I went out early while it was light.

RAIN overnight
8 S
RAIN all day
2300 cont

It was raining in the small hours, and when I got up I read that it would resume at 8am, so I hurried to work by 8.10.

RAIN in small hours
8 low Sc
RAIN in morning
1900 RAIN
2000 HEAVY
2030 stopped

Much sun
Gradually thickening Cs, As
Breezy

1300 5/5 Cu/Ci Sun
1830 0

0900 ~6 Ac, Cc Sun
1300 7 S
1600 SHOWER

Left unusually early just after 6am. Quite dark then of course, the first time this autumn it's felt like night.

0900 8 As Sun-through
1500 SHOWER
1630 RAIN

Was up refreshed at 5.30. I love getting up early on Sunday, I was happily browning chicken at 6.30 ready for the slow cooker.

Rained all day apart for a sunny spell around 11. The dark rainy Sunday morning at 7am made me think of 1979, or 1974, when I'd've had nothing to entertain myself with but a damp copy of the Observer.

RAIN overnight
0530 cont
HEAVY at times
1100 stops
some sun
1200 RAIN
1700 cont

Some sun
1000 6/7 dark Cu/Ci
1800 ~6 Ac

RAIN overnight
Some sun
<=8 high S
1700 SHOWER with sun

1000 8 As Sun-through
<=8 all day
2050 RAIN

Cold, bright day, fortunately reminding me more of Oct 91 than Oct 99.

0800 Sun Cold
1300 6 fair-weather Cu
1700 Sun

As I left work a huge wall of dark clouds were coming from the North, and when they were overhead the clouds in the north were incredibly black, clouds as dark as I've ever seen. Quarter of an hour later the downdraught came, and the lightning began. Luckily it didn't rain till just as I got home: by then the lightning was right overhead.

Some sun
-> 8 Sc
1200 SHOWER
1600 6
Huge Cu seen approaching from N
1700 8 very dark
⚡ THUNDERSTORM