THE late summer and autumn dry spell lasted until November 17.

Up until then, most parts across our region had received just one-tenth of the month's ration of rain.

However, substantial falls during the next five days, as well as on November 30, saw accumulations rise to about those expected. There was only about two-thirds the usual rainfall during the autumn.

Typically, here at Carlton, near Stokesley, with 126mm (5in), it was the fourth driest autumn in my 25-year record, that of 1997 being the driest with 102mm (4in).

The first ten days of November were especially mild, with the mean maximum over 4C (7F) above average. Two or three days saw temperatures topping a marvellous 60F (15.5C). November 2 was my second warmest day in any November at Carlton, with 16.5C (61.5F). This was marginally short of the previous highest, 16.8C (62F), which also occurred on November 2, only two years ago.

The rest of the month was cooler than normal but this wasn't enough to stop the month ending up on the mild side, thanks to the relatively lofty daytime temperatures.

High pressure controlled our weather for much of the time again, with the cells sitting chiefly in the vicinity of the South-West Approaches. The resulting mainly westerly airstream originated from close to the tropics at the start of the month giving those balmy mercury levels.

After this, it arrived from more northerly latitudes.

The highs also weakened any fronts that crossed the country and restricted the formation of any showers, hence the lack of significant rain.

This was particularly so to the east of the Pennines, where additionally we enjoyed more than our fair share of sunshine.

This was very true even on November 9, when a very intense depression ran southeast close to the Shetlands and into the Baltic. Most of us, therefore, wondered what all the fuss was about when severe flood warnings were issued along the East Coast.

The north-westerly behind that low reached storm force in the Norwegian and northern North Seas. This caused a surge in sea level, which almost coincided with a very high tide, as it advanced southwards. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as expected.

It could have been far worse, as happened on January 31, 1953. Then, Britain suffered one of its greatest peace-time disasters with 307 lives lost in the extensive flooding along the coast and another 177 deaths out at sea.

The major deviation from November's general weather pattern began on Saturday, November 17, when the resident anticyclone moved away into the continent.

While its replacement was building in mid-Atlantic, an active front took advantage of the gap and swung southeastwards later on the Sunday.

A depression developed on this front over northern England and then ambled south.

This brought the front to a halt over central Britain, giving us strong, cold, southerly winds and prolonged rain, heavy at times, with snow over the hills at first. It was the wettest day in parts of our region since July and with more rain than in the whole of October.

The last high was also retreating south by the end of November, yielding to a very deep depression heading east near Iceland. This invigorated the westerly flow and gave us that wet final day.

November temperatures and rainfall at Carlton-in-Cleveland: Mean Maximum: 10.2C, 50.5F (+1.0C, 2F); Mean Minimum: 3.9C, 39F (+0.0C, 0F); Highest Maximum: 16.5C, 61.5F, 2nd; Lowest Minimum: -1.9C, 28.5F, 24th; Total Rainfall: 67mm, 2.65ins (-1.5mm, 0.05ins); Wettest Day: 16mm, 0.65ins, 17th and No of Rain Days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more: 13 (-4).

(Figures in brackets show the difference from the 24-year mean, 1983-2006)