LAST month was the wettest October in Oxford since 1875 - and one of the soggiest in history.

The Radcliffe Meteorological Station recorded 185.3mm of rainfall across the 31 days, a figure only bettered three times since records began.

It was helped by an incredible 60mm falling on October 3 alone, when the UK was battered by Storm Alex.

Read also: Storm Alex smashes rainfall record

This was the sixth wettest of the 70,000 days on record and the rainiest day in Oxford for more than 47 years.

It contributed to the fourth wettest month since scientists started recording rainfall in 1767.

The Radcliffe has measured rainfall since January 1827 and holds the longest, continuous, single-site rainfall data-set in the UK.

Its rain gauge is positioned in a pen at Green Templeton College, in Woodstock Road, and still read by eye every morning.

This showed there were 27 rainy days - when there is at least 0.2mm of precipitation in 24 hours - in October, which also broke the all-time record for the month.

The record-breaking hurricane season in the Atlantic contributed to the high rainfall total, with several ex-hurricanes passing over the UK during October.

Read also: Oxford experiences sunniest month since records began

Only 70.7 hours of sunshine were recorded, more than 30 hours below the month's average.

The city still managed to avoid any flooding, unlike the severe disruption caused in October 1875 when 189mm of rainfall was measured.

That was the third-highest month in history, with the 223.9mm in September 1774 and the 192.4mm in November 1770 filling the top two slots.

It comes after Oxford experienced its sunniest month since records began in May.

David Crowhurst, current doctoral researcher and Radcliffe Meteorological Observer, revealed the developing La Niña weather pattern in the Tropical Pacific could bring better weather.

He said: "It offers the potential for a respite from the recent wet and dull weather, with an increasing probability of crisp, dry and bright winter days."