An area of low pressure over Scandinavia on the 1st drew a cold N'ly flow into the British Isles. Associated fronts led to some slow-moving and heavy rain across N England, N Wales and Ireland, with lighter falls affecting much of S England by dawn as it moved S'wards. The colder air led to falls of snow over N Scotland before dawn, and across many areas of Scotland during the day. Temperatures fell across Scotland as the cold air swept in from the N. The fronts led to some heavy falls of rain in S areas of Wales and England during the day, and most areas of Britain had a rather cloudy day. The sunniest places were across Ireland, while it was quite mild across East Anglia, S and Cent areas of England ahead of the rain - with many places here reaching 12C. Reported snow depths by 2100 GMT included 2 cm at Loch Glascarnoch and 3 cm at Aboyne. Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident after people became trapped in their homes without running water and rescues were mounted for others stranded in cars in floodwaters. Severe, heavy and persistent rainfall throughout 31 December and overnight into the 1st resulted in flooding in a number of areas across Greater Manchester. Areas affected include Bolton, Didsbury, South Manchester, Harpurhey, North Manchester, Stalybridge, Stockport and Wigan. Flood waters in Stockport have trapped a number of people in their flats without electricity or running water. (Santon Downham 13.2C, Lentran 1.0C maximum, Baltasound -0.2C minimum, Lake Vyrnwy 60.0 mm, Katesbridge 4.3 h.)
Winds tended to ease under high pressure on the 2nd but they remained cool and N'ly. There was a widespread air frost away from S counties of Ireland, Wales and England as skies in the S tended to clear. There were some showers of sleet and snow overnight across N Scotland, and in some coastal areas of E and W Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which were exposed to the N'ly wind. Away from the Channel Isles, there were long spells of sunshine in most places from S Scotland, S'wards, but temperatures in inland areas tended to remain below 4C. Scotland was cooler, with further falls of snow during the day in N and E Scotland and in parts of Northern Ireland; these falls eased off in the N in the evening, but spread into NE England and N Wales in the evening. Reported snow depths included 10 cm at Loch Glascarnoch and 7 cm at Altnaharra (at 1800 GMT), and 1 cm at Bingley and Loch Fea at 2100 GMT. (Isles of Scilly 9.0C, Balmoral -0.7C minimum, Shap -7.4C minimum, Aultbea 4.6 mm, Almondsbury 7.2 h.)
On the 3rd pressure remained highest to the W and SW of the British Isles. Before dawn snow fell across N and E Scotland and there were a few falls further S. There was a widespread air frost overnight with mainly clear skies across much of England and Wales by dawn. The day was sunny across much of England and Wales, especially in S areas. During the morning there were falls of snow in N and E Scotland and in W Ireland, while later in the day snow was mainly confined to N Scotland. Reported snow depths included 5 cm at Altnaharra at 0000 GMT, 8 cm at Loch Glascarnoch (0900 GMT) and 9 cm at Dyce (1200 GMT). As temperatures rose during the day the showers in W areas of N England and Scotland turned to rain in many places. (Chivenor 8.2C, Lerwick -1.1C maximum, Benson -8.2C minimum, Ballypatrick Forest 12.8 mm, Manston 7.4 h.)
Into the 4th there were a few showers of snow in parts of N and E Scotland and in NW Ireland. There was a widespread inland air frost. The morning brought snowfalls to N Scotland and NW Ireland, while in the afternoon there were falls in Ireland, N Scotland, N Devon and S Wales; this snow area affected parts of Cent S England, the Midlands, and in the London area. The falls in the S were the result of a system of fronts pushing NE'wards from S Ireland and SW England - advancing rain turned to snow as it met the colder air to the N. It was a generally dull day away from N Scotland. Reported snow depths included (at 0000 GMT) 7 cm at Loch Glascarnoch and 8 cm at Dyce. Further S in the evening, depths included (at 2100 GMT) 1 cm at Hereford Credenhill, and Little Rissington, 2 cm at Larkhill and 3 cm at Odiham. (Isles of Scilly 13.2C, Fyvie Castle -3.4C maximum, Aboyne -8.6C minimum, Isles of Scilly 23.2 mm, Kinloss 5.5 h.)
Overnight into the 5th sleet and snow gradually pushed N'wards, turning to rain in Ireland and in S England and the Midlands. The snow reached S Scotland towards dawn. Drier and clearer in north Scotland but showers in the far north. During the day the band of sleet and snow continued to move NE, with significant accumulations over higher ground in N England hills. There were further showers in the S (mainly of rain) and in N Scotland (where they fell as snow). Manchester Airport and Liverpool's John Lennon Airport reopened runways after temporary closures this morning. Leeds Bradford Airport runway remained closed for longer. Thousands of premises were without power in the Republic of Ireland this morning. There were also several cuts in England and Wales. Railways were also experiencing problems - National Rail warned that routes on the Northern network, LNER and TransPennine Express were affected. Reported snow depths included (at 0000 GMT) 6 cm at Loch Glascarnoch and Dyce, (at 0300 GMT) 6 cm at Lake Vrynwy and 5 cm at Wattisham, (at 0600 GMT) 10 cm at Capel Curig, (at 0900 GMT) 6 cm at Albermarle and 9 cm at Leeming, (at 1200 GMT) 17 cm at Bingley and (at 1800 GMT) 11 cm at Shap Fell. Over S and SE England (and in adjacent areas) there were some significant rises in temperature as the warm air in the W pushed E'wards, with rises of 7 to 9 degC in an hour in places. (Merryfield 14.2C, Loch Glascarnoch -6.2C maximum, Loch Glascarnoch -11.1C minimum, Liscombe 43.8 mm, Stornoway 2.7 h.)
Into the 6th a band of rain, sleet and snow moved E'wards across the UK, with wintry showers across Scotland and N England. A low pressure system moved NE'wards across England before dawn and was located over The Wash at 0600 GMT (centre 968 mb), resulting in a strong N'ly flow developing in many areas. Much of Ireland and Scotland had an inland air frost, while across much of East Anglia and SE England the minimum temperatures recorded by 0600 GMT were above 10C. As the cold front separating these mild and cold air masses crossed S England during the early morning there were some sudden temperature falls of 6-8 degC in many places. SW Scotland and parts of W England, Wales and Ireland had some sunny intervals during the day. E areas of England and N Scotland had a dull day, with snow reported during the morning in many areas of Ireland, E and S Scotland, N England, N Wales and the Midlands. In the afternoon wintry conditions were mostly confined to Ireland, N and E Scotland, the Midlands and over higher ground in parts of Wales and SW England. Reported snow depths included (at 0000 GMT) 8 cm at Dyce, (at 0300 GMT) 11 cm at Shap Fell, (at 0600 GMT) 16 cm at Bingley and 8 cm at Lake Vrynwy, (at 1500 GMT) 5 cm at Connaught Airport and (at 1800 GMT) 9 cm at Loch Glascarnoch. Flooding caused delays on the railways across England, particularly in the Midlands and the SW, and in N Wales. The M5 was shut in Gloucestershire because of "extensive flooding", while a number of A-roads were also closed. Hundreds of schools were closed in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and NE Scotland due to ice and snowfall. Manchester Airport's runways were closed for a while due to heavy snow, while the Environment Agency issued more than 160 flood warnings across England. The cold and wet weather also affected Ireland, where tens of thousands of homes and businesses are without water and electricity. Irish water authority Uisce Eireann said that a similar number of people did not have access to water after heavy snow in the SW region. (Neatishead 11.4C, Achnagart -0.5C maximum, Loch Glascarnoch -13.3C minimum, Sheffield 33.2 mm, Dundrennan 5.3 h.)
Into the 7th it was largely dry and cold in a NW'ly airflow. Away from S and E England and S Ireland there was a widespread air frost and snow showers fell across parts of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Midlands, NW and SW England before dawn. During the morning there were further falls over Scotland, Ireland, Wales - and there were falls in Scotland, N England, the Midlands and Wales in the afternoon. Most areas away from N Scotland had spells of sunshine during the day. Flights were temporarily halted at airports in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Bristol and Manchester due to snow and frost and about 150 flood warnings remained in effect. Major incidents were declared in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire due to flooding and hundreds of schools closed in N England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Reported snow depths included (at 2100 GMT) 16 cm at Loch Glascarnoch, 14 cm at Bingley and 13 cm at Aviemore. (Isles of Scilly 8.7C, Leek 0.3C maximum, Drumnadrochit -5.5C minimum, Okehampton 13.0 mm, Wittering 5.7 h.)
Overnight into the 8th it was mostly dry with a widespread air frost, except in some coastal areas. There were snow showers before dawn in N Scotland and in parts of Wales. While a NW'ly flow affected most places during the day, giving some snow showers in parts of Ireland and N and W Scotland, further S a frontal system pushed NE'wards into S England. This brought warmer air from the S, causing snow to fall as it met the colder air over S England. In the afternoon there was some snowfall in SW England later in parts of S England and the Channel Islands. There were sunny spells across Scotland, but it was a rather dull day elsewhere. Recorded snow depths included 28 cm at Loch Glascarnoch at 1500 GMT. (Swanage 6.5C, Bainbridge -2.8C maximum, Shap -8.4C minimum, Isles of Scilly 16.6 mm, Leuchars 5.9 h.)
Into the 9th there were further snow showers before dawn in parts of N and E Scotland, NW England, N Ireland, N Wales and the Isle of Man associated with some troughs in a N'ly flow. Fronts associated with an area of low pressure over N France led to some falls of light snow in Surrey and adjacent counties before dawn; other areas further W had some light rain. There was a widespread air frost, except on the Northern Isles, around London and in places along the English Channel. The day was cold with snow showers in N Scotland, N England, Wales and Ireland - these persisted into the afternoon across N and E Scotland. Away from N Scotland most places had long spells of sunshine after any early showers. Recorded snow depths included 27 cm at Loch Glascarnoch (0600 GMT), 9 cm at Leek Thorncliffe (0600 GMT) and 3 cm at Liscombe and Dunkeswell (both at 0600 GMT). (Isles of Scilly 8.0C, Carlisle -2.2C maximum, Tulloch Bridge -12.4C minimum, Kirkwall 8.0 mm, Weybourne 7.1 h.)
Into the 10th it was a clear and cold night in many areas with a widespread air frost away from some areas of SW England, the Channel Islands and SW Ireland. Snow fell before dawn ibn W Ireland and N Scotland, with some sleet showers on the Channel Islands. Snow depths included 25 cm at Loch Glascarnoch at 0000 GMT and 10 cm at Shap Fell at 0600 GMT. During the day there was little snow in some coastal areas of Ireland as high pressure became centred over Cent Scotland (1024 mb at 1200 GMT). It was a cold day in most areas, although parts of SW England had temperatures closer to normal, and it was mild in SW Ireland with 11.3C at Sherkin Island. Much of N and E England, and Scotland, had a sunny day but frontal rain affected S Ireland and SW England in particular. (Isles of Scilly 9.7C, Altnaharra -10.8C maximum, Altnaharra -14.4C minimum, Isles of Scilly 8.0 mm, Tibenham Airfield 7.2 h.)
The 11th dawned after a cold night with a widespread air frost - although it remained frost-free across Ireland and in much of SW England, parts of SW Scotland and in the Channel Islands. -18.9C at Altnaharra was the UK's lowest January temperature for 15 years. There was some rain overnight in the frost-free areas, while the drier areas of England and Wales had widespread mist and fog by dawn. Snow depths at 0000 GMT included 23 cm at Loch Glascarnoch and 10 cm at Shap Fell. During the das the areas of mist and fog were slow to clear in S areas but there were sunny spells in E Scotland and in N and E areas of England. Much of E and Cent Scotland remained below freezing during the day while pressure remained high in the E of the UK; at 1800 GMT the high centre was close to London, 1034 mb. W areas of the British Isles had some frontal rain spreading E'wards during the day; in the afternoon there were some snow showers in N Scotland and Cumbria. (Isles of Scilly 11.3C, Altnaharra -8.0C maximum, Altnaharra -18.9C minimum, Port Ellen 12.0 mm, Shoeburyness 7.1 h.)
Much of Ireland and some W areas of Britain avoided an air frost into the 12th with some outbreaks of frontal rain here. Other areas of England and Wales had mist or fog by dawn although it was clearer in E Scotland. The milder air in the W pushed E'wards during the day with 10-12C being widely recorded across S and Cent Ireland. Pressure remained high towards the SE - widely 1040-1041 mb over East Anglia and SE England at 1800 GMT. Snow depths included (at 0000 GMT) 20 cm at Loch Glascarnoch, 15 cm at Altnaharra and 11 cm at Aviemore. During the day there was a tendency for any lying snow to slowly melt due to warming conditions spreading from the W. There were variable cloud amounts across the British Isles during the day with the best of the sunshine being mainly, but not exclusively, in East Anglia. Further W the advancing milder air brought some spots of light rain in places. (Isles of Scilly 11.7C, Fylingdales 0.9C maximum, Kinbrace -13.9C minimum, Kinbrace 27.2 mm, Bude 6.8 h.)
Overnight into the 13th it was largely dry and frost-free, apart for some light showers in parts of W Scotland, N Ireland and NW England, and some air frost in parts of the Midlands and SE England. As the anticyclone slipped away into N Europe, outbreaks of frontal rain moved SE'wards across Scotland and Ireland, and into N Wales and N England by the evening. It was rather dull away from East Anglia and the Channel Islands once cloud had spread across England from the W. During the day, any lying snow tended to melt partially due to the mild conditions in the W; depths at 0000 GMT included 9 cm at Loch Glascarnoch, 8 cm at Altnaharra, 7 cm at Shap Fell and 6 cm at Lake Vrynwy and Dyce. (Achnagart 13.9C, Leek 3.5C maximum, South Newington -3.2C minimum, Tyndrum 26.4 mm, Tibenham Airfield 5.2 h.)
Across Ireland and W parts of Britain it was frost-free into the 14th - there were spells of patchy rain here but it was generally dry elsewhere. The rain tended to fade away during the day, while the high pressure area form ed a secondary centre, around 1037 mb, close to the Channel Islands in the afternoon. Away from East Anglia, daytime temperatures widely reached 10C and above. Consequently, any remaining snow at low levels melted during the day; at 0000 GMT depths were 2 cm at Shap Fell and Warcop Range. (Cassley 15.0C, Nantyglo 8.1C maximum, Frittenden -2.0C minimum, Morecambe 17.8 mm, Ross-on-Wye 5.2 h.)
High pressure centred over NW France determined the weather on the 15th. Overnight it was frost-free, away from parts of N Yorkshire, in the mild S'ly flow. Low cloud, mist and fog led to some spots of rainfall in places before dawn. The fog was slow to clear in places, but the day was mainly dry - with the best of the sunshine being across Wales, Ireland, N England and S Scotland. Much of S and Cent England had a dull day, while some frontal rain affected N Scotland later in the day. (Aboyne 15.7C, Yeovilton 7.2C maximum, Topcliffe -1.9C minimum, Baltasound 2.8 mm, Liscombe 7.9 h.)
There was little change into the 16th. Pressure remained high towards the SE, but clearer skies led top a slight air frost in places from Dorset, through the Midlands and E Wales to parts of N England. Many parts of E, Cent and S England had thick fog by dawn which was, again, slow to clear in places. The sunniest areas were in N Wales, NE England, SE Scotland and in E Ireland with a weak front approaching Kent from the SE led to a cloudy day in many SE areas of England. (Bala 13.5C, Hereford 3.6C maximum, Shawbury -4.6C minimum, Harris Quidnish 3.0 mm, Lake Vyrnwy 7.6 h.)
Pressure remained high over Ireland, Wales and England on the 17th, while frontal systems affected N areas of the UK. Overnight there was low cloud for most of England and Wales. Ireland and Scotland were also rather cloudy. Many parts of England and Wales had patchy mist by dawn. Frontal rain affected NW Scotland during the day - and it was a mild day across much of Ireland and Scotland following a mild night here. It was a mostly dull day, with the best of any sunshine being in parts of S Wales and Cent Ireland. (Tain Range 14.4C, Kenley 4.0C maximum, Shobdon -2.2C minimum, Harris Quidnish 7.8 mm, St Athan 5.5 h.)
The 18th was a cold day over England, Wales and S Scotland - but milder across N Scotland and Ireland. It was cloudy and misty across England and Wales, while there was some light rain over N Scotland. It was a sunny day across areas of Cent Ireland and on mainland areas of N Scotland. (Derrylin Cornahoule 11.3C, Leek 0.3C maximum, Hawarden -2.0C minimum, Baltasound 3.6 mm, Boulmer 6.5 h.)
A light S'ly flow overnight into the 19th led to an air frost in E and Cent areas of England and Scotland, with widespread mist and fog forming by dawn across England, Wales and SE Scotland. It was generally dry overnight, but during the day frontal rain and some showers spread E'wards, to affect W Ireland in particular, but also areas of NW Scotland. With little sunshine except across N Scotland, it was a cool day in much of Britain away from some W coastal areas; in a few places temperatures failed to rise above 0C.It was a milder day across Ireland with rain in some E areas of Ireland by late evening. (Isles of Scilly 12.1C, Pateley Bridge Ravens Nest -0.9C maximum, Aboyne -6.9C minimum, South Uist 1.2 mm, Kinloss 6.6 h.)
Patchy, light rain spread E'wards into SW Scotland, NW England, W Wales and SW England by dawn on the 20th. Further E it was another misty night with an air frost in places. It was another cloudy and cold day for most areas with some light rain across Ireland, W Scotland, N England, N Wales and SW England. There were spells of sunshine in parts of SW England and the Channel Islands, and also in some areas of NE Scotland. (Stormont Castle 11.6C, Fyvie Castle 2.7C maximum, Aboyne -6.8C minimum, Preston Moor Park 5.0 mm, Camborne 5.4 h.)
Low pressure to the NW of Scotland on the 21st brought some frontal rain and showers, overnight and during the day, to Ireland, N England, N Wales and areas of W Scotland. Overnight, some clear breaks in the cloud led to an air frost in Cent and SE England and in E Scotland - although the breaks also led to widespread mist and fog over England and Wales. The day was mainly dull away from Ireland, SW England and parts of Scotland. (Isles of Scilly 9.7C, Goudhurst 2.8C maximum, Fyvie Castle -4.6C minimum, Valley 30.0 mm, Magilligan 6.0 h.)
Into the 22nd it was mostly cloudy in England and Wales with a few spells of rain in places - particularly in the S and on the Channel Islands, with rain here pushed NE'wards by dawn. There were also falls of rain in parts of Scotland and NW England, and quite widely across Ireland. Air frost was largely confined to E and Cent Scotland, where skies cleared for a while. The early cloud and patchy light rain in S England soon became confined to the E. Elsewhere, it was mainly dry with any fog soon lifting and bright spells developing in places, but Ireland was affected by a weak, slow-moving front and a few showers affected parts of W Scotland. (Isles of Scilly 10.3C, Fyvie Castle 1.4C maximum, Fyvie Castle -6.5C minimum, Port Ellen 7.2 mm, Lerwick 4.4 h.)
Frontal rainbands affected most areas during the 23rd. E Scotland, the Midlands and Cent S England had an overnight air frost, ahead of rain that mainly affected Ireland, SW Scotland, and W areas of England and Wales by dawn. Spells of rain, heavy in places, soon became widespread - leading not a rather dull day in many areas. Storm Eowyn moved towards SW Ireland in the evening, leading to increasingly windy conditions across Ireland, with the air pressure falling to 969.1 mb at Valentia by 2300 GMT. Reports from Quintrell Downs near Newquay in Cornwall, mention a possible tornado striking the area between 0930 and 0945 GMT, damaging homes and cars. (Isles of Scilly 11.1C, Balmoral 2.6C maximum, Aboyne -6.4C minimum, Capel Curig 16.6 mm, Kinloss 3.8 h.)
On the 24th the centre of storm Eowyn moved from the W of Ireland (941 mb at 0000 GMT) to NW Ireland (941 mb at 0600 GMT), N Scotland (947 mb at 1800 GMT) and then to Shetland (949 mb at 1800 GMT). It was very windy to the S of the centre with gusts in excess of 80 mph in many places. Frontal rain had moved E'wards and cleared most areas by midday, the exception to this being N and W areas of Scotland where the rain was slow to clear. Showery conditions followed the rain, mainly in W areas of the British Isles. It was a mild day in most areas; the windiest conditions were across Ireland and Scotland, Wales and N England. Places from Cent Ireland, to Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia had sunny spells during the day. Storm Eowyn was "probably the strongest storm" to hit the UK in at least 10 years, the Met Office said. At the storm's height, nearly a million properties were without power across the British Isles and many road and rail links were blocked. A man was killed by a tree fall in Ireland as winds reached a record 114 mph on the Galway coast. Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland suffered widespread property damage and Network Rail Scotland logged nearly 400 damage incidents. In Ireland about 138,000 people were without water. In Northern Ireland 60 schools had reported "significant damage to some buildings"; all schools were closed there during the day. There was widespread damage caused by falling trees in Ireland and Scotland, and in other parts of Wales and N England. Falling trees led to train cancellations in Wales. Trains did not run N of York or Preston for most of the day. As the storm passed away NE'wards, some of the showers to the S of the centre turned to sleet or snow in places, particularly in parts of W Ireland and W Scotland. (Heathrow 11.6C, Salsburgh 4.8C maximum, Aboyne -2.9C minimum, Achnagart 63.6 mm, Coventry 6.2 h.)
Into the 25th it remained very windy with some damaging gusts with wintry showers across W and Cent Scotland and N Ireland. S and Cent areas of England and Wales had some frontal rain that cleared away E'wards, while there were further showers across many areas of Ireland. As pressure rose over N Scotland the winds here eased during the day. Further snow showers fell at times in these areas (and in W Cumbria) during the day. At 1200 GMT reported snow depths included 3 cm at Lough Fea and 2 cm at Ballypatrick Forest. Much of England and Wales had a dry day with long sunny spells, but further frontal cloud and rain spread in from the W during the day, with the rain affecting Ireland and, later, W Wales. (Isles of Scilly 10.4C, Salsburgh 1.9C maximum, Benson -3.0C minimum, Kinlochewe 31.4 mm, Leconfield 7.7 h.)
A shallow depression (centre 982 mb) to the N of Scotland overnight into the 26th brought frontal rain to parts of Ireland and W areas of Britain, with some hill snow across Scotland. Many inland areas away from the rain had a slight air frost, but by dawn a deep area of low pressure (storm Herminia) to the SW of Ireland was starting to bring windy conditions and rainfall to S Ireland and Cornwall. During the day, and into the evening, these wet conditions spread NE'wards across all areas, with heavy falls in places. The high winds brought power cuts across SW England; Berry Head in Devon recorded gusts to 83 mph. By late afternoon more than 4,500 properties were without power in Devon and Cornwall. National Rail said flooding between Par and Newquay blocked the line and trains running between the two stations were cancelled. Floods affected areas of S Somerset, including Ilminster, Chard and South Petherton. The rain was preceded by snow in parts of Ireland, Wales, Cumbria and Scotland. Thundery showers followed the main rain area and sferics were reported in S Ireland, W Wales and SW England. The rain brought milder air in its wake, but it was a rather cloudy day in most areas. (Isles of Scilly 11.9C, Salsburgh 1.7C maximum, Santon Downham -3.9C minimum, Okehampton 35.8 mm, Kirkwall 2.2 h.)
At 0000 GMT on the 27th MSL pressure was 960.2 mb at Belmullet as storm Herminia remained rather slow-moving; it gradually moved E'wards, the centre (962 mb) being over SW Ireland by 1800 GMT. Spells of rain and showers continued to affect the British Isles overnight - particularly Wales and SW England. High ground in Wales and N Scotland saw some snow showers overnight; at low levels air frost was confined to N Scotland. The day was windy and unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain; the rain was heavy in parts of Wales, W England and SW Scotland and there were some wintry falls over Scottish mountains. Many places had sunny intervals, especially in parts of NE England and East Anglia. (Isles of Scilly 10.9C, Braemar 3.5C maximum, Loch Glascarnoch -2.1C, Libanus 34.6 mm, Waddington 5.9 h.)
During the 28th storm Herminia moved from SE Ireland to the North Sea, being just offshore from Norfolk by 1800 GMT (centre 983 mb). Rain and showers overnight were mostly confined to Ireland, Wales and England; Scotland had a few showers and an air frost under clearer skies in some N areas. Showers accompanied the depression in the S half of the British Isles as it moved away E'wards. S Scotland and Ireland saw the best of any sunny spells and rising pressure was accompanied by a brisk NW'ly flow in S areas. (Usk No.2 11.5C, Loch Glascarnoch 4.6C maximum, Tulloch Bridge -1.0C minimum, Whitechurch 25.2 mm, Dundrennan 4.2 h.)
Pressure rose at first on the 29th then dipped a little in S areas as another low pressure system moved into the Bay of Biscay. Overnight it was largely dry, although there were a few showers across Scotland with some snow here on high ground. Winds eased overnight, and skies cleared a little by dawn across many areas of England - away from the SW. During the day there were a few scattered showers over N Scotland as the remnants of the centre of storm Herminia moved N'wards across the North Sea to Shetland by midday. It was a sunny day for much of Ireland, S Scotland and N and Cent areas of England and Wales. The Channel Islands and some coastal areas of Cent S England had rain moving in from the S by late afternoon; Guernsey Airport reported 30 mm of rain in the 12 hours ending 1800 GMT. During the evening the rain area in the S pushed E'wards, affected Sussex and Kent by midnight. (Santon Downham 9.6C, Okehampton 4.0C maximum, Katesbridge -1.2C minimum, St Catherines Point 15.0 mm, Dundrennan 7.8 h.)
Overnight into the 30th the rain in the SE of England gradually cleared away SE'wards. There were a few showers across N Scotland before dawn, these falling as snow in parts of N Scotland. Away from the rain and showers there was an overnight air frost in many inland areas of Scotland, Ireland and in Cent and N England. Under a ridge of hight pressure the day was mainly dry with long sunny spells across the S half of Scotland, and in E Ireland and in much of England and Wales. There were some showers in the Northern Isles and N Scotland, and also in areas of N Ireland. In the evening rain spread E'wards across Ireland, preceded by light snow showers in parts of Northern Ireland. (Cardiff Bute Park 10.5C, Aviemore 3.2C maximum, Katesbridge -5.4C minimum, Ballypatrick Forest 9.0 mm, Weybourne 8.0 h.)
Overnight into the 31st a band of frontal rain moved E'wards, giving rain from Cent Scotland S'wards. Falls were heavy in places for a while, particularly across Wales. Ahead of the cloud and rain there was a light air frost in Cent and E Scotland, and in E England. Skies cleared later across Ireland as the rain passed and pressure began to rise. During late morning and early afternoon the rain cleared away E'wards from East Anglia and SE England., while in the evening a warm front brought some rain from the W into W Ireland. Away from E England most places had a dry day but much of E and N England remained cloudy; elsewhere, many places had long spells of sunshine. It was a mild day across SW England, S Wales and over much of Ireland. (Cardiff Bute Park 11.4C, Fylingdales 3.6C maximum, Aboyne -6.2C minimum, Porthmadog 16.6 mm, Liscombe 7.5 h.)
Overnight into the 1st there were a few light showers across Ireland as fronts spread E'wards into W areas of the British Isles by dawn. Further E it was rather cloudy in most areas, although there was some air frost over N Wales and in areas of Scotland. The day was rather cloudy in most areas, although N and Cent Wales and parts of NW England were notable exceptions. The frontal rain fell mainly in W areas and heavier rain spread into W Ireland later in the evening. It was relatively mild in W Ireland and NW Scotland. (Aultbea 12.5C, Fylingdales 3.7C maximum, Aboyne -5.1C minimum, South Uist 2.6 mm, Morecambe 7.0 h.)
Overnight into the 2nd fronts gave widespread rain across Ireland and, to a lesser extent, across the extreme W of Scotland. 29 mm of rain fell at Valentia in the 12 hours ending 0600 GMT. Parts of E England, notably East Anglia and E Kent, had an air frost - with widespread mist by dawn in these areas also. There was some patchy rain across Ireland, Scotland and in W areas of England and Wales in the morning, with clearer skies and some sunshine further E in England. The rain tended to weaken during the afternoon and much of E and Cent England, and W Ireland behind the clearing rain, had long spells of sunshine. Later in the evening further frontal rain spread into extreme W areas of Ireland and Hebrides. (Culdrose 11.2C, Fylingdales 4.3C maximum, East Malling -4.2C minimum, Harris Quidnish 18.0 mm, Manston 8.7 h.)
A SW'ly flow on the 3rd was associated with a deep depression in the vicinity of Iceland, and this drew fronts across the British Isles. Overnight the rain was mainly confined to NW Scotland, with lesser falls in adjacent areas that spread as far E as SW England, Wales and NW England. Cent S and SE England and East Anglia had an air frost with rather misty conditions here also. During the day Ireland, N and W Scotland had further spells of rain. It was a cloudy day in many areas, with parts of NE England, Wales and SW England seeing the best of any sunshine. Temperatures reached 12C and about in parts of Ireland and NW Scotland. (Altnaharra 13.0C, Cavendish 6.8C maximum, Charlwood -4.5C minimum, Harris Quidnish 37.8 mm, Leconfield 6.8 h.)
An E'ward-moving cold front spread rain across Ireland, Scotland and NW England into the 4th. During the day the rain spread SE'wards, weakening as it moved across England, while showers followed the front across Scotland and Ireland. It was a mainly cloudy day in all areas, except across Ireland. A brisk W'ly flow followed the front, and sferics were reported in the afternoon in some parts of Ireland, W Scotland and Cumbria. (Pershore College 12.1C, Stornoway 7.0C maximum, Cavendish 0.7C minimum, Tyndrum 46.6 mm, Thomastown 3.8 h.)
On the 5th pressure rose rapidly from the SW, with an anticyclone pushing NE'wards during the day to be centred (1042 mb) to the S of Anglesey at 1800 GMT. Ireland and Scotland had some overnight showers (wintry on some higher ground) and there was some patchy air frost in E Scotland and in parts of Cent S England. The day was mainly dry although some showers affected N and W Scotland and N Ireland. Away from SW England, many places had a sunny day. (Swanage 11.6C, Braemar 4.9C maximum, Aboyne -2.2C minimum, Tyndrum 8.6 mm, Dundrennan 7.7 h.)
High pressure (centre over S Yorkshire, 1046 mb) led to a mainly dry day on the 6th. Much of England (away from extreme SW areas), Wales and N and Cent Ireland had an air frost overnight - with mist and fog forming in many of these areas by dawn. N and W Scotland were rather cloudy with a few light showers before dawn. During the day the mist and fog slowly lifted and a mostly dry day followed - with long spells of sunshine from s Scotland S'wards. It was a relatively mild day in parts of N Scotland. As the anticyclone centre moved into Scandinavia a brisk SW'ly flow developed over N Scotland. (Resallach 11.1C, Charterhall 3.3C maximum, Topcliffe -7.2C minimum, Achnagart 1.2 mm, Liscombe 8.9 h.)
The 7th dawned after a generally mild night - except for some showers later over the Channel Islands. There was an air frost in N and Cent Ireland, N England and Scotland (away from coastal areas) under mainly clear skies, but further S the night morning turned generally cloudy. The day was rather cloudy across most of England and Wales (Cornwall excepted), with some showers in Cent S England, the S Midlands an East Anglia. These turned wintry over parts of Cent S England and the S Midlands. Elsewhere it was mostly dry - and also quite sunny in W Scotland. (Aultbea 10.7C, Nantyglo 1.4C maximum, Braemar -8.6C minimum, Kew Gardens 7.6 mm, Loch Glascarnoch 7.9 h.)
Low pressure centred over the English Channel by dawn on the 8th brought cloudy skies with some rain overnight to the Midlands, East Anglia and to Cent S and SE England. It was misty in places across England and Wales by dawn; while much of the British Isles away from the SE was dry, there were a few showers over NE England. A rather cloudy day followed, although there were sunny spells in N, Cent and W Scotland. E areas of England continued to have falls of rain or showers during the day, and these also affected parts of NW England. A mainly E'ly flow led to a cool day in all areas. (Isles of Scilly 8.0C, Lentran -0.1C maximum, Aviemore -7.4C minimum, Craibstone No.2 4.8 mm, Loch Glascarnoch 7.6 h.)
Into the 9th it was mainly cloudy across E and S Scotland, N and E England and Wales - where there was some light rain or showers at times. W and Cent Scotland and places to the NW of London were clearer, with an air frost. It was a sunny day across W Scotland, and SW England also saw some sunny spells. There was some light rain in E areas of England and Scotland - with some snow flurries over high ground in parts of Cent Scotland. Loch Glascarnoch reported 2 cm of lying snow at 0900 GMT. (Santon Downham 8.9C, Lentran -0.5C maximum, Kinbrace -8.6C minimum, Frittenden 7.4 mm, Loch Glascarnoch 7.7 h.)
Overnight into the 10th rain affected S areas of England and Wales, with some wintry falls over high ground in SW England. There were some showery outbreaks in NE England and E Scotland, despite prevailing high pressure, due to an E'ly surface flow off the North Sea; some of these spread into Cumbria where there was some snowfall. Elsewhere the night was mostly dry - and there was air frost over N Scotland. Pressure remained high in N areas during the day; MSL pressure was 1044 mb at Lerwick at 0900 GMT. The day was generally cloudy in all areas, with scattered showers across England, Wales and E Scotland - with some wintry falls over northern hills. The best of any sunshine was in Northern Ireland and W Scotland. It was a generally cool day. (Kirkwall 7.2C, Nantyglo 1.5C maximum, Altnaharra -7.6C minimum, Liscombe 18.4 mm, Stornoway 6.4 h.)
Low pressure to over the North Sea on the 11th, combined with an anticyclonic E'ly flow across much of the British Isles, led to a day of showers across much of the E half of the UK. There were also showers across Ireland. It was a cool day in all areas, especially over East Anglia and SE England - after a night with some air frost over high ground in Scotland and SW England. It was a generally sunless day, except in the Channel Islands and in parts of N and NW Scotland. (Isles of Scilly 8.7C, Okehampton 1.5C maximum, Cardinham -1.3C minimum, Chillingham Barns 7.8 mm, Lerwick 4.4 h.)
Mainly cloudy conditions continued overnight into the 12th. There was some mist overnight over England and Wales, and some light rain or showers in places from East Anglia to S Scotland (and across Ireland) - which were wintry over some hills in Scotland. The day was, again, rather cloudy with some light showers over Ireland and N and E areas of England. It was a cool day, with daytime temperatures below 5C in some areas of E England. (Isles of Scilly 9.7C, Liscombe 2.2C maximum, Trawsgoed -0.3C minimum, Redesdale Camp 3.4 mm, Stornoway 6.6 h.)
Weak frontal systems continued to affect S and Cent areas of Ireland, Wales and England on the 13th. It was a cloudy night here with some rain and drizzle - mainly over Ireland. There were breaks in the cloud across N and Cent Scotland, where there was an air frost. During the day it was mainly cloudy but dry, an exception being SW Ireland where another frontal system pushed in from the SW in the evening. Showers blowing into NE England from the E fell as light snow in some places, while the clearest skies were across Scotland where it was a sunny day. S Scotland and W Wales also had some sunny intervals on what was a cold day in most areas. By mid-evening the frontal rain in the SW had also spread into SW England. (Isles of Scilly 9.3C, Lake Vyrnwy 0.6C maximum, Aviemore -8.0C minimum, Isles of Scilly 4.6 mm, Stornoway 7.2 h.)
By dawn on the 14th the frontal rain in the SW had spread to the Channel Islands, S Wales and parts of N Ireland. Milder air followed the rain - the minimum temperature overnight at Valentia was 8.8C. Ahead of the rain it was rather cloudy, exceptions being parts of N Scotland, SW Scotland and NE England. During the day bands of rain spread slowly NE'wards, reaching SW Scotland, NW England, the West Midlands and Cent S England by early evening. Temperatures rose above 10C as the rain passed; the best of any sunshine was to be found across Scotland and East Anglia, and in parts of NW England. It also brightened up in SW Ireland as the rain cleared. AS the rain ran into colder air, some wintry showers fell across NW Ireland and in NE England. (Isles of Scilly 13.2C, Lake Vyrnwy 0.7C maximum, Aviemore -9.6C minimum, Culdrose 21.8 mm, Kinloss 7.9 h.)
The 15th dawned with rain across SW England, the Midlands and Wales; further N there were some wintry showers overnight across high ground in Scotland and N England. There was some light rain by dawn in S Scotland, and much of England and Wales had patches of mist by dawn. Away from the coasts, there was an air frost in N, E and S Scotland and in parts of NE England and Norfolk. Much of England and Wales had rainfall during the day, this turning wintry in parts of East Anglia. Further north it was cloudy with showers and hill snow, mainly in E Scotland. Brightening in the south-west later. It turned sunny later in Cornwall and the Channel Islands, and it was also sunny in N Scotland; however, elsewhere it was a rather dull day. The warmest conditions were to be found in S areas of Cornwall and in SW Ireland - Valentia reported a maximum temperature of 13C. (Isles of Scilly 11.7C, Pateley Bridge Ravens Nest 1.4C maximum, Altnaharra -6.6C minimum, Isles of Scilly 15.8 mm, Stornoway 5.3 h.)
High pressure over Scandinavia on the 16th continued to draw a cool SE'ly flow across much of the British Isles. Overnight there were spells of rain over E Scotland and East Anglia as a result of this flow, while further W there was some more widespread, frontal rain over Ireland with some light showers in Wales. The overnight minimum temperatures across, the warmer, Ireland was 10.0C at Valentia - while some hill snow fell in N areas of Britain overnight. The day was mostly cloudy and misty, with further light showers of rain over areas of E Scotland and E England. Frontal rain continued to affect Ireland with further snow over high ground in Scotland. During the evening some snowfall occurred on Shetland. (Isles of Scilly 9.9C, Nantyglo 1.1C maximum, Aviemore -2.9C minimum, Aboyne 6.8 mm, Stornoway 5.0 h.)
Away from Ireland and W Scotland, the 17th was a mainly dry day, although there were a few light showers later in S and E areas of Scotland, and also over parts of N England. Over high ground these were wintry - and they also turned wintry in a few areas of N England - falling from the end of weak fronts that pushed NE'wards across Scotland during the day. A more active frontal system led to some heavy rain in W Ireland during the day - 14 mm of rain fell at Valentia in the 6 hours ending 1800 GMT. Under clearer skies there was an overnight air frost in SE Scotland, the Midlands and East Anglia - and in some parts of N England. With frontal systems in N and W areas, many parts of the British Isles had a rather cloudy day, although areas of East Anglia and SE England were notable exceptions to this. (Isles of Scilly 10.8C, Lake Vyrnwy 0.9C maximum, Woburn -5.9C minimum, Derrylin Cornahoule 5.2 mm, Brize Norton 9.0 h.)
Overnight into the 18th fronts brought rain and rising temperatures to Ireland, and a mix of rain, sleet and hill snow to Scotland and to high ground in some N areas of England. Clearer skies across England led to a widespread inland air frost away from SW England. During the day there were further spells of rain in Scotland for a time, bringing some hill snow there. There was also further light rain across Ireland at times, while England and Wales had a mainly dry day with sunny spells, although there was little sunshine in the cloudier N and W areas. (Mona 11.2C, Fylingdales 2.0C maximum, Woburn -4.2C minimum, Craibstone No.2 11.4 mm, Manston 8.5 h.)
Overnight into the 19th a cold front pushed NE'wards, brining rain into SW England, SW Wales and across much of Ireland by dawn. Cloudy skies in these areas meant that overnight air frost was mainly confined to areas of Cent and NE England - with much of England and S Scotland having misty conditions by dawn. The day was generally cloudy as this rain area moved NE'wards, weakening as it did so. Further bands of rain, heavy in places, spread across Ireland and into SW Scotland, Wales and W England during the afternoon and evening. Most areas of Ireland, Wales and SW England reached 10C by late evening (Chivenor 14.5C, Pateley Bridge Ravens Nest 2.8C maximum, Chertsey Abbey Mead -2.0C minimum, Murlough 20.0 mm, Bude 2.9 h.)
Low pressure centres over the Atlantic on the 20th led to a windy day - particularly in W areas of the British Isles. At Stornoway the MSL pressure fell to about 987 mb at 1200 GMT. Spells of frontal rain spread E'wards before dawn across all areas, with some heavy falls over SW Scotland, NW England and N Wales. Showers followed the main rain areas during the day and these were thundery in many areas of Ireland during the morning, and also across parts of S Wales and S England before midday. The thundery showers across Ireland spread into S and W areas of Scotland in the afternoon and there were some heavy falls of rain in parts of W Ireland, NW England and N Wales during the day. It was a mild day with temperatures reaching 10-15C in most lowland locations - although rather cloudy in most places outside of Ireland. (Kinloss 16.4C, Lerwick 8.6C maximum, Brizlee Wood 1.9C minimum, Eskdalemuir 31.0 mm, Aberdaron 4.0 h.)
During the morning of the 21st a warm sector spread N'wards from S England to the Northern Isles, followed by a cold front that cleared much of Ireland by midday - and then all by East Anglia and SE England by midnight. The result was a day with outbreaks of rain in most areas - and also showers later - in rather windy conditions. All areas had mild conditions although it turned a little cooler as the cold front passed; the cold front also brought the sunniest conditions as skies cleared a little over Ireland, although there was some sunshine in the morning over East Anglia. Ferry and flight passengers faced travel disruption around Ireland during the morning due to the high winds; sailings from Belfast and Larne with Stena Line and P&0 Ferries, and Strangford Lough ferry services, were cancelled on for the morning and a number of flights from Belfast City Airport were also delayed. (Hull East Park 17.0C, Lerwick 9.1C maximum, Resallach 4.0C minimum, Tyndrum 67.6 mm, Kinloss 2.5 h.)
The frontal rain cleared SE England and East Anglia by midday on the 22nd, while Ireland and W Scotland saw continuing showers overnight which were heavy in parts of NW Scotland. Elsewhere, there were some clear spells overnight that led to some mist forming by dawn. These cleared and gave way to good spells of sunshine across S Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England (once early rain had cleared from here). The winds eased overnight and during the day any precipitation in W areas was in the form of showers - mainly over Ireland and W Scotland. (Nantwich 15.0C, Tulloch Bridge 7.8C maximum, Shobdon 1.7C minimum, Achnagart 12.4 mm, Dundrennan 9.0 h.)
During the 23rd a complex area of low pressure to the S of Iceland brought windy conditions and spells of frontal rain to Ireland and W Scotland overnight - and then to all areas of the British during the day. The increasing S'ly winds in the W overnight were accompanied by sharply falling pressure values - pressure continued to fall during the day with South Uist Range reporting MSL pressure down to 983.5 mb by 1800 GMT. The rainfall was heavy over W areas of the British Isles during the day and it was a cloudy day in most areas; East Anglia had some early sunshine and there were sunny intervals over Ireland later in the day. The SW'ly flow led to a widely mild day with 13-14C reported in places. The heavy rain caused flooding and disruption across parts of Wales. Wind gusts of more than 70 mph were also recorded in parts of Wales and Scotland, adding to the impact on travel. Flooding blocked railway lines between Penrhiwceiber and Aberdare in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and also at Fernhill; it also prevented train services between Aberdare and Pontypridd. In the evening several thousand sandbags were distributed to key flood risk areas across the Rhondda Cynon Taf, while dozens of crews and heavy machinery were put on standby. (Lossiemouth 14.1C, Inverbervie 7.8C maximum, Fyvie Castle 0.1C minimum, Libanus 49.4 mm, Wattisham 2.7 h.)
Into the 24th a band of rain, heavy in places, continued to push away SE'wards over England and Wales. It was drier with clear spells over parts of Scotland, but there were showers across N and W Scotland - and across Ireland. The rain cleared SE areas of England during the morning, followed by sunny spells and warm conditions. There were further blustery showers across Scotland, Wales and Ireland in a brisk SW'ly airflow here. (Kew Gardens 15.5C, Tulloch Bridge 6.9C maximum, Killylane 4.2C minimum, Thorney Island 22.2 mm, Kinloss 8.5 h.)
A shallow area of low pressure over France drew an area of frontal rain SE'wards across S England before dawn on the 25th; this cleared Kent during the afternoon. Elsewhere there were variable amounts of cloud overnight, with some showers over W Scotland, Ireland, Wales and W areas of England in the prevailing W'ly flow. Some of the showers in N Scotland turned to snow at times. During the day showers continued across Ireland and N and W Scotland in a brisk W'ly airflow. The sunniest areas were across England and Wales, and in E and S Ireland away from the showers. (Swanage 13.0C, Spadeadam 5.7C maximum, Topcliffe -0.9C minimum, Achnagart 16.0 mm, Aberdaron 9.6 h.)
Fronts associated with a shallow depression over Ireland on the 26th (centre 1003 mb near Malin Head at 1200 GMT) led to rain across Ireland overnight, and by dawn this had spread into W England and Wales; there were some wintry falls before dawn in Cumbria and Northern Ireland. There were a few showers in W Scotland and NW England overnight, but clearer skies in E areas of Britain led to an air frost in places here. During the day the rain areas moved away E'wards, eventually clearing E Britain, followed by showers in most areas. These were heavy in places, and fell as hail in some areas and were thundery, close to Hull and to the SW of London, during the afternoon. By 1800 GMT the depression had moved to Northumberland (centre 1006 mb). The sunniest areas were to be found in N Scotland, SW England, Wales, the Channel Islands and S Ireland. (Nantwich 11.4C, Salsburgh 5.3C maximum, Aboyne -5.0C minimum, Liscombe 16.0 mm, Kirkwall 9.0 h.)
As the 27th progressed high pressure built from the west. Overnight there was a widespread inland air frost in Scotland, and also in some parts of inland Ireland. England and Wales, especially close to the E coast of England, had some overnight showers due to a weakening frontal system but, by dawn, away from these E coast areas any overnight cloud had largely cleared. The day was largely dry once the frontal showers had cleared away from the E, but there were a few showers in W and NW Scotland. Away from East Anglia and N Scotland most areas had long periods of sunshine with little cloud in many places and it felt quite warm as a result over the S half of Ireland, Wales and England. (Cardiff Bute Park 12.3C, Fylingdales 6.1C maximum, Braemar -5.5C minimum, Achnagart 7.2 mm, Morecambe 9.9 h.)
By dawn on the 28th anticyclone (centre 1029 mb) was located over SE Wales. As a result, the night was largely dry with light winds, allowing fog to form in many areas of England and Wales in particular - but with largely clear skies in most other areas. There was a widespread inland air frost across all areas of the British Isles. The mist and fog were slow to clear in some areas - notably in some areas of the Midlands. Away from NW Scotland, where there were a few showers, it was a generally dry day. Most areas also had a very sunny day, although areas of NW and SW Scotland were exceptions to this. (Plymouth 12.7C, Eskdalemuir 5.8C maximum, Aboyne -6.0C minimum, Dunstaffnage 2.0 mm, St Athan 10.2 h.)
The 1st dawned with high pressure centred over S Wales (centre 1034 mb) and with a cold front bringing rain SE'wards across N and W Scotland and W Ireland. Elsewhere there was little cloud, and widespread patches of mist or fog. The mist and fog soon cleared and a sunny day followed across most of England and Wales. The cloud and patchy rain spread SE'wards during the day - weakening rapidly as it did so with much of E and S Scotland staying quite dry as a result. There were showers and sunny intervals in W Scotland and W Ireland as the frontal cloud cleared from here. (Usk No.2 12.2C, Salsburgh 6.3C maximum, Marham -5.6C minimum, Achnagart 12.2 mm, Lyneham 10.0 h.)
Pressure remained high over the S half of the British Isles in the 2nd. Overnight there was some cloud and very patchy rain in W areas of Ireland and Scotland and also in NW England. Elsewhere, skies were mainly clear over England, Wales and E Scotland and there was widespread mist and some fog patches by dawn over England. The mist and fog soon cleared and, south of a line Cardigan-Hull and also in E Scotland, it was quite a sunny day. N England, W and N Scotland and Ireland had a cloudy day due to a lingering weak front, but there was little rain - except across NW Scotland in the evening as another cold front pushed E'wards here. (Fyvie Castle 14.4C, Shap 6.9C maximum, Benson -6.1C minimum, Kinlochewe 6.2 mm, Tibenham Airfield 10.5 h.)
On the 3rd pressure remained high over S England and Wales (centre 1031 mb over SE Wales at 0600 GMT). A weak front over S Scotland and N Ireland by dawn marked the boundary between cloudy skies to the N and mainly clear skies to the S. There was a little rainfall across W areas of Ireland and Scotland overnight; some mist formed over England and Wales before dawn, with fog in East Anglia and adjacent counties. The front became slow-moving during the day and rain (mainly light) was confined to parts of N Ireland, Cumbria and SW Scotland. Wales, S and Cent England had a sunny day once early mist and fog had cleared, and there were some sunny intervals over Scotland - away from W areas. (Kew Gardens 13.9C, Blencathra 7.7C maximum, Benson -6.8C minimum, Blencathra 8.4 mm, Liscombe 10.5 h.)
On the 4th pressure fell slightly across the British Isles as some fronts pushed SE'wards across Scotland and into W Ireland. They weakened as they spread SE'wards; overnight much of England and Wales had clear skies with some mist and fog forming by dawn - and S and Cent areas of England and Wales had a widespread, inland air frost. Rainfall during the day was mainly confined to NW Scotland with cloudy skies across other areas of Scotland in Cumbria. Much of England had long, sunny spells and little cloud - the cloud finally pushed into Wales in the late evening ahead of a weak front. (Chertsey Abbey Mead 14.6C, Capel Curig 6.5C maximum, Benson -6.1C minimum, Kinlochewe 38.4 mm, Shobdon 10.3 h.)
On the 5th a warm front pushed S'wards across Ireland, S Scotland and N England, before coming to a halt as it met high pressure further S. There was some rainfall overnight in these areas - and also in W and N Scotland due to another front. Elsewhere it was a dry night with some mist and fog forming over England, and with an inland air frost in many S and Cent areas of Wales and England. During the day much of England and Wales was sunny and dry once the mist and fog cleared. Scotland and Ireland were rather cloudy, with spells of rain across W Scotland and in N Ireland. (Santon Downham 16.5C, Eskdalemuir 6.6C maximum, Charlwood -5.6C minimum, Kinlochewe 39.2 mm, Shoeburyness 10.4 h.)
A shallow area of low pressure pushed NE'wards during the 6th (centre 985 mb to the W of the Western Isles by 1800 GMT). Associated fronts gave outbreaks of rain across N and W areas of both Ireland and Scotland overnight. Clearer skies further SE led to some air frost in some S and Cent areas of England at first - with widespread mist and fog, and some low cloud, in the rain-free areas. A sunny day followed over much of England (away from the SW) and Wales (away from the S), and also in E Scotland. These sunny areas were also very warm, especially in East Anglia, NE England and the Midlands. Further W it was cloudier, with some showers or longer outbreaks of frontal rain. (Santon Downham 19.0C, Lerwick 8.3C maximum, South Newington -3.4C minimum, Achnagart 23.0 mm, Morpeth Cockle Park 9.9 h.)
During the 7th much of England and Wales lay under a warm sector, with a S'ly flow covering the British Isles. Pressure remained low to the W and N of Scotland throughout the day, with associated fronts giving rainfall across Ireland, Wales, N and SW England and S Scotland overnight and during the day. Falls were heaviest in Ireland and Wales overnight - and it was a mild night over England and Wales. There were some sunny spells over East Anglia and the Channel Islands, but many other areas were rather cloudy throughout the day due to frontal cloud. It was mildest over East Anglia due to the sunshine. (Weybourne 18.8C, Baltasound 8.4C maximum, Tain Range -0.1C minimum, Whitechurch 14.4 mm, Wattisham 8.9 h.)
Overnight into the 8th rainfall was mainly confined to Ireland and Scotland, with clearer skies across much of England and Wales. However, by dawn breezy conditions had led to some showers occurring in SW England and the Channel Islands as a cold front pushed slowly N'wards here. Away from parts of East Anglia it was a mild night. During the day any rain and showers fell mainly across Ireland and SW England, with a separate front giving some heavy falls on the Northern Isles. Elsewhere, there were sunny periods - notably in E England; it was a mild day in most areas, but cooler towards the SW. By mid-evening there was some light rainfall in parts of Wales. (Bridgefoot 19.1C, Lerwick 7.4C maximum, Santon Downham -0.3C minimum, Baltasound 17.4 mm, East Malling 10.3 h.)
Low pressure close to NW Spain continued to pull an E'ly flow over the British Isles on the 9th. Before dawn there was some light rain in N and W areas of Scotland, with rather misty conditions - and some fog patches - elsewhere. Any air frost was mainly confined to parts of E Scotland and to high ground in the far N of England. During the day there was widespread sunshine and mild conditions, the main exceptions to this being the extreme N of Scotland; the Western Isles and Shetland had some heavy falls of rain during the day. Some rain continued in the evening across Scotland, and frontal rain also pushed N into the Channel Islands and Cornwall in the evening. (Crosby 19.7C, Baltasound 7.2C maximum, Fyvie Castle -1.1C minimum, Baltasound 15.2 mm, Eskdalemuir 10.1 h.)
Pressure remained high across N Scotland on the 10th. However, a N'ly frontal flow brough spells of rain here overnight which turned wintery over some areas of high ground. Further S mist was widespread by dawn, with some fog forming closed to North Sea coasts. There was little air frost away from parts of N England and SE Scotland, with SW England having a mild night. The day was rather cloudy in many areas with some showery falls in parts of S England, and frontal rain moving S'wards over Scotland - weakening as it did so. It was a cool day across N Scotland but mild in some inland areas of S England. Mist formed in the evening over Cent and S England, while frontal rain pushed into SW England in the evening. (Wiggonholt 17.5C, Baltasound 4.7C maximum, Shap -2.9C minimum, Loch Glascarnoch 10.2 mm, Morecambe 9.4 h.)
Patchy rain moved S'wards over S England into the 11th tending to clear SW England by midday. Across N Scotland it was cloudy overnight with some showers, which turned to snow over the hills. Some showers in the N'ly flow across N Britain also fell as far S as NE England, where there was also some snow over high ground. There was an air frost in many areas of Cent and W Scotland ahead of the showers here. During the day there were further, mainly light, showers across N Scotland and E England - and most areas of the British Isles had some spells of sunshine. It was a cool day in all areas. (Wiggonholt 11.1C, Fylingdales 5.1C maximum, Machrihanish -3.3C minimum, Loch Glascarnoch 7.4 mm, Aberporth 9.2 h.)
A N'ly flow persisted throughout the 12th with a slow-moving cold front moving from S Scotland and Northern Ireland to the English Channel during the day. There was some rain and showers as far S as Cent Ireland and N Wales by dawn, these being wintry over some high ground and also at lower levels by dawn. Many inland areas of Wales, England and S Scotland had a slight air frost before dawn. Day two of the Cheltenham Horse-Racing Festival saw early snowfall on the course, while snow showers also fell in several places including the Southern Uplands, the Shropshire Hills and the Cotswolds. During the day it was rather cloudy across N Scotland and in the SE corner of England with many places, particularly in E Britain, seeing showers at times during the day. (Gt Cumbrae Millport 10.7C, Braemar 3.2C maximum, Sennybridge -5.0C minimum, Fylingdales 9.2 mm, Aldergrove 8.9 h.)
A N'ly flow continued during the 13th due to high pressure conditions to the W of the British Isles. Overnight it was cloudy in most areas, with showers over E parts of Britian in particular. These fell as snow over high ground, as far S as NE England. Many inland sites had an overnight air frost - and the daytime temperatures were rather low. There were further showers over NE Scotland and E England during the day, with some snow on high ground. Some sferics occurred over Surrey at times in the afternoon. N Scotland remained rather cloudy - elsewhere there were sunny spells at times. (Armagh 10.7C, Okehampton 4.3C maximum, Katesbridge -5.0C minimum, Fylingdales 7.0 mm, Prestwick 9.3 h.)
The N'ly flow became NE'ly on the 14th. Frontal showers moved quickly SW'wards across Scotland overnight and across Ireland during the day. There was some snowfall before dawn in E Scotland. Away from the rain skies were widely clear overnight, and air frost was widespread over Wales and England (but not in the N). It was mostly cloudy with some showers in E Scotland and NE England during the day, blowing off the North Sea. Ireland turned drier from the N during the day. Away from N Ireland and S Scotland (where there were sunny spells) it was rather cloudy but dry during the day - and it was a cool day in all areas; temperatures remained below 9C across much of England. (Castlederg 10.9C, Nantyglo 5.4C maximum, Benson -5.4C minimum, Loftus 5.2 mm, Tiree 10.4 h.)
High pressure on the 15th (centre 1025 mb over NW Ireland at 0600 GMT) led to a mainly dry day. Overnight it was largely dry with just a few isolated showers in E England and in parts of N Scotland. Elsewhere clear skies led to some mist and fog formation by dawn - and most parts of the British Isles (away from the SW and some Cent S areas of England) had an inland air frost. The day was a sunny one in most areas with some isolated showers in E parts. Later it turned cloudy with some showers over N Scotland. (Killowen 13.2C, Pennerley 5.3C maximum, Shap -6.9C minimum, Kirkwall 2.4 mm, Glasgow 11.1 h.)
Pressure remained high during the 16th with the anticyclone centre moving from W of Ireland to N of Scotland during the day - MSL pressure at Lerwick was 1034 mb at 2100 GMT. However, weak, decaying fronts pushed some light falls of rain S'wards across parts of Scotland before dawn and further light falls occurred in parts of NE England (close to the coast) during the day. Ahead of the advancing cloud it was a cold night with an inland air frost in many parts of S Scotland, England and Wales. During the day it was sunny in parts of S England, notably in the SW, while other areas had a rather cloudy day with sunny intervals in places. A few light showers affected parts of N Scotland and it was a relatively cool day for mid-March in much of England. (Helens Bay 12.3C, Baltasound 5.1C maximum, Benson -7.3C minimum, Kinlochewe 2.0 mm, Camborne 11.3 h.)
Pressure remained high on the 17th. Away from clearer skies across N Scotland it was a rather cloudy night with some light showers affecting E areas close to the North Sea. It was a cool night but one with little air frost due to the cloud. The day was rather cloudy, away from N Scotland, with a few light showers - particularly in parts of S Ireland and SW England. It was a cool day for most areas; away from areas of N Scotland and in parts of S Ireland, SW England and the Channel islands temperatures remained below 10C. (Achnagart 12.1C, Nantyglo 3.4C maximum, Altnaharra -6.6C minimum, Inverbervie 1.6 mm, Kinloss 10.4 h.)
High pressure over Europe drew a SE'ly flow across much of the British Isles on the 18th. Overnight it was largely dry, with a widespread air frost across much of Scotland and England. It was a cloudy night across Ireland, while some mist patches formed over England by dawn. Once the mist cleared it was a widely sunny day across Britain, with little cloud in many places. It remained cloudier across Ireland. (Otterbourne Water Works 14.4C, Killylane 6.5C maximum, Aboyne -7.8C minimum, Stonyhurst 1.4 mm, Shoeburyness 11.5 h.)
High pressure over the continent maintained a SE'ly to S'ly flow across the British Isles on the 19th. The day was generally dry as a result. Overnight, there was a widespread inland air frost under largely clear skies across all areas, except for SW England and S Ireland. Mist formed by dawn in many areas but, once this cleared, it was a very sunny day, except in the SW from where cloud spread NE'wards as the day developed. By mid-evening the cloud had spread across all of S and Cent England and Wales, but was clearing in SW England. It was a warm day, away from the coasts, in the sunny areas S of a line Shannon Airport-The Wash. (Northolt 18.7C, Inverbervie 6.8C maximum, Braemar -8.3C minimum, Aviemore 0.4 mm, Aberdaron 11.3 h.)
The 20th was a mainly dry day, with the SE'ly flow continuing to prevail in most areas for much of the day. Overnight there were mist patches in many areas with clear skies in N Ireland, N England, N Wales and in many areas of Scotland leading to an air frost. S areas of the British Isles had a mild night. The day was particularly mild across S and Cent areas of England, Wales and Ireland; it was slightly cooler further N but most areas, away from W Scotland and N Ireland had long spells of sunshine. It turned cloudier later in the evening in parts of SW England and S Ireland, ahead of a band of rain that affected parts of these areas by midnight. (Northolt 21.3C, Inverbervie 7.7C maximum, Braemar -7.9C minimum, Baltasound 1.2 mm, St Athan 10.6 h.)
Into the 21st much of the British Isles had a dry night. There was some frontal rain that affected parts of SW England and S Ireland - and it was became a rather cloudy night across much of S England. Elsewhere there was little cloud, with some mist forming in many areas. Parts of NE England and E Scotland had a slight air frost while temperatures remained above 10C in W Ireland overnight. During the day the frontal rain spread across SW England into S Wales, most of Ireland and, in the evening, into much of Wales, the Midlands and SE England. The day was generally mild, with sunny spells ahead of any advancing frontal cloud which reached Cent Scotland by late evening. (Chertsey Abbey Mead 19.2C, Fair Isle 8.8C maximum, Braemar -4.2C minimum, Isles of Scilly 16.8 mm, Lerwick 8.3 h.)
The 22nd dawned with rain having fallen in most areas apart from NE Scotland as fronts, associated with a depression close to Brest at 0600 GMT, moved N'wards. A pair of fronts were slow-moving over Ireland and it was a wet night here as a result. The widespread cloud led to a mild night everywhere with temperatures remaining above 10C in parts of East Anglia and S England. During the day, Ireland and Scotland had frequent outbreaks of rain, heavy at times. England and Wales had some sunshine and showers in places, although many areas remained rather cloudy. Some of the showers were heavy in the afternoon with localised thunder - the thunder was heard in the London area, and in the Midlands and surrounding areas. (Whitechurch 18.6C, Inverbervie 7.6C maximum, Fyvie Castle 3.2C minimum, Isles of Scilly 25.6 mm, Morecambe 5.9 h.)
Low pressure over N France and associated frontal systems led to a rather unsettled conditions on the 23rd across many areas of England and Wales. Overnight there were some heavy falls over N England, while mist formed in many places by dawn. During the morning some rain continued to Scotland and N England, while the afternoon brought some heavy showers to SE England and East Anglia. Many places saw little or no sunshine, although there were long sunny spells in SW Ireland and W Scotland - these areas being under a weak ridge of high pressure. (Swanage 16.6C, Brizlee Wood 6.4C maximum, Santon Downham 3.0C minimum, Preston Moor Park 17.6 mm, Tiree 8.7 h.)
Showery rain in SE England had mainly cleared by dawn on the 24th and much of England and Wales dawned with misty conditions and some low cloud. Clearer skies led to an overnight air frost in N and Cent Ireland, N England and in some inland areas of Scotland. During the day rain and showers spread SE'wards into W and N areas of Scotland, these later reaching Northern Ireland and some E areas of Scotland. Ahead of this rain most areas, most places had some sunny periods once early cloud and mist had cleared. However, in parts of S England close to the English Channel it remained rather cloudy all day. The rain was heavy later during the day across Shetland. (Killowen 16.8C, Cromer 7.8C maximum, Katesbridge -3.9C minimum, Lerwick 21.0 mm, Charterhall 11.3 h.)
Overnight into the 25th there was some frontal rain and showers across areas of Scotland, Ireland and N England. Further S cloud spread into Wales and parts of the Midlands - and mist and fog patches formed widely under the clearer skies. Most places avoided an air frost, but there was a ground frost in many areas of England away from the W and SW. During the day any rainfall was patchy - across Cent areas of the British Isles. N England and S Scotland were the sunniest areas - further S the S'ward moving frontal cloud was slow to clear while N Scotland remained rather cloudy in places. (Cardiff Bute Park 18.4C, Resallach 9.0C maximum, Santon Downham -1.2C minimum, Achnagart 6.8 mm, Leuchars 9.4 h.)
The anticyclone centre moved slowly S'wards on the 26th - from 1027 mb close to W Wales at 0000 GMT to 1025 mb close to SW Cornwall at 1800 GMT - resulting in a dry day in most areas. Overnight it was mainly dry, although rather cloudy in S areas; clear skies over Scotland, N Wales and N England led to a slight air frost in places. During the day fronts pushed E'wards towards W areas with rain falling across N and NW Scotland in the afternoon and evening. After any early clouds cleared a little, it was a sunny day across much of England, Wales and E Scotland; parts of Cornwall remained cloudy and it was a rather cloudy day in many areas of Ireland. In the sunny areas of England and Wales it was a mild day. (Plymouth 18.6C, Lerwick 8.7C maximum, Aboyne -2.4C minimum, Harris Quidnish 8.6 mm, Manston 11.8 h.)
Into the 27th there was patchy rain across W Scotland and Ireland; by dawn the rain had reached Cent Scotland and Wales. It was a cool night in the Midlands, East Anglia and in some S areas of England. During the day slow-moving fronts, associated with low pressure SE of Iceland, brought heavy rain to Scotland and Ireland with some light falls also in a few W areas of England by early evening. E areas of England had a sunny day, but elsewhere it was rather cloudy. It was a mild day in the sunny areas, but cooler further W. (Hull East Park 19.5C, Eskdalemuir 8.1C maximum, Santon Downham -1.3C minimum, Achnagart 53.4 mm, Shoeburyness 11.6 h.)
During the 28th weakening cold fronts pushed some spells of rain and showers SE'wards across Britain although, after some heavy falls in Cumbria and S Scotland, the rain became patchy across Cent England. It was a mild night ahead of the rain with minimum temperatures remaining above 8C across many parts of S Wales, the Midlands and S England. The rain had mainly cleared E Kent by midday and sunshine and showers followed during the day across the British Isles. The showers were heaviest and most widespread across Scotland, while S Ireland, Wales and SW England saw the best of the sunshine. (Frittenden 16.4C, Salsburgh 7.1C maximum, Craibstone No.2 1.4C minimum, Cassley 26.0 mm, Leuchars 9.8 h.)
Low pressure centres to the N of Scotland during the 29th led to a rather windy day across Scotland; there were showers across Scotland and N England overnight, but clearer skies further S led to an air frost in parts of NE England, the Midlands and Cent S England by dawn. England and Wales dawned generally bright, but a deep depression pushed rain and showers across Ireland and Scotland - and later into Wales and W areas of England by the evening. However, ahead of the cloud, it was a sunny day in East Anglia and SE England - although it turned cloudy here in the evening. (Writtle 15.1C, Baltasound 7.1C maximum, Benson -3.5C minimum, Achnagart 21.0 mm, Manston 11.3 h.)
There was very little frontal rain overnight into the 30th across East Anglia and SE England, although some rain and showers affected N Scotland overnight - due to fronts associated with a depression (located close to Shetland, centre 991 mb, at 0000 GMT). It was a breezy night in all areas but during the day the winds eased a little as pressure from the SW. Away from parts of N Scotland where there were some light showers, the day was mainly dry - and quite sunny in E Ireland, England, Wales and S Scotland. (St James Park 18.1C, Lerwick 7.8C maximum, Lerwick 4.1C minimum, Loch Glascarnoch 7.8 mm, Shoeburyness 11.8 h.)
Pressure remained high across the British Isles on the 31st resulting in a mostly dry day - the anticyclone centre at 0600 GMT was 1029 mb over SE Wales. Clear skies overnight led to a slight air frost in parts of the Midlands and Cent S England - but a weak front led to some rainfall in parts of W Scotland. There were a few further showers during the day in parts of N and W Scotland, with cloudy skies across much of Scotland, Ireland and Wales at times. However, the Midlands, East Anglia and S England had a warm and sunny day. It was also warm in much of Ireland and in E Scotland. (Aboyne 19.2C, Dundrennan 10.0C maximum, South Newington -1.6C minimum, Achnagart 11.8 mm, Exeter Airport 12.2 h.)