Year in Review - January 2010

The month was mostly unsettled, the first half being very cold with widespread snowfalls and some sharp frosts.

After mid-month, temperatures rose to around normal before a return to colder conditions at the end of the month.

Overall, it was a very cold with mean temperatures 2.5 to 3.0 °C below the 1971-2000 normal over England and Wales, and 2.0 to 2.5 °C below over most of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It was the coldest January in the UK since 1987 and equalled as 8th coldest in a series from 1910.

UK hit by coldest night of winter

Rainfall was well below normal over many western areas, especially west Scotland, north west England, and Wales, and close to normal elsewhere.

January Temperatures Minimum: -22.3C Altnaharra Maximum: 12.4C Exeter Airport

Sunshine totals ranged from more
than 50% above average in the west, to somewhat below average along the east coast.

A maximum temperature of 12.4 °C (54F) was recorded at Exeter airport in Devon on the 16th.

A minimum temperature of -22.3 °C (-8F) was recorded on the 8th at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. It was the lowest temperature temperature recorded in the UK since 1995.

In the 24 hours ending at 0900 on 16th, 48.1 mm (1.9in) of rainfall was measured at St Clears in Carmarthenshire.

57 cm (22.5in) of lying snow was reported from Westgate in County Durham at 0900 on 7th.

Why was it cold in the UK, but not across the world?