January’s blustery beginning gave way to a warm spell
A mild month that WEATHER WATCH included a healthy dose of sunshine helped ease winter’s progress
WESTERLY winds continued for much of January, though not with the relentlessness of December. Strongest winds occurred during the first five days, and a severe gale swept northern Britain on the 3rd, but high pressure was in charge between the 13th and 17th, and from the 29th onwards.
Mean maximum temperature for January ranged from 51.2F (10.7C) at St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, to 39.7F (4.3C) at Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire, while mean minimum temperature varied between 47.5F (8.6C) at St Mary’s and 31.1F (-0.5C) at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.
Mean monthly temperature was less than 1F (0.5C) above the 1981-2010 normal in Scotland, but approaching 3.5F (2.0C) above in the Midlands, East Anglia and South East England. The Central England Temperature of 41.8F (5.4C) was 1.8F (1.0C) above the long-term mean making this the warmest January since 2008, and by this measure there have been only 14 warmer Januaries in the last 100 years.
The highest maximum in the UK was 57.0F (13.9C) at Exeter on the 18th, while the lowest minimum was 13.1F (-10.9C) at Aboyne on the 16th.
The lowest daytime maximum was 27.0F (-2.8C) at Loch Shin, Sutherland, on the 16th, and the warmest night was that of Dec 31/Jan 1 with a minimum of 53.2F (11.8C) at the Olympic Park in London.
Rainfall averaged over England and Wales during January was 2.59in (66mm), which is 73 per cent of the average for the standard reference period 1981-2010, and the lowest for this month since 2006. In the last 100 years 25 Januaries were drier. The equivalent figures for Scotland were 4.46in (113mm) and 122 per cent of the normal amount, and for Northern Ireland 3.27in (83mm) and 100 per cent.
Monthly totals varied between 18.31in (465mm) at Cluanie Inn, Wester Ross, and 0.76in (19mm) at Loftus, North Yorkshire.
Sunshine averaged over England and Wales during January was 73 hours, which is 118 per cent of the 19812010 mean, making this the sunniest January for nine years. In the last 100 years only seven Januaries were sunnier.
The equivalent figures for Scotland were 54 hours and 112 per cent, and for Northern Ireland 52 hours and 97 per cent. The largest total in the UK was 93 hours at Coleshill, and the smallest was 23 hours at Lerwick, Shetland.