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graphs      CLIMATE-UK.COM'S  REVIEW  OF  THE  BRITISH  METEOROLOGICAL  SCENE
     MONTHLY  SUMMARY
     No. 625 For   JANUARY  2008
   WETTEST SINCE 1995;  DULLEST SINCE 1996 IN THE NORTHWEST; VERY MILD IN THE SOUTH
Text Box: Although pressure was often high over eastern Europe, especially during the first half of the month, continental air reached the UK for just one short spell - between the 2nd and 4th. From the 5th-21st cyclonic and SWly weather types dominated and though pressure was high over southern Britain for much of the last week, SWlies continued over northern regions. Mean monthly sea-level pressure anomaly ranged from -1mbar in Kent to -7mbar in the Western Isles, resulting in a SWly anomalous flow over the UK. During the first four days of January the British Isles were covered by a south-easterly flow between deep low pressure on the Atlantic and a massive anticyclone over NE Europe where pressure on the 3rd reached 1064 mbar, the highest in the region since 1972. Atlantic airstreams regained control from the 5th, and vigorous depressions crossed the country at frequent intervals from then until the 17th. The first few days were cloudy with mostly light rain at times, but it became progr-essively colder, and the 3rd was very cold with widespread snow showers, heaviest in NE England and E Scotland; the day’s high at Lake Vyrnwy (Powys) was -1.2°C. Warmer air spread N-wards on the 4th with snow in northern regions giving way to rain, ushering in a period of milder but very unsettled weather. During the next two weeks rain fell frequently and often heavily, and although it was generally quite mild over central and southern districts, northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were often rather cold, and there were some substantial falls of snow - chiefly over the Scottish highlands. On the 8th 62mm of rain fell at Tyndrum (Perthshire) and on the 9th 97mm at Capel Curig (Snowdonia) while a gale overnight 8th/9th brought gusts to 73kn at Machrihanish (Argyll). There was a short-lived snowfall even in southern England on the 11th, and the following night Braemar (Aberdeenshire) recorded a min of -11.3°C, the month’s lowest. Sunny days were rare but the 6th, 9th and 12th were quite bright, and on the latter date Eastbourne (Sussex) notched up 7.6h of sunshine. The 15th was another very wet day, Ballypatrick Forest (Co.Antrim) collecting 65mm. From the 18th-21st a broad southwesterly flow of sub-tropical origin affected southern Britain. A strong rise of pressure now occurred over Biscay, France and southern parts Text Box: of the UK, but W-lies continued to affect central and northern districts. A deep depression tracked past northern Scotland overnight 30th/31st and the flow veered NWly in its wake. Between the 18th and 21st it became exceptionally mild over southern England, Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia with temperatures around 13-14°C by day and 11-12°C at night. Preston Wynne (Herefordshire) reached 15.2°C on the 20th, while notably high minima included 13.0°C at Gravesend (Kent) overnight 19th/20th, and at St James’s Park (London) on 20th/21st. Meanwhile a prolonged downpour affected the Welsh hills and the Pennines resulting in serious flooding on the Severn, Wye, Conway and Aire. At Capel Curig 213mm of rain fell in little more than 84 hours. It became mostly dry with long sunny spells over England and Wales from the 22nd-30th (8.6h of bright sunshine reported by Jersey airport on the 27th), but heavy orographically-enhanced rain affected the western highlands, with 65mm at Kinlochewe (Wester Ross) on the 24th, 72mm at Tyndrum on the 25th, and 60mm again at Kinlochewe on the 26th; significant flooding affected the Tay and Tummel. Gales swept northern Britain on the 25th, and all parts of the UK on the 31st (gusts to 73kn at Carlisle) when an influx of polar air brought snow and hail showers to many places. Mean temperature ranged from 0.5 degC above normal in northern Scotland to 3.0 degC above in SE England and the Midlands where it was one of the six warmest Januarys of the last 100 years, but even in the south most places were marginally less warm than in January 2007. Rainfall was above normal in all regions, though only by a couple of points in East Anglia, and averaged nationally it was the wettest January since 1995. New local records were established in the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast areas. Individual totals ranged from 50mm at Shoeburyness (Essex) to 611mm at Capel Curig. Sunshine was plentiful in the Midlands and southeast England, but there was barely half the usual amount in western Scotland and northwest England where it was the dullest January since 1996; totals ranged from 82h at Kew Gardens (London) to a mere 11h at Eskdalemuir (Dumfriesshire).
                                                                                                                                           
                       TEMPERATURE                                SUNSHINE                            RAINFALL        
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                          Highest and lowest totals                     Highest and lowest totals        
                                              on record for month    
Maximum fall in 24 hrs (beginning 09 h)
                    on record for month    
Days with snow or sleet
 
Days with fog (Vis <220 yards at 09 h)
 
                                                                                         
     
Difference from average
   
Difference from average
 
Highest maximum
   
Lowest minimum
   
No. of days with grass minimum below 0ºC
   
Days of no sunshine
 
Maximum duration