December 2001 - England and Wales

Summary: A very sunny month across the whole of the UK, with many stations breaking their sunshine records. Most of the country received less than average rainfall, with parts of England and Wales only receiving a third of average. Temperatures were close to average over Scotland and Northern Ireland, but nearly a degree below normal over England and Wales.

Temperatures reached 16.1 degrees C in North Wales on the 11th. There were severe frosts during the month, with temperatures falling as low as -11.6 degrees C at Tulloch Bridge on the 31st.

Dry and very sunny especially in the south. Mild at first but colder later with widespread frost. There was snow in a number of areas from the 22nd. A white Christmas in some places.

Diary of Highlights:

1st - 5th
A mostly mild unsettled start to the month as Atlantic fronts crossed the region. Wet weather on the 3rd heralded more of the same during the 4th/5th as a low-pressure system moved east over northern England. The rain turned showery and heavy at times on the 5th.

6th - 11th
With high pressure firmly established over the region, a dry, mostly sunny regime prevailed. It was mild at first especially around western coastal areas, however temperatures elsewhere later slid into the rather cold category. There was some rain and drizzle around western coasts at first, otherwise many places had patchy mist or fog and some overnight frost. Where fog persisted in the Midlands and NE England it stayed cold. Some western areas stayed mild, with Nantmor/Gwynedd reaching 16.1°C on the 11th .

12th - 18th
The anticyclone migrated northwards allowing a light easterly flow in the south. It continued very dry and generally sunny at first, but rather cold with fairly widespread frost at night. Cloud increased later with patchy rain and drizzle from the 15th to the 17th .

19th - 26th
Changeable with some snow in places as deep depressions moving SSE from the Norwegian sea brought cold northerly outbreaks. The first of these on the 21st /22nd brought snow showers to east coast counties as far south as north Essex, giving 2 to 5 cm in places. The second outbreak on Christmas Day brought snowfalls to North Wales especially on high ground. More snow showers fell in the NW on the 26th.

27th - 31st
A vigorous low near Iceland on the 27th moved SE to Denmark by the 28th deepening rapidly as it passed Scotland. Strong to gale NW winds brought progressively colder air from the Iceland/Greenland area, with many places receiving significant accumulations of snow by the 29th/30th. st Bees Head /Cumbria had a gust of 68 kts on the 28th. A weather band gave substantial snow over high ground in extreme southern & SW England early on the 29th, with some on low ground also, parts of Sussex received 2 to 3 cm. Widespread frost severe at times developed later, with Sennybridge/Powys falling to minus 10.9°C early on the 31st.

Statistical details

Central England Temperature Series (series began in 1659).	The mean value for the month was 3.8°C.	0.9°C below the 1961-90 normal of 4.7°C and is in the near normal category. Others:- 2000/5.8, 1999/5.0, 1998/5.5, 1996/2.9°C.
England and Wales Rainfall Series (series began in 1766).	The total for the month was 43mm	45% of the 1961-90 average and is in the dry category. Others:- 2000/137, 1999/142, 1998/97, 1991/42 mm.
England and Wales Sunshine Series (series began in 1909).	The total for the month was 2.60 hours per day.	183% of the 1961-90 average and is in the very sunny category. Others:- 2000/1.51, 1999/2.06, 1998/1.42 hours per day.

This has been the sunniest December on record and the driest since 1991.