During the first half of December Scotland was mild and cloudy with westerly winds blowing around a large anticyclone over Europe. The westerly winds continued during the second half of the month but this time they were blowing around deep depressions passing to the north. Consequently there were several bouts of wet and windy weather and some outbreaks of colder air from the north. One of these was perfectly timed to give a white Christmas over many places.

Diary of Highlights

1st to 2nd
During the first two days of December a large anticyclone near the Azores extended a ridge towards Scotland to give quiet weather. There were sunny spells in many places but fog or low cloud in others with a minimum temperature of -6 C at Strathallan.

Cool and showery north-westerly winds invaded Scotland on the 4th but it was not long before mild and cloudy air arrived from the west. There were brighter skies in the east and at Aberdeen the temperature reached 16°C on the 7th.

14th to 15th
The mild south-westerly winds continued on the 13th and 14th but as the European High receded there was heavy rain in the Western Highlands, with Sloy receiving a two-day total of 103 mm.

15th to 17st
Between the 15th and the 17th a deep depression moved across Iceland and into the Norwegian Sea. Over Scotland there was rain or showers with strong winds and a gust of 74 m.p.h. was recorded at Barra.

17th to 19th
The next low tracked east across the south of England so that Scotland experienced a quiet interlude on the 18th and 19th. The weather was mainly fair but the clear skies and light winds allowed the temperature to fall to -15°C in several Highland glens.

20th to 23rd
Between the 20th and the 23rd the depressions resumed their track from the Atlantic to the Norwegian Sea bringing disturbed weather to Scotland. On the 21st there was 53 mm of rain at Cassley and a gust of 72 m.p.h. at Lerwick. This was followed by 45 mm of rain at Sloy and a gust of 82 m.p.h. at Loch Glascarnoch on the 23rd. On the 22nd the temperature rose to 13°C at Aboyne and never fell below 11°C at Machrihanish.

24th to 26th
Over the Christmas period low pressure became slow moving in the Norwegian Sea, winds veered into the northwest and cold air spread south across Scotland. On Christmas Eve rain over the south turned to snow for a while and on Christmas Day snow showers affected all northern and western districts. A snow depth of 14cm was reported from Kirkwall. Boxing Day was sunny in most places.

27th to 31st
During the last five days of December deep depressions resumed their tracks from Iceland to the Norwegian Sea. Scotland experienced alternations between spells of mild and wet weather on some days to drier but colder conditions on others.

Scotland Mean Temperature Series (series began in 1961).			The mean value for the month was 4.4°C			1.6°C above the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well above average category. Warmest since 1988.
Scotland Rainfall Series (series began in 1961).			The total for the month was 188.8mm			121% of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the above average category.
Scotland Sunshine Series (series began in 1929).			The total for the month was 35.9 hours.			120% of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well above average category.