Diary of Highlights

1st to 3rd
The month commenced rather cold and changeable, with some rain and drizzle and snow over high ground in the north. Redhill fell to minus 6.7°C early on the 3rd.

4th to 6th
High pressure to the south gave mild or very mild conditions and some hill and coastal fog at first. Rain and drizzle on the 5th gave way to scattered showers later on the 6th.

7th to 13th
Very unsettled and wet as vigorous depressions swept their associated fronts across the region, mostly mild or very mild at first. A low crossed the Borders on the 8th bringing gales to many places and a few thundery showers on the 9th.

13.6°C was reached at Teignmouth in Devon on the 10th. A deep depression brought gales, lowering temperatures and some thundery showers on the 11th with a waterspout observed in the Bristol Channel. More rain and blustery showers on the 12th and 13th as another depression tracked close by.

14th to 18th
Snow fell in the Midlands and northern parts of England on the 14th up to 5cm in places, with as much as 15cmover high ground in Wales. Another deep depression crossed northern England during the 15th and 16th bringing widespread gales.

Further snow fell over high ground in the north allowing 20cm to accumulate at Boltshope Park later on the 15th. As low pressure transferred southeast it became colder everywhere with some overnight frost.

19th to 25th
Mostly mild or very mild and changeable with rain at times as complex low pressure to the north of the UK pushed weak fronts across the region. It was mainly cloudy with some hill and coastal fog on the 21st and 23rd.

The 22nd and 23rd were generally wet, however along the north coast of Wales, Colwyn Bay reached 13.6°C on the 22nd. In contrast the 24th and 25th brought long sunny periods, lower temperatures and a few showers.

26th to 28th
After a rather cold cloudy day on the 26th an arctic airstream brought snowfall to northern areas, affecting east coast counties and the southeast later on the 27th. During the 28th another snow band gathered strength over the Midlands as it migrated southwards, reaching the Home Counties during rush hour.

The passage of this front produced squalls, a sudden drop in temperature and a period of heavy snow which settled quickly (even in central London where 2 to 4cmfell). There were also many reports of lightning and thunder.

North Wales, northeast England, the Wolds and parts of East Anglia had significant falls, with depths up to 15cmin places. All forms of transport were seriously disrupted. Scampton/Lincolnshire recorded minus 8.0°C on the 28th.

29th to 31st
After a sunny cold start on the 29th, heavy rain and gales swept across the region from the west.