Diary of Highlights

1st to 13th
With the exception of some showers around the 2nd and 3rd, much of the period was dominated by high pressure. This brought much fine, dry weather with abundant amounts of sunshine.

Nights were cold, however, and frost was widespread and locally quite severe with the minimum typically -3°C to - 5°C on some nights.

14th to 22nd
This period became increasingly disturbed as Atlantic depressions affected the area. Showers or longer spells of rain affected many places and the bulk of the monthly rainfall fell in this period with many places seeing between 50 and 70mm in a nine day period.

The wettest period occurred around the 18 and 19th when 25mm or more occurred widely. It was also very windy at times, especially around the 18th and more particularly on the 20th when severe gales brought gusts up to 65 to 75 mph.

These winds caused some damage to trees and buildings and brought temporary power supply problems. Rain turned to snow for a time on the morning of the 20th on some northern hills.

23rd to 31st
High pressure became re-established and although nights were still chilly with ground frost, days were often fine with plenty of sunshine.

Temperatures rose above average with values between 13°C and 15°C in the closing days of the month.