Diary of Highlights

1st to 3rd
A large anticyclone over England gave a sunny day on the 1st with the temperature at Aboyne dropping to -12°C during the following night.

Fronts advancing from the west brought increasing cloud on the 2nd and slight rain on the 3rd. The next three days experienced broken cloud, with showers in the north, as light southwesterly winds veered into the northwest.

5th to 10th
Another anticyclone moved east across Scotland on the 7th and 8th, bringing more sunny weather with frosty nights. The high moved slowly into the North Sea on the 9th and 10th with cloud returning to places away from the northwest.

11th to 12th
An unsettled spell began on the 11th and 12th as strong southeasterly winds blew across Scotland. There was a gust of 61mph at Machrihanish and temperatures at Eskdalemuir reached only 3°C.

13th to 16th
Low pressure dominated the weather for a week from the 13th, bringing much wind and rain. On the 14th gusts reached 73mph at South Uist and there was 35mm of rain at Sloy.

On the 16th very mild and humid air crossed Scotland, allowing the temperature at Kinloss and Lossiemouth to reach 18°C. Meanwhile there was 32mm of rain at Lusa on Skye. The next two days were showery, with strong winds gradually dying down.

17th to 25th
Colder air reached Scotland on the 19th and prevailed for a week, with winds veering from west to north. Bands of rain crossed the country on the 19th and 20th, with snow for a time in the central belt on the 19th. From the 21st to the 25th there were sunny periods everywhere, with showers in the north.

26th to 31st
Mild air spread across Scotland on the 26th, and cloud breaks to the lee of the hills, allowed the temperature to rise to 16°C at Leuchars and Strathallan.

A couple of showery westerly days followed, before high pressure built north from England to Scandinavia on the 29th. This brought a spell of fine weather, with the temperature rising to 17°C at Aultbea on the 31st.