Diary of Highlights

1st to 8th
Rain fell across the north-west, otherwise the 1st was bright.

It was bright with evening frost on the 2nd, with rain spreading into the north-west later on.

Rain fizzled out in the north-west on the 3rd, with fog in the central belt clearing late morning but returned later.

There was an early frost, with Aboyne (Aberdeenshire) recording a minimum temperature of -6.4 °C on the 3rd.

It was mainly dry and bright on the 4th but with lingering fog in the north-east.

The 5th was cloudy and drizzly in the east, but it was brighter in the north-west.

The 6th was cloudy as well, with some rain or drizzle. The 7th and 8th were mostly cloudy with rain or showers, some heavy.

9th to 19th
It was cold on the 9th with occasional showers. Showers merged into longer spells of rain in the west on the 10th.

South-west winds were strong to severe gale force at times over western coasts and islands, with South Uist Range (Western Isles) recording a gust of 69 m.p.h.

It was showery on the 11th and 12th. There was more rain across the west later on the 12th which persisted through the 13th and 14th.

The Highland area recorded notable 48-hour rainfall totals, with Cassley recording 80.8 mm and Achfary recording 105.7 mm.

It was brighter at times in the south and east, with Aboyne recording a maximum temperature of 15.6 °C on the 14th.

Rain cleared southwards late on the 14th and early 15th leaving sunny or clear spells and showers which turned wintry on hills.

Windy with gales affected the north, with Sella Ness (Shetland) recording a gust of 64 m.p.h.

The 16th was sunny but with some showers and strong winds at first in the far north-east.

There was widespread frost early on the 17th, but cloud and rain pushed north and east.

Some patchy light rain or drizzle affected the north and west on the 18th, but it was dry elsewhere with some sunshine in the east.

The 19th was mild and windy with some heavy rain over the north-west Highlands but dry elsewhere.

20th to 24th
Showers affected the north on the 20th which turned wintry over the Northern Isles later.

Northerly winds strengthened on the 21st bringing frequent snow showers to the north and east coasts, with a gust of 69 m.p.h. recorded at Rosehearty (Aberdeenshire).

Lerwick (Shetland) recorded a maximum temperature of just 0.2 °C on the 21st.

Snow showers continued overnight and into the 22nd with 0900 GMT values on the 22nd of 13cm at Balmoral and Craibstone (both Aberdeenshire) and 8cm at Fair Isle. The south-west was mainly dry and bright.

A band of snow spread east overnight bringing slight to moderate falls mainly in the north and east.

Wintry showers on the 23rd accompanied by gales developed on the west coast, with Port Ellen (Islay) recording a gust of 64 m.p.h.

Craibstone reported 15 cm of lying snow at 0900 UTC on the 23rd.

Sunny or clear spells and showers on the 24th with the most frequent, heaviest and occasionally wintry in the north-east while the gales in the west eased.

25th to 26th
It was clear at first in the south and east on the 25th with frost.

Cloud thickened from the west, with patchy rain and drizzle developing and temperatures rose steadily.

The west was mostly cloudy on the 26th with patchy rain and drizzle. The east remained dry with sunny or clear spells.

27th to 30th
On the 27th, early morning rain was followed by a brighter but colder day with showers in the west falling as snow on the hills.

Wintry showers continued in the west and north on the 28th and 29th and 30th, with some freezing fog.

Braemar (Aberdeenshire) recorded a maximum temperature of -2.6 °C on the 29th and a minimum temperature of -12.1 °C on the 30th.