January 2019 Commentary

The year started with a continuation of the high-pressure conditions that had prevailed since Boxing Day and consequently January stayed dry until the end of the second week. However, temperatures had varied continually during those first two weeks with cold days and freezing nights contrasting with some pleasantly warm days and mild nights.

The variations in temperature throughout January averaged out at 5.3C which is the same figure as the average for January over the last decade. The total amount of precipitation (rain and snowfall) totalled only 82.7mm (just over three inches) which is only just above half of the January average over the last ten years.

The two heavy falls of snow caused a certain amount of local chaos with interruptions to several services. However, before the snow arrived, snow-drops were appearing in large numbers around the village and even the occasional daffodil.

Philip Spray