New, New Year’s temperature record set for UK - The Malvern Observer

New, New Year’s temperature record set for UK

Malvern Editorial 3rd Jan, 2022   0

A mild spell has led to provisional new temperature records for New Year’s Eve and January for the UK but temperatures are now starting to trend down according to the Met Office.

The extremely mild spell seen over across the country has been driven by a flow of warm, moist air coming  across from the Canary Islands and further south in the Atlantic according to Met Office meteorologists.

The Met Office say this has resulted in the unusual situation of one weather system breaking weather records for two days in separate calendar years.

This spell has led to a number of provisional records being set over the new year:

  • 16.5 C was reached at Bala on 31st December 2021 which is a New Year’s Eve record for the UK and Wales.

All other UK countries also set New Year’s Eve daily maximum temperature records.

  • Keswick in England reached 15.9 C
  • Kinlochewe in Scotland reached 16.1 C
  • and Magilligan reached 15.0 C in Northern Ireland.

A daily minimum temperature of 13.2C recorded at Chivenor, in Devon is provisionally a new UK and England record for January. This beats the previous UK record of 13.1C set at Magilligan (Londonderry) in 2016 and the previous English record of 13.0C set at London St James Park in 2008.




There is also a new Welsh January daily minimum temperature record with Trawsgoed (Dyfed) recording 12.8C beating the previous record of 12.5C set at Gogerddan (Dyfed) in 2016.

New Years Day also saw very mild temperatures with 16.3C recorded at St James Park in London. This beats the previous record for New Years Day of 15.6C at Bude (Cornwall) in 1916 setting another provisional record.


But what we all want to know… how long will the mild weather last?

Met Office Chief Forecaster, Steve Ramsdale, said:

“We’re now past the peak of the high temperatures over the UK of this current spell.

“This colder air is expected to push southwards into Tuesday bringing wintry showers and frosts. Wind and snow warnings have now been issued for parts of Scotland associated with this change. This cold spell is temporary before we see a return to weather conditions coming from the Atlantic, bringing further bouts of strong winds and rain to the UK.”

You can check the latest forecast for your area on the Met Office website, Twitter or Facebook.

Keep track of current weather warnings on the weather warning page.  

Forecast for the Midlands : Monday 3 Jan – Friday 7 Jan

Unsettled and turning much colder through this coming week.

Today (3rd January):

Sunshine and scattered blustery showers through the morning. Most of the showers dying away by the afternoon as a veil of cloud extends from the south. Winds easing down during the day with temperatures down a notch on recent values. Maximum temperature 11 °C.

Tonight:

A cloudy evening with the odd shower. Rain will edge south overnight, and as colder air follows in its wake, there is a risk a little hill snow too. Minimum temperature 1 °C.

Tuesday (4th January):

Early rain and perhaps hill snow clearing southwards. Thereafter, drier and brighter for many, but showers will return to northern counties later. Feeling cold in a brisk northerly wind. Maximum temperature 5 °C.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

A widespread frost to start Wednesday, then mainly dry and bright. Rain sweeping east on Thursday. Cold on windy on Friday with sunshine and blustery showers, wintry at times.

Source: Met Office

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