December brought rain to the U.K. Lots of it, to the extent that Scotland, Wales and the north-west of England experienced the wettest December in more than 100 years. The rain was a consequence of three storms named Desmond, Eva and Frank.
The rainfall over the U.K. according to the Met Office (the government agency that collates weather data), was 176 percent higher than the typical level. The highest rainfall was in Scotland, where levels not seen since 1910 were recorded. The level of rain was 333 millimeters (or 13 inches.) Typically no more than 8 inches would be recorded. Wales was soaked with more rain than at anytime since 1929.
Although levels of rainfall seen during the rest of the year was not remarkable, the contribution during December turned 2015 into one of the top 10 wettest years recorded since detailed records began being kept in 1910. The wettest year on record in 2000. During the 12 months at the start of the millennium, 1,337 millimeters (53 inches) of rain fell.
Storm Frank in particular has caused serious flooding in parts of the U.K., with many businesses ruined and thousands of people forced to leave their homes. The historic city of York was complete flooded and in Northern Ireland more than 270 roads were blocked by floods.
December was also remarkably warm. The UK average (mean) temperature of 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit.) The typical temperature experienced is somewhere below 4 degrees Celsius. This unseasonably warm pattern broke was overall closer to a rainy day in April. The warm temperatures were the results of a south-westerly airflow. The level of sunshine was also two-thirds higher than the typical level.
England had the warmest weather, averaging 9.4 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit.) But that’s gone; snow and ice are predicted to come to the fore during January.
