UK finally feeling more seasonable.

[gord]

Well, we've come down to more average temperatures rather than very mild ones. But the run of very wet and windy weather that has plagued us over the past few weeks seems to be at an end...for now anyway.

Travelling around my local area today, just how much rain we've had is obvious. The river through Stafford has burst its banks and further out in Staffordshire, the Trent has also burst its banks.

But now, high pressure has slipped over the UK and we are under calm and cool conditions. Highs of around 6C and at night, we are now getting our first frosts in over a month.

It was a nice change to go out today and not get blown away by the wind or wonder where the next squally shower will come from. Also good to see breath coming out of mouth and feeling more crisp in the evenings.

Still little chance of us tapping into some real cold air this month and our snow chances still look dire at this time....but this high pressure is finally stopping all of those low pressures and its a welcome change as the christmas period approaches.

Its strange, it feels cold but in reality, we're not far off average..this is how it should be in December!

The CET for December so far is around 8.6C I think..thats around +3.2C on the average. This week should put a dent in that.

Overall, we are heading for possibly a record breaking 2006 for warmth. Akthough, I've just read on another British forum that we were in this position in 1995....then from mid December onwards, it turned cold and then very cold in the final week!

I think the fact that we are not getting wild weather is making the forums buzz over here right now!

[P.K.]

From the 18th to the 31st Dec a CET figure of around -1.6C is needed just to equal the warmest year on record. Highly unlikely so the record will go.

[Cryomaniac]

The weather has become more seasonal, but the fog at the moment is damn annoying.

[P.K.]

Always fun driving around in fog when you can only see 200m or so down the road. Very high pressure here at the moment. I'm currently at 1045hPa which may well be a record for my station although I've not been taking readings for many years.

[JonathanBelles]

i heard that london airport had shut down.

[P.K.]

Heathrow has been running at around half capacity the last few days from what I've seen with all domestic and some short haul flights cancelled. London's other various airports have been far less affected from what I've heard. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6202349.stm

[gord]

Well, its all over now as once again, we're set to turn very mild and stormy again for the new year.

So far, not a great winter for snow lovers in the UK so far. A long way to go though, and even though I missed the last 2 winters here having been in Ohio...i hear that late winters have been the increasing trend....

[TexasStooge]

If I only wish my home state was THAT lucky.

[P.K.]

What is this "snow"???

Last year in Reading we literally had a nanometre (Well just enough to about cover the paths.....). The year before was a bit better although not much ever settled. I'd love to have a decent amount of snow but I've not seen that much for a few years.