Weather sets new records

JANUARY S mild temperatures made it a record-breaking month, according to weather data compiled at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden. The month was above-average on nearly all counts, making it wetter, sunnier and much milder than normal. The lowest minimu

JANUARY'S mild temperatures made it a record-breaking month, according to weather data compiled at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden.

The month was above-average on nearly all counts, making it wetter, sunnier and much milder than normal.

The lowest minimum temperature was the warmest ever recorded by the centre, at -0.7C, and the highest day temperature was the third warmest in history at 13.4C, the highest to date being 13.9C in 1930.

The highest mean maximum temperature recorded was 9.26C, nearly 3C above average, making it the third highest ever recorded and the average minimum temperature at 3.45C is the fourth highest.

Although the second half of the month was relatively dry, the average rainfall for the month had been exceeded by day 15.

The total recorded for January was 103.2mm, 33.5mm above the average, the highest for that month since 1999 and the 10th wettest ever recorded at Rothamsted.

There were 24 days with 0.2mm or more of rain and 10 with 5mm or more, and the most to fall on one day was 14.2mm, on January 11.

Sunshine at 73.3 hours was more than 18 hours above average but there were also eight days without any sun at all.

The longest period of sunshine occurred on January 27 with a total of 6.9 hours.

There were three air frosts and 11 ground frosts.