One of the mildest Winters for some years?

[The PIT]

Are we sleep walking towards one of the mildest winters for a long time? The warmest here is 1998 with 6.5C. Still Snow free and Air frost here and looking like we will stay Snow free for sometime yet. Possible air frost around the 13th if the GFS is to be believed. ECM also has a deep FI tease which may put the brakes on if it materialises.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Wouldnt say mild, just snowless so far, only had 5 double figure maximums since 18th Nov, not bad for low levels south, anyway cannot expect cold before mid Jan in the south, South low levels very rarely get snow off westerlies and SW'ys, been very average for this location

Edited January 6, 2014 by IrememberAtlantic252

[Summer Sun]

16 days here in Darlo have had double figure maxes since December 1st

 

Average high here for December was 9.2c

Edited January 6, 2014 by Summer Sun

[I remember Atlantic 252]

19 minus minimums since 17th Nov, not bad for Jan 6th, the most westerly 8 weeks of the year, mid nov to mid jan

[The PIT]

Lets see December 1.9C above average that makes it very mild. Zero air frosts the lowest temp was 0.6C  so very mild so far.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

mild for northern areas maybe, but winter not started here in the south, and I hope it won't be a mild one

[4wd]

No chance, it hasn't been widely especially mild at all.We are getting North Atlantic air for the most part with few days getting much above 10C away from the most favoured spots.

[UV-RAY]

It's nowhere near the mildest winter for some years around these parts, mostly frost free and only two light dustings of snow but temps have been around average to slightly above for most of the time.

[Polar Maritime]

Well after last year i shall wait until April.

[Summer of 95]

19 minus minimums since 17th Nov, not bad for Jan 6th, the most westerly 8 weeks of the year, mid nov to mid jan

19 air frosts???? I've only had 6- 3 each in Nov and Dec- and I'm less than 30 miles from you. Only one below -2C which is shocking for this stage in winter. 

 

This winter hasn't seen the constant streams of double digit maxima that some of those rotten 90s/00s winter months saw, what has been noticeable is the lack of low minima- countless clear nights have refused to drop below +2 or 3C for no apparent reason- and also the lack of low maxima. We've had plenty of 5-7C maxima but not even a 1 or 2, let alone a zero or below. 

[I remember Atlantic 252]

19 air frosts???? I've only had 6- 3 each in Nov and Dec- and I'm less than 30 miles from you. Only one below -2C which is shocking for this stage in winter. 

 

This winter hasn't seen the constant streams of double digit maxima that some of those rotten 90s/00s winter months saw, what has been noticeable is the lack of low minima- countless clear nights have refused to drop below +2 or 3C for no apparent reason- and also the lack of low maxima. We've had plenty of 5-7C maxima but not even a 1 or 2, let alone a zero or below. 

 

But it is only 6th January? cannot expect low minimums until Feb, my lowest -3.5C on 26th Nov

[Snowyowl9]

Lets compare 6.3cet for December so on a par with 1985... 6.3c and 1986.. 6.2 so far early days in jan yet.

To me Its actual felt cold every time I go out not mild so far with a few odd milder interludes from the south from this wind.

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

It has been, but I remember last winter being quite similar to this one so far. We was looking down the barrel of a mild January if I remember right too. Then all of a sudden, the tide turned. If no change has happened by the end of feb, then I will take my hat off to this winter and place it in the mild Hall of fame (or shame!).

[Summer of 95]

But it is only 6th January? cannot expect low minimums until Feb, my lowest -3.5C on 26th Nov

Cannot expect low mins till Feb? Christmas Day 2010 it was -12C, we had a -5 in October in 1997. 

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Cannot expect low mins till Feb? Christmas Day 2010 it was -12C, we had a -5 in October in 1997. 

 

but Feb is when there is more northern blocking, or UK highs, and less zonal westerly weather, so more chance of cold nights

 

difficult to get a cold night with default Dec to Jan pattern with strong SW winds

[damianslaw]

Maxes haven't been far off average in these parts with many days around the 5-7 degree mark. but we've also had quite a number in the 8-10 degree mark. As others have said it has been the lack of cold minima so far which has been notable - reason being far too much wind about. Many days so far should have produced a frost with mins between 0-2 degrees yet because of the wind we have ended up with 3-5 degrees. Some evening have seen temps drop notably only for the wind to pick up and prevent a frost.

 

The chances of clear still nights increase markedly as we enter the second half of the winter.

[Mapantz]

Definitely mild so far for my area. I've recorded so many 11, 12's and 13's through December, it's not surprising that daffs are popping up and other plants/shrubs are budding. :O

[Jax]

temp wise I would say it has been around the avg, just wetter and with added wind to boot being above avg.

[Richard2901]

This dire winter is most definitely on course to be one of the mildest on record. Just four December's were milder in the past 100 years here: 1924, 1934, 1971 and 1988. January so far has been even worse.

 

Due to the preponderance of southerly rather than westerly winds the mildness has been concentrated at night rather than the day. Hasn't reached 10C since mid-December but the night temps are often milder than the day with minima scarcely dropping to 2C and only two slight frosts since 7th Dec: -0.7C on the 29th and -0.5C on 5th Jan.

 

So far the mean min is closer to the long term average max than to the long term average min and is running higher than at the same stage of 1988/89. Probably the mildest for 79 years as December had the highest mean min since 1934.

 

This weekend I noticed roses blooming in the park and deciduous trees with some green leaves still on them. It's dreadful 

[March Blizzard]

There's been a real lack of notably low minima for a while now; even February and March, and to a lesser extent January last year were characterised by low maxima rather than low minima.

A far cry from the bitter nights of Jan and Dec in 2010.

A shame really, I'd take a hard frost over an ice day. Ideally both!

Edited January 6, 2014 by March Blizzard

[Cloud 10]

The surface temperature anomaly chart for December shows the UK had an average/just above average month.

 

[Jax]

A shame really, I'd take a hard frost over an ice day. Ideally both!

tut tut tut , just greedy now

[Chris K]

Mildest on record? I am not sure and will wait until the official stats roll out at the end of winter...however what happens 2nd half of Jan will sway be one direction or the other...

 

What is noticeable is the low amount of frosty nights in my area. I cannot recall more than a few since the start of December. I want to say 3 or 4 at best.

 

If this winter does turn out a snow-less winter for me, I'm hoping for much more convective activity during Spring & Summer than last year!!!

[March Blizzard]

tut tut tut , just greedy now

I'd take anything remotely wintry at the moment!

[Jax]

I'd take anything remotely wintry at the moment!

I hate the wind and rain, so wit' ya bro.