Yes, it’s worse than last December. Just beyond awful. Last December did not feature incessant rain and storms - that was the first third of January. Only the last week, or so, of December 2015 was wet and that was punctuated by sunny days, so far preferable to the incessant gloom being endured at the moment. The first half of last December was dull and very mild, but dry. This month has been the same but even milder and duller.
Today was the most depressing start yet with thick murk and drizzle first thing accompanied by a moderate to strong SE wind and a temp of 9C. All the boxes ticked under the heading of ‘Winter Filth’. It’s like winter weather on Bodmin Moor not the NE of Scotland.
Here’s my data for the first fortnight of December 2016 with 1st-14th December 2015 figures in brackets:
Mean Max: 8.4 (7.8)
Mean Min: 3.7 (3.0)
Mean: 6.1 (5.4)
Air Frosts: 1 (1)
Snow Falling: 0 (1)
Snow Lying: 0 (1)
Sunshine: 16.6hrs (23.1hrs)
Rainfall: 14.6mm (27.4mm)
Essentially it’s the same as 2013 and 2015, and in both cases the weather got even more repulsive into January with ZERO spells of decent winter weather in either season and there is no reason to assume the same won’t happen again. It’s going to need a big turnaround for this not to end up as the worst winter month, in my 11-year records, for cold as well as the worst for lack of sun.
Getting these conditions two years on the trot, as well as in 2013, is the equivalent, at the other end of the scale, to getting three December 2010’s in four years. That would never happen as, like I’ve said so many times, we are living in the worst era for weather in recorded history where we have to suffer a glut of utter garbage that is never balanced out by the equivalent at the other end of the spectrum
Originally Posted by: richardabdn
Interesting stats! Another horrible day here too....but 13c instead of 14c for a change but there was still a spit of drizzle in the air but so dully and murky and just gloomy. Mild too! So unseasonal. Nothing really to report. Lack of cold or extreme - same old and so much for the colder pattern returning from mid-month - looks like next week we will see a change from mild and overcast and duller to mild and unsettled! We have had almost a week of 13 to 14c even 15c by day and night with little or no change. Spits of rain or drizzle bore and can frustrate many people. It's just on and off. If it's going to rain then let it rain and heavy (no floods). It's like we are stuck in the rut'? have I used this term right?
I remember when I lived in Calgary back in 2005 there were countless days of -18c where it would just be light snow crystals and flakes followed by flurries or snow grains but no substantial snowfall - Only dustings totalling 0.5cm, but then again there would be a Chinook wind and temperatures would rise and the sun would come out and -5c felt pleasant.
The lack of extreme, be it cold, snow, frost or general weather is getting to me - Forecasters must feel bored forecasting the same old.
Simon Keeling not only got the dates wrong but he did mention sleet and snow at least 4 times. - The fact is neither will materialise looking at the models - even all those hints of blocking and easterlies as seen in Gav Christmas updates with a good 7/10 which favoured drier or colder than average conditions - one or two with severe easterlies! NOW look all incorrect because it would be wetter and windier now. Obviously not Gavin's fault but out of all those charts and updates showing so many cold options and setups it's so frustrating not to have one cold spell in a winter month...that's all we need is just one but instead we have a flip for the worse. - Mild, wet and windy! YUCK! 
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/reports/month-ahead.htm
My friend has gone to Atlanta, Georgia - they are expecting clear and cold conditions with -5c tomorrow night and a daytime max of +4c with frost early morning and late and just two days later they will get temperatures of 18c with thunderstorms and the following day temperatures will fall back to a maximum of +6c with some rain and sleet!
See the difference and how much more volatile and interesting the weather is over there?
Obviously, I know why! But still.
I was just speaking to a friend in Istanbul - there has been snow there and Ankara has had -13c and there has been snow there too and daytime maxes of -3c. This is the worst climate to be in if you want anything interesting. I thought the weather in Vancouver was very boring and overcast - same for Cork, Ireland but this really tops it so far.
Home Location - Kellands Lane, Okehampton, Devon (200m ASL)
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Sean Moon
Magical Moon
www.magical-moon.com