Highs and lows of 2013’s weather

With the chapter in the weather annuals for 2013 now closed, the Met Office has been doing its sums and has worked out how last year turned out compared to average.

In comparison to 1981-2010 average, the mean temperature was 0.1C below normal, rainfall was 94 per cent of average and sunshine was 4 per cent higher than usual.

There were of course regional variations embellished within these figures, but more importantly, there were some significant highs and lows through the year which would cast aside what the annual figures would lead you to believe.

I thought I’d take a look back through 2013 and dig out some of the reports that captured everything that last year had to offer.

January snow

Following a mild start to 2013, the weather turned much colder mid-month, with much of the country blanketed in snow, leading to significant disruption.

Coldest spring in 50 years

Spring 2013 was the coldest that the UK had experienced since 1962, with heavy snowfall and strong winds causing severe drifts.

Transport was badly affected and farmers struggled to recover livestock buried in deep snow drifts.

Warmest summer since 2006

After years of disappointingly wet summers, summer 2013 finally came up trumps – delivering a prolonged heatwave that lasted around 20 days.

St Jude’s day storm

A vigorous storm hit southern parts of the UK early on the 28 October, with damaging gusts of wind. Four people were killed in south east England, 600,000 homes were left without power and train services suspended.

December storms

A powerful jet stream five miles above the Atlantic ocean delivered storm after storm across the UK, bringing widespread disruption and flooding.

If you have any particular weather memories from 2013, get in touch on Twitter – @liamdutton