A very wet year; the second wettest on record, behind 2000. A mild winter with a notable snowy cold snap in April. After a very dry winter the quarter April-June was one of the wettest such on record. The first half of the summer (defined meteorologically as from 1 June) was probably the worst (coldest and wettest) on record. The three summer months were the wettest since 1912, with an England and Wales average of 371mm (158%). These summer months were also the dullest since 1954.

January. A mixed month. Mostly westerly, with a windy beginning. There was a severe gale across the north on the 3rd. It was anticyclonic in the middle and the end of the month, with a very cold end. It was milder than average (CET 5.4C, +1.6C, the mildest since 2008), and particularly mild in the SE; temperatures were about average in Scotland. The highest temperature of the month was 13.9C at Exeter on the 18th, and the lowest -10.9C at Aboyne on the 16th. It was quite a dry month, with an average of 66 mm (73% England and Wales average), although it was slightly wetter than average in Scotland. Loftus, North Yorkshire, saw only 19 mmm if rain. It was a sunny month, with an average of 73 hours (118%): Coleshill saw 93 hours and Lerwick just 23 hours of sunshine.

February. A very anticyclonic month with some extremes of temperature. Overall slightly colder than average. Average England and Wales rainfall was 31.0 mm, 47% of the average, the driest since 1998. Shoeburyness (Essex) saw just 6 mm in total. It was slightly less sunny than average, with 79 hours (95%), though it was the sunniest February since 1998. Northern Ireland was particularly dull, with just 44% of the average. Southampton was the sunniest place to bem with 106 hours. The month had a cold and snowy first half with some very cold days and severe frost. There was some widespread freezing rain on Thursday 9th across the west, and snow in the east. The snow was followed by a severe frost in the east, with a minimum of -15.6C at Holbeach and -18.3C at Chesham (Bucks.) on the night of the 10-11th (the lowest February minimum in England since 1986, followed by a maximum of just -5.4C at Coningsby (Lincoln) on Saturday 11th. It was much milder from the third week; just a bit later after the extreme cold temperatures, on Thursday 23rd we saw some widespread high temperatures with warm and warm sunshine, culminating in 18.7C at Coleshill (Birmingham) - failing to beat the 1998 record though. There were some very high readings coming close to the February record for Scotland on the 28th, with Aberdeen recording 17.2C.

March. Overall very warm, dry, and sunny, although sadly not record-breakingly so. It was particularly warm in eastern Scotland, where it was 3.0C above average. With a CET of 8.3C, in the last 100 years only 1938, 1948, 1957, 1990, and 1997 have been warmer. In a fine warm anticyclonic spell the new highest temperature for Scotland is reached on Sunday 25 March; 22.8C at Fyvie Castle, Aberdeen. The record lasts one day, with 23.2C reached at Cromdale, near Grantown on Spey, on Monday 26th. That record in turn lasts until the 27th, when Aboyne records 23.6C, the highest temperature anywhere in the UK in this month. The lowest temperature of the month was -8.5C at Braemar early on the 19th. Northern Ireland came close to beating its 1965 record when 21.4C was recorded on the Giant's Causeway on the 27th also. The rainfall average was 30.8 mm, just 43% of the average. It was also very dry in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Lossiemouth and Kinloss both recorded only 4.8 mm. England and Wales sunshine totalled 187 hours, 160% of average and making it the sunniest March since 1929 (1907 was also slightly higher). Southampton saw 210 hours, Lerwick just 68 hours.

April. An unusual situation in which April was significantly cooler than March. A cold, wet month. A month dominated by low pressure and winds frequently from the northerly quarter. The coldest April since 1989. The highest temperature of the month was 19.7C at Kew Gardens on the 30th, and the lowest -8.2C at Braemar early on the 5th. It reached a maximum of just +0.3C at Carter Bar in the Borders on the 3rd. There was widespread snowfall in the north on the 2nd and 3rd. Rainfall in England and Wales averaged 140.5 mm (216%); only 2000 and 1756 were wetter since records began. It was also very wet in Scotland. Liscombe (Somerset) had 290 mm. It was also a dull month, with an average of 136 hours (87%) making it the dullest April since 1998. The sunniest place to be was unusually Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, with 237, but Dyce near Aberdeen saw a new record April low sunshine total of just 71 hours for the month.

May. Overall a fairly average month. However, the first three weeks were very cold, changeable, and dull (particularly in the SE), but the month was saved by a fine, sunny, and very warm final week. The highest temperature of the month was 30.9C at Inverailort (Highland) on the 25th (a new record maximum for Scotland in May); it was also 29.3 at Achnagart (Highland) and 29.0C at Cromdale (Morayshire) on the 27th. The lowest -6.2C at Saughall (Ayshire) on the 5th. Rainfall over England and Wales averaged 58.8mm (0-%). England and Wales sunshine averaged 209 hours, 103% of the long-range (1981-2010) mean, the dullest since 2005. The sunniest place to be was Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, which saw 273 hours.

June. This month had very low average pressure; it was one of the three most cyclonic Junes on record. One of the coldest, wettest, and dullest Junes on record. It was the coldest June since 1991. The highest maximum of the month was 28.6C at Swanscombe (Kent) on the 28th in a brief warm spell at the end of the month. There was dramatic thunderstorm activity as the heat broke down on the 28th; a record 64,000 lightning strokes were recorded across the UK. There were power cuts in the NE. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee was something of a washout, with a storm uprooting trees and bringing down power lines on the 7th. The minimum at Loch Glascarnoch on the 5th was -3.5C. At Emley Moor (West Yorkshire) the maximum on the 3rd was only 6.5C. Rainfall average was 157.3 mm, 231% of average, making it the equal record wettest June with 1860. Sunshine average was just 123 hours, 64% of average, the dullest June since 1990. The sunniest place was Tiree with 167 hours; Derby saw just 69 hours and Nottingham only 72.

July. Cool, dull, and wet weather. A mostly cyclonic month. Overall the CET was just 15.5C, 1.2 beneath average. The rainfall average for England and Wales was 114mm, 171% of the average. It was also wet in Scotland. Mean sunshine was 165 hours,, 81% of the 81-10 reference period, making it the dullest July since 1998. The first half was very cool and wet. Very heavy rainfall on the 6th leading to severe flooding in the SW and parts of Scotland. The weather improved in the final week. 30.0C was recorded at several locations in the SE on 24 July; with the mini-heatwave peaking at 30.7C at London St James on the 27th. It then became unsettled again at the end of the month.

August. A wet but quite warm month (indeed along with 2009 the equal warmest since 2004), with winds often from the southerly quadrant. It was particularly warm in the SE. There was a mid August heatwave in the far SE, with 32.4C at Cavendish (Suffolk) on the 18th. The last night of the month was very cold, with Braemar recording -2.4C. The rainfall average was 93.5mm, 124% of the 1981-2010 reference average. It was wetter in the NW (especially Cumbria) and drier in the SE. It was quite a dull month, with 167 hours average total, being 86% of the reference mean. Lerwick saw just 90 hours.

September. Cool, but sunny. Mean temperatures everywhere were about 1C beneath average. The highest temperature of the month was 29.3C at Writtle (Essex) and Cambridge on the 9th, and the lowest minimum was -4.1C at Braemar on the morning of the 23rd. Overall the England and Wales rainfall was 89mm, or 108%. The first three weeks were generally dry. The 24-25th saw one of the worst September storm for 30 years, with some very heavy rain and widespread flooding. In this period 131mm of rain fell at Ravensworth (North Yorkshire). Sunshine totalled 171 hours (118% of the 81-10 mean), making it the 12th sunniest in the last century.

October. A very wet, cold, and dull month (the coldest since 2003, the wettest since 2005, and the dullest since 2009). It was particularly cold in northern and eastern Scotland. The highest temperature of the month was 19.2C at Langdon Bay, near Dover, on the 22nd, and the lowest -7.8C at Braemar early on the 17th. England and Wales rainfall was 124 mm, or120% of the 1981-2010 average. Sunshine averaged 101 hours, 90% of the average.

November. Slightly cooler and wetter than average overall. The month had a cool unsettled start; it then became anticyclonic and mild until the 14th. The period 19-26th was exceptionally wet with widespread flooding, landslides, and disruption. The end of the month was cool and dry with patchy snow. Some parts of the country from Devon through the Midlands to Humberside were particularly wet. The highest temperature of the month was 16.4C at Kew on the 13th, and the lowest -7.3C at Braemar early on the 29th. The highest daily rainfall total was 88.4 mm at Holne (Devon) on the 24th.

December. A very cyclonic month, and as a consequence a very wet month; the sixth wettest in the last century. The England and Wales rainfall total was 171.8 mm (177% of the long-term 81-10 average), making it the wettest since 1978. 90.00 mm fell at Tyndrum on the 20th. The SW was particularly affected by flooding. Overall temperatures though were very close to normal after a relatively cold start. The highest temperature of the month was 14.1C at Exeter on the 22nd, and the lowest -12.9C at Braemar on the 6th. The maximum at Braemar on the 11th was just -3.8C. As is often the case with very wet winter months, it was also relatively sunny, with 115% of the long-term mean in England and Wales, making it the sunniest December since 2009.