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UK’s 2nd Coldest Start To December In 100 Years
At the beginning of the month, there was an amazing cold spell of weather here in the United Kingdom. If it weren't for the high cost of fuel, then I would have enjoyed it more.
It turned out to be 2nd coldest first half of December in 100 years, and the 4th coldest since records began in the 16th century.
This cold spell started on the 4th and ended on the 18th of December. It was remarkable seeing that before December, every month in 2022 has been warmer than the long-term average. And not by a small amount. This uses the Central England Temperature (CET) series, which goes back to 1656. Despite December, the year 2022 looks like it will end up above 11c, making it the first year over 11 and hence the warmest ever year recorded since 1656.
The cold spell lasted 12 days, though not everywhere got snow. You can see from the satellite picture below the areas that got a covering. Places in the centre of the UK didnt get any. This might be the only cold spell of the entire winter of 2022 to 2023, as the long-term computer models are…