Parts of UK see 'double rainfall'

A large area from East Devon to Kent and inland across parts of the Midlands has already seen twice the average rainfall for the month, figures show
30 January 2014

Parts of southern England have seen the wettest January since records began in 1910, statistics from the Met Office show.

A large area from East Devon to Kent and inland across parts of the Midlands has already seen twice the average rainfall for the month.

South east and central southern England has received more than twice its average rainfall - with 175.2mm between January 1 and 28.

This beats the previous record of 158.2mm set in January 1988.

The rainfall across south west England and south Wales reached 222.6mm in the same period - making January 2014 the fifth wettest on record and the wettest since 1995, when 224.4mm fell.

The wettest January on record in this region was in 1948, when 244.3mm of rain was recorded.

A spokesman for the Met Office said the UK as a whole had seen a large amount of rain in January.

"For the UK as a whole, 164.6 mm of rain has fallen so far this month, 35% above the long-term average, with all nations having above average rainfall," he said.

"We have seen quite a contrast from south to north across the UK, with northern Scotland having received 85% of its long-term average rainfall so far this month, a sharp contrast to the 200% over southern England."

But the spokesman said the wet weather had been accompanied by milder temperatures.

The mean temperature across the UK up to January 28 was 4.9C, 1.2C above average.

"Looking at the winter season so far, the whole of the UK is on target for a wetter than average winter," he added.

"The main reason for the mild and wet weather so far is that we have seen a predominance of west and south-west winds, bringing in mild air from the Atlantic - as well as the unsettled and at times stormy conditions."

South east and central southern England is already seeing its 6th wettest winter since 1910 and the wettest weather since 1995, when 369.7mm of rainfall was recorded.

The wettest winter on record was in 1915 with 437.1mm of rainfall.

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