Hydrological Summary

April was dominated by anticyclonic conditions and was, for most of the UK, largely dry, warm and sunny; the sunniest April on record (from 1929) for the UK. The fine spring weather was bookended by cool and unsettled spells in the first and final weeks, and north-western areas experienced a stormy interlude mid-month. Overall however, April was warmer than average and saw some very warm spells. With climbing evapotranspiration rates, and much of southern Britain receiving little appreciable rainfall, soil moisture deficits (SMDs) increased markedly above the late April average.

Considered at the national scale, weather conditions in February (although exceptionally sunny) were typical of the late winter but the spatial and temporal variations in rainfall amounts were substantial – reflecting the preferred paths taken by the rain-bearing frontal systems. Generally river flows continued their late January recessions during early February with frozen catchments contributing to relatively depressed flow rates.

For the UK as a whole, temperature and rainfall for December were near-average, but there were marked spatial contrasts and a wide range of weather conditions throughout the month. Westerly airflows brought strong winds and some heavy rain and snowfalls, resulting in a wet December for the north-west, while in southern and eastern areas it was generally dry and sunshine was well-above average.

November was a damp and dull month, the dullest November since 2004 for the UK. Temperatures were mild for the time of year, particularly during the first half of the month, contributing to mean January-November temperatures that rank 2014 as the warmest on record for the Central England Temperature series back to 1659.

The Hydrological Summary is available here.