During the first 10 days of December there were spells of wet and windy weather as a series of Lows moved across the UK. On the 7th and 8th one such Low was the named storm "Barra" which brought gales across the UK including SW England. Brief transient ridges and colder northly winds, between the Lows, caused the coldest temperatures of the month. After the 10th, High pressure developed over England, resulting in a dry period lasting for about 10 days. During this period skies were often cloudy and despite a period of easterly winds temperatures only reduced slowly so that the district remained frost free. Low pressure then displaced the High, returning unsettled weather to the district for the remainder of December. Christmas in particular was a very wet and extremely dull day. Strong and gusty SW winds brought exceptionally mild air from the Azores and Canaries across England which produced new record high temperature values for the end of December.
In terms of statistics (30 year averages 1981 to 2010):
