UK deep freeze to continue into first week of February after sunny January

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/01/uk-freezing-temperatures-continue-february

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Freezing temperatures are expected to continue into the coming week as a hangover from a dry January, that was the sunniest in more than 10 years.

The Met Office has issued cold weather warnings for most of the UK for the first week of February and figures showed January 2015 was the coldest since 2013.

Forecaster MeteoGroup said January sunshine in England and Wales averaged 75 hours, making it the sunniest since 2003, with only three Januarys in the past 100 years seeing more rays.

Scotland, in contrast, had average hours of sunshine for the first month of the year at 46, while Northern Ireland totalled 50 hours – just above average.

While the end of the month brought “thundersnow”, icy roads and widespread travel disruption, forecasters said there was a notably mild spell from 5 – 14 January, before turning colder in the third week and over the past few days. The lowest average minimum temperature was recorded as -8.3C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

Rainfall in England and Wales across the month was at its lowest since 2013 at 95mm (3.7in), although Scotland was significantly wetter than usual, as 162mm (6.4in) of rain fell – 167% of the average. Looking ahead, most areas of the UK will be dry but windy, meaning conditions will feel colder.

George Goodfellow, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: “Temperatures are looking widely low single figures, with really strong north-westerly winds making wind chill a factor. There will be some quite cold nights with sub-zero temperatures.

“We are expecting a lot of places could be dry but there may be some showers on the east coast and the north, which could get icy.”

Met Office amber warnings are in place across much of northern England with more snow and cold weather predicted until Thursday and gusts of up to 60 and 70mph in some places. Heavy snow was expected to settle in highland areas of northern Scotland by as much as 250mm (10in).

The alert read: “Colder conditions will arrive from the north during this coming weekend. The cold accentuated by strong winds at times. Snow showers will affect a number of areas through this period. More sheltered southern areas of England will see fewer showers.

“Overnight frosts will give icy stretches on untreated surfaces, with the possibility of widespread ice. Less cold conditions might develop later next week.” It warned the public to take care on the roads during the period.