December 2015 smashed the all-time rainfall record in the United Kingdom. It was the wettest month ever recorded in the UK, with almost twice as much rain as normal.
Back to back storms like Desmond, Eva and Frank brought devastating floods to most parts of the United Kingdom. So much so that December received 230 mm of rain, leaving behind the previous record of 215.7 mm set in November 2009.
Previously, the wettest December on record was in 1929. The United Kingdom had received 213 mm of rain against the monthly average of 120.2 mm.
Both Scotland and Wales received more than twice the average rainfall for December, smashing any previous records. On the other hand, North west England saw the wettest December on record.
It was predicted way back in 1990 that global warming could mean wetter and warmer winters for the UK. It is believed that the flooding caused in Cumbria by Storm Desmond, was made 40% more likely by climate change.
Latest stats show that December 2015 was the wettest calendar month ever in our records dating back to 1910 pic.twitter.com/rcAk9lLGj8
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 5, 2016
Temperatures in UK
Just as December downpours pushed 2015 into the record books as the sixth wettest year ever, the month also earned the title of being the warmest December on record. The mean temperatures were about 4.1°C above the long-term average and touched 7.9°C. It was undoubtedly the warmest December since records began in the year 1910.
Featured image credit - BBC
Main Image credit - irishexaminer.com
