19th  -8.2ºC
20th  -7.4ºC
21st   0.8ºC
22nd -0.6ºC
23rd  -2.7ºC
24th  -5.0ºC
25th  -9.1ºC

It has been very difficult to get about safely especially if you are trying to walk on the pavements. There have been a number of accidents as people slip and slide about while trying to carry on a normal life, so a thaw would be appreciated.

Apparently, the roads around Wrington will remain untreated, so we will have no bus services until it warms up (and who knows when that will happen).

Lowest temperatures last week:

12th -1.4ºC
13th -2.7ºC
14th -2.9ºC
15th -2.8ºC
16th -5.1ºC
17th -4.3ºC
18th -8.3ºC

As you can see, in the last week it has got colder as the week progressed, but not all is doom and gloom. What a beautiful day on Saturday with clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine, and the shortest day is nearly here so we will gradually get longer hours of daylight. More snow next week though!

5th   -7.1ºC
6th   -2.4ºC
7th   -5.3ºC
8th   -5.2ºC
9th   -7.3ºC
10th -1.1ºC
11th -0.7ºC

Getting a little warmer towards the end of the week, but it still feels pretty cold to me, especially with a breeze blowing. There doesn't seem to be any likliehood of any real change yet.

28th   -6.2ºC
29th   -7.4ºC
30th   -4.4ºC
  1st   -1.9ºC
 2nd   -.7ºC
  3rd   -5.8ºC
  4th     0.1ºC

Although our enduring memory of November 2010 will be of snow and frost; it actually rained for the first 15 days followed by another 3 days later, giving a respectable total of 109.5mm. But it was the frost which caused the problems for anyone who needed to get out and about.

December has continued the cold theme, which isn't unusual for a month which, over the last 20 years has produced frost, fog, gales and even snow (once - but not on Christmas day). In the last 20 years the 25th has been wet(12) frosty (1) dry (7, 3 of which were sunny) and it's usually mild.

The average rain for December is 124mm over 10 years, and 119mm over 20 years. 1993 was the wettest with 210mm on 27 days, and the driest was 2001 with 30mm on 4 days.

At least there is something to look forward to this month (apart from the obvious): the shortest day is on the 21st and then days will get longer again.

22nd -2.1ºC
23rd -2.4ºC
24th -3.2ºC
25th -4.4ºC
26th -3.2ºC
27th -5.1ºC

We've also had very cold days with temperatures not getting much above zero on a couple of times, but at least no snow yet, unlike Scotland and Northern England!

October

Another month with below average rainfall ( the tenth in the last eleven ) with only 100mm. I have just worked out the deficit in rainfall using the 10 year monthly average and up to the end of October it is 257mm.

That is going to take a lot of rain to catch up, preferably before next summer, very unlikely I think. Blagdon Lake is exceptionally low, I can't remember seeing it as low even in 1995-'96.

Average for November is 140mm over 10 years and 137mm over 20 years. The wettest November was 2009 when it rained on 27 days, 239mm in all and I expect most people can still remember it. The driest was 2001 with 65mm on 12 days.

The last cold November was 2005 with frost on 14 consecutive mornings, but usually November is mild and damp. Some fog is possible but I have no records of snow this month although high winds are likely. Now we've altered the clocks I'm waiting for the shortest day with its promise of spring.

Some lovely Autumn weather to start the week, although a cold North East wind. Wednesday was particularly good with a cloudless blue sky but we paid later as the temperature had dropped to freezing by bedtime and it was a very cold night.

Thursday was very cold in the morning, slightly warmer when it rained. Then more rain on Friday and Saturday. Total for the week was 31mm.

September

Once again below average rainfall with only 61.5mm. Not the best September we've had, but not too bad. We did have some spells of sunshine, sometimes only a day or two, and a whole week in the middle of the month with really summery weather. By the end of the month it had become much cooler and wetter, ready for October

The wettest October was in 2000 with 191mm and the driest 1995 with 62mm. The average over 10 years is 137mm and over 29 years is 121mm, so you can see we expect to have quite a lot more rain in the coming month.

This is also a likely time for gales or spells of very high winds, but I've no record of really cold weather. Possibly the odd morning frost, but it should soon clear and with the clocks changing at the end of the month, this is the run up to winter.

17mm of rain on 2 days Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday seems to be the wettest day of the week so far. Very good Autumn colour developing, especially Acers. If it remains fairly dry for another couple of weeks, there should be a good display - time for a trip to Westonbirt Arboretum perhaps?

A dry week with light, mainly East winds (which is unusual) reasonable temperatures during the day once the sun had broken through, but quite chilly at night.

August

With 176.5mm, August nearly matched 1997's total and passed 2008. It rained on 16 days, with 42mm on the 25th, making it the wettest day since 11th January 2008 when we had 49mm.

On to September ' Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' - supposedly, but I'm not sure. Every so often we have a very poor September and I think this is going to be one of those.

Averages for this month are 71mm over the last 10 years and 80mm over 20 years, so again only a slight difference. The wettest September was in 2000 with 182mm and the driest 2003 with only20.5mm when it rained on 4 days.

I can find no record of any frost in September but, of course, there is always a first time. Personally I think its highly unlikely for our area, whatever people hear on the forecast!

August

The average rainfall over the last 10 and 20 years is 87mm with a high of 179mm in '97 after rain on only 8 days - 4 at the start of the month and 4 at the end when we had 110mm. Much worse in my view was 2008 when we had 175.5mm but it rained on 27 days - we dont want that again! The driest August was '95 with only 9mm.

As we have had such a dry period, we could do with some rain but I think it's already too late for some crops, so we'll still be suffering the after effects this winter. August is always a variable month anyway, not as good weatherwise as June and July but perhaps this year it will be dry and sunny.

17mm of rain fell on Wednesday, but we don’t want too big a change in the weather yet. Half term next week and I know some people will be taking a break, so some nice dry warm weather would be appreciated by us all.

Another dry month with rain on 7 days, a total of 33.5mm. Not the driest we've had, but fairly close. It does make me wonder how wet the summer is going to be!

The average rainfall for May is 99mm over the last 10 years and 78mm over the last 20 years. May was exceptionally dry in 1990, '91 and '92 - 8.5mm, 9mm and 39mm respectively. The wettest May was in 2006 with 156.5mm when it rained on 18 days.

Whereas April seems to have got drier (not since 2004 has it had more than 100mm) May seems to be getting wetter, but overall by the end of the year the amount doesn't vary very much.

No rain at all and we're half way through April, I hope this doesn't mean another wet July like last year. We could do with some rain now to help the seedlings along at the allotment. Still the same cold wind but now it's not just cold, it's pushing along massive amounts of volcanic dust which has caused a complete shut down of airports for safety reasons; it does mean it's quieter though.

We now have hyacinths and tulips, to join the anemones and daffodils already out. Also the early and late tulips are out together which means later there will be nothing - so much for planning.

March was the coldest we have had for many years, with frost for more than half the month and only 58mm of rain for the entire month, all falling in the last 2 weeks, well below average again.

The total winter rainfall, from October '09 to the end of March '10 is 613mm, thanks in part to the very wet November we had - the only month to exceed its average. The last time Jan/Feb/March were as dry was in 1997.

The average for April is 83mm over 10 years and 77mm over 20 years. The highest total rainfall was 183mm in 2000 and the lowest 16mm in 1997 when it rained on only 3 days.

A total of 55.5mm of rain, so below average, but that doesn't count the amount of water that fell as snow.

18 mornings when temperatures were below zero; the lowest was -11.7ºC on the 7th. The first two weeks of January gave us some exeptionally cold weather with variable amounts of snow depending on where you were. Probably the worst weather since 1987 (although it took longer to clear then).

The rest of the month was the usual January weather, cold, damp and cloudy most of the time, with more frosty mornings from the 21st until the end of the month.

February's average rainfall over 10 years is 83mm, with a low of 37.5mm in 2009 and a high of 155.5mm in 2007 - our highest February rainfall for 18 years. The average over 20 years is 73mm, with a low of 11mm in '98 (when it only rained on 1 day). The difference is mainly due to 4 dry Februarys in 1991, '92, '93 and '98.

We often have some of our coldest weather this month with frequent frosts and it is the most likely month for snow, but it is the shortest month and when it's over we can start looking forward to spring.

Mon night/ Tues morning      -3.2ºC
Friday night/ Sat morning     -2.5ºC
Saturday night/ Sun morning 5.5ºC

These were the lowest temperatures during the last week., and with February starting on Monday I don't have much hope for warmer weather for a while yet.

Did anyone see the brilliant full moon on Saturday night ? It was spectacular and with no clouds in sight, almost as bright as daylight.

In spite of the bad weather we've had, the early snowdrops are fully out in our garden. I don't know what variety they are, but they are always in bloom in early January and as the snow melted, there they were.

Temperatures - Sunday: -1.7ºC, Monday: - 0.7ºC, Tuesday: -1.2ºC, and Wednesday: -0.3ºC The snow was quite heavy, but as it became warmer it soon melted away, taking the rest of the first lot with it, apart from the odd bit in shady corners. 25mm of rain in 3 days and although it is warmer we'll need our coats for a while yet.

I can measure temperature though, using several electronic sensors which send signals back to a base unit in the porch, allowing us to check what's going on without having to step outside. These are the minimum temperatures for the last 7 days;

Sunday           -7ºC
Monday       -6.6ºC
Tuesday      -9.6ºC
Wednesday 3.9ºC
Thursday   -11.7ºC
Friday        -11.1ºC
Saturday      -3.3ºC

These are early morning readings, usually just as it's getting light, invariably this is when the lowest temperature occurs.

This system is very interesting as you can check anytime, and it is fascinating to see the variation over a period of time, as it doesn't move steadily as you would expect, but up and down - some times in a few minutes in little hops and jumps.