Despite a cooler end, December 2025 will be remembered for it’s persistent spells of wind, rain and warmth.
On 9/10th Dec, Storm Bram (4th name of 2025/26 season) swept past. While generating the usual strong winds and heavy rains, probably the most notable aspect of this particular storm is the unusually warm air air pulled up from the subtropics which produced countless ‘All-time record December highs’.
Magilligan, Co Londonderry hit 16.3C which marked Northern Ireland’s warmest for December since 2000 and not far from the national record of 16.7C set at Ballykelly in 1948.
Edinburgh witnessed it’s warmest December day with the Gogarbank station recording 16.6C. This breaks a near 80-year record of 16.1C recorded at the Botanic Gardens in 1948.
ALL-TIME DECEMBER HIGHS SET ON 9TH
SCOTLAND
16.5 Edinburgh, 15.5 Drumnadrochit, 15.4 Strathallan, 15.3 Prestwick Gannet, 14.9 Auchencruive 14.9 Dunstaffnage, 14.4 Aviemore, 13.9 Tulloch Bridge, 13.9 Threave, 13.8 Drumalbin, 13.2 Salburgh, 12.9 Dalwhinnie, 12.5 Dundrennan
ENGLAND
16.8 Carlisle, 16.2 Keswick, 16.2 Normanby Hall 15.6 Crosby (ties 2015), 15.6 Shawbury, 15.2 Morecambe No 2 (ties 2015), 14.5 Warcop Range, 14.0 Kielder Castle, 14.0 Blencathra, 13.9 St Bees Head, 13.6 Spadeadam, 13.6 Shap (ties x2 2015)
NORTHERN IRELAND
14.7 Portglenone, 14.4 Ballypatrick Forest (ties 2016), 13.7 Altnahinch Filters,
WALES
16.3 Rhyl No 2, 15.2 Capel Curig No 2
The high of 16.3C at Magilligan, Co Londonderry was Northern Ireland’s first 16C day for December since 2000.
Just days following Storm Bram, further lows whistled on by with further 70+mph winds, warmth and 100+mm of rain, exasperating the flood situation in parts of England, Wales and Ireland.
Thanks to a setup known as an atmospheric conveyor with connection between Caribbean and W UK, rainfall was relentless starting in West Highland and drifting south to Cumbria, eventually S Wales and Midlands.
Notoriously wet Honister Pass, Cumbria reported 282.2mm within 24 hours and 360mm within 48 hrs.
Though an impressive 2-day total, it’s not quite as wet as the 341mm which fell in a 24-hour period at Honister on 4-5th Dec 2015.
The UK 48 hour rainfall record is 405mm at Thirlmere, Cumbria in 2015.
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