Global temp & precip anomaly for January 2026
Europe
UK Stats/Highlights
MET OFFICE: Northern Ireland sees wettest January in 149 years as 2026 gets off to a wet and windy start
January 2026 was a notably unsettled month for many across the UK, with persistent spells of heavy rain and strong winds.
Provisional Met Office statistics show that Northern Ireland experienced its wettest January in 149 years – and second wettest on record – while southern England also recorded its sixth wettest January since the series began in 1836. The UK overall saw above-average rainfall, slightly below-average temperatures, and sunshine levels close to average for the month.
A very wet month for many
Rain fell frequently throughout January as a series of Atlantic low-pressure systems brought repeated rounds of wet and windy weather. This came off the back of above-average rainfall in both November and December, meaning the ground was already sensitive to rainfall.
Storms Goretti, Ingrid and Chandra each contributed to a month dominated by saturated ground, flooding and unsettled conditions. Some communities continue recovery operations as February begins, with warnings for rainfall and snow in the current forecast and another unsettled week ahead.
Met Office science manager Dr Amy Doherty said: “January has been exceptionally wet because we’ve seen a very persistent Atlantic weather pattern. A strong jet stream has repeatedly steered low-pressure systems towards the UK, bringing frequent spells of rain and wind. With little opportunity for drier conditions in between, the ground has become saturated, so even moderate rainfall has had a greater impact. This succession of Atlantic systems is the main reason rainfall totals this month are well above average for many areas.”
Overall, the UK recorded 17% more rainfall than the long-term meteorological average for January. Northern Ireland recorded 70% more than its January average, making it the second wettest January since the series began in 1836 and the wettest in 149 years, surpassed only by January 1877.
England was also very wet, with the nation recording 50% more rainfall than average. There was a clear north–south divide, with northern England recording 10% more than average, while southern England saw 74% more rainfall than average. This made January the sixth wettest on record for southern England. Scotland was the only nation to record below-average rainfall, with 87% of its average, but with strong regional variation – eastern Scotland saw 48% more rainfall than average, while northern and western Scotland saw below-average rainfall.
At county level, Cornwall and County Down experienced their wettest January on record, with County Londonderry, Dorset, Kincardineshire, Angus, Hampshire, Devon and Surrey all recording their second wettest January since 1836.
A number of UK sites broke their daily rainfall records during the month, with the most notable day for this on 26 January, during Storm Chandra. Katesbridge in County Down recorded 100.8 mm of rain, far surpassing the previous site record of 38.2 mm from 2005. Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon reached 52.8 mm, while Hurn in Dorset, Cardinham in Cornwall and Plymouth Mountbatten in Devon all exceeded their previous daily records.
READ: Why has it been so rainy? When will the rain ease?
Below-average temperatures, with snow and storms
January began with a spell of cold weather as an Arctic airmass moved south, bringing snow, frost, ice and freezing fog to some. Then followed Storm Goretti, named by Météo France, bringing damaging winds to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and leading to the first red wind warning of 2026, along with widespread lying snow across Wales, parts of the West Midlands and the South Pennines.
Temperatures rose during the second half of the month, but the UK’s mean temperature for January finished at 0.5°C below average.
Storm Ingrid, named by the Portuguese national weather service, brought more wet and windy weather towards the end of the month before Storm Chandra, named by the Met Office, arrived on 26 January, bringing further heavy rain and strong winds to the southwest of England before pushing northwards and delivering exceptionally heavy rain across Northern Ireland.
January 2026 figures across the country
January 2026 Monthly Weather Report
Highest Maximum 13.6°C on 11th at Bude (Cornwall, 15mAMSL)
also on 18th at Charlwood (Surrey, 67mAMSL)
Lowest Maximum -5.7°C on 8th at Balmoral (Aberdeenshire, 283mAMSL)
Highest Minimum 11.2°C on 12th at Scilly: St Marys Airport (Isles Of Scilly, 31mAMSL)
Lowest Minimum -14.7°C on 8th at Tomintoul No 6 (Banffshire, 320mAMSL)
also on 9th at Tomintoul No 6 (Banffshire, 320mAMSL)
Lowest Grass Minimum -17.7°C on 6th at Marham (Norfolk, 21mAMSL)
Most Rainfall 131.6mm on 10th at Skye: Alltdearg House (Inverness-shire, 55mAMSL)
Most Sunshine 7.5hr on 4th at Manston (Kent, 49mAMSL)
also on 17th at Tenby (Dyfed, 13mAMSL)
Highest Gust 86Kt 99mph on 8th at Scilly: St Marys Airport (Isles Of Scilly, 31mAMSL)
Highest Gust (mountain*) 113Kt 130mph on 27th at Cairngorm Summit (Inverness-shire, 1237mAMSL)
Greatest Snow Depth at 0900 UTC 52cm on 4th at Tomintoul No 6 (Banffshire, 320mAMSL)
also on 5th at Tomintoul No 6 (Banffshire, 320mAMSL)
also on 6th at Oyne No 2 (Aberdeenshire, 116mAMSL)
9 Out of 10: A Good January Prediction
The Verdict
I have to say I’m struggling with timing. Does this cold hold longer or depart earlier? I shall stand by my winter forecast (decent shout for Dec) for an average to COLDER than average January for most of Europe including UK & Ireland… However, a cold or very cold first half I believe will be replaced by a milder mid to late month…
My January 2026 Stats
My Monthly Europe Summary
While December 2025 will be remembered as a very mild month with notably wet start, it ended colder and drier with a highly active Atlantic pattern switching to blocked. The cold opening 10 days of 2026 was opposite of much of the previous month.
While temperatures weren’t exceptional, they were notable and snowfall equally so, especially over Northern UK and across the continent. There was a powerful storm thrown in too!
Widespread snow and cold delivered Europe’s greatest snow cover since January 2019.
Europe was cold except for southern Iberia, Balkans and western Turkey.
The opening days of January saw brisk NNW winds drive frequent snow showers across the N Highlands & Grampian resulting in inland areas widely buried under 6-12″ of snow. Days of frequent, wind driven convective snow showers built depths of 52cm at Tomintoul, Moray and Oyne, Aberdeenshire while Loch Glascarnoch measured around 35cm and Altnaharra 30cm.
13cm lay here at the house and thanks to persistent cold temps, it remained solid for 10 consecutive days setting a new record here.
Even Aberdeen city observed 38cm with 11cm accumulating within 1.5 hours.
There was several sites from Sutherland to Suffolk which observed minus double digit mins on a few nights.
Tomintoul, Moray recorded a low of -14.7C early Thursday 8 January marking the UK’s lowest of the season so far.
Marham, Suffolk took the England cold crown with -12.5C.
Places which fell to or below -10C.
-11.2 Dalwhinnie, -10.8 Eskdalemuir, -10.7 Tulloch Br, -10.0 Santon Downham, -10.0 Topcliffe.
With highly disruptive snowfall affecting several major cities including Warsaw, Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris deep into France including the Atlantic coast, some 70 to 80% of Europe turned white.
Near whiteout conditions on the A32 highway in Friesland, Netherlands on 5th January.
This marked the continent’s greatest snow coverage since January 2019 and 4th highest in 20 years.
Worldwide snow cover on 6th January.
This image captures a pretty rare ‘White France’.
Ice skating on the Dutch canals and even ice breakers have been deployed to keep the major freight routes open.
Paris, France observed 10cm of lying snow, the most at the main Montsouris site site February 2018.
Series of strong storms to end January
Storm Goretti Slams SW Britain and Northern France
A gust of 99 mph was reported at St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly setting a new record while gusts as high as 90 mph we’re reported at a few spots in Cornwall with quite widespread disruption to power and structural damage.
The strongest gusts affected N France.
The month ended with further strong storms riding a south displaced track. Hot on the heels of Goretti, SW England succumbed to further disruptive winds but more notably flooding rains from Storm Chandra which also affected other parts of not only England and Wales but the Rep of Ireland and Northern Ireland which brought record 24-hour rainfall.
Storm Joseph and Kristin became destructive wind makers through the Azores and particularly Iberia.
Widespread damage occurred along the coast and higher terrain of Portugal with Kristin but a gust of 208.8 kph or 129 mph was recorded at Soure station (Coimbra district) setting a new national wind record.
Global Highlights for January 2026
Full Credit for below Stats/Info: Extreme Temperatures Around The World, Thierry Goose + Others!
Extreme Turkey contrasts…
Record 2nd Straight Winter With Accumulating SNOW In Florida
Minsk, Belarus, 7-day straight days below -20C coldest January since 2010.
With an average temperature of -9.6°C, #Vilnius in #Lituanie experienced an exceptionally cold month: about 6°C below seasonal normals. This January 2026 ranks 6th among the coldest Januarys since 1934. There has been no thaw since January 3. No #thaw is forecast until February 15.
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