The thaw started on the 5th. The maximum temperature was 43F that day. Thick fog was recorded on the morning of the 6th, but it dispersed by early afternoon. Then came a very dull spell between the 5th and the 11th, when only 1.3 hours of sunshine was recorded. However the weather remained dry, apart from drizzle on the 7th. The 12th was fine and mild after morning fog had lifted, but nondescript for the next two days. There was a mild spell between the 12th and 14th, as 50F was recorded twice, and 52F once.

Only five millimetres of rain fell during the first sixteen days, but the weather was mild, but stormy, unsettled and wet after the 17th. Rain fell on the morning of the 18th, and though the 19th was sunny, strong winds were recorded on the morning of the 20th. There was a fine day on the 22nd, but both the 25th and 26th were both wet. Heavy rain fell on the 26th.

The most remarkable feature of the final days of the month was the storm on the night of the 28th. There was loss of life in County Donegal. Gusts of 50mph were recorded here and a gust of 135mph was recorded in Scotland. The maximum temperature was 56F though on the 28th, the highest of the month and the temperature didn't fall below 47F on the night of the 28th/29th. The 29th was quiet in contrast with sunny spells, but the final two days of January were unsettled.

January 2002 was a very mild month despite the very cold start. It was the mildest January recorded since 1993, but it was also the dullest recorded since 1997. Rainfall was below average for the second successive January. Fog was frequent in the anticyclonic first half of the month, but absent in the unsettled and mild second.

Kevin Phillips - 7.30pm - Monday 4th February 2002.