Winter failed to put in any meaningful appearance in January, according to readings taken at Laurieston.
The month proved to be exceptionally mild with the average temperature of 5.7C – a full three degrees above normal.
Unusually, the prolonged balmy conditions were not accompanied by long rainy spells.
It proved to be the opposite when just 92.7mm (3.6ins) fell.
That compared with an expected 150mm – 40 per cent less than usual.
Another rare feature was that the month as a whole was a degree warmer than December – normally it’s the other way around.
Resident atmospheric meteorologist Geoff Monk said: “In January the westerly winds have just continued and look as if they are going to continue.
“The month is near the top of the warmest we have ever had.
“The strange thing was that January was not a particularly wet month.
“Usually a mild month means south-westerly winds and rain most days.
“But this time the winds were westerly and pressure remained fairly high.”
January 2022 maximum temperatures averaged out at 8.1C while the mean minimum over the month was 3.3C.
Just five air frosts were recorded with the lowest temperature of -3.9C recorded on the 20th.
The 4th and 7th tied for the lowest daytime reading of 3.6C.
Warmest night was the 29th when the mercury never dropped below 9.6C.
New Year’s Day was one of the mildest on record when first footers enjoyed a spring-like 12.4C.
At no time over this winter has the daytime temperature fallen below zero, Mr Monk said.
Not only that – his records show that the higher than average trend has persisted since late last spring.
He said: “Really we are getting periods where it is warmer than normal month after month.
“From June on every month has been above average with only December being closer to normal.”
