Weather log December 2025
Key
WW = West Wales
Mids = Midlands
Lwn = Llanwnnen
AG = Aldermans Green, Coventry
CL = Church LawfordLL = Long Lawford
ROW = Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Nott= Nottingham
CITE = Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire
CC = Capel Curig, Snowdonia
MH = Milford Haven
Carms = Carmarthenshire
Pembs = Pembrokeshire
COL = Climatological Observers Link
PWS = Personal weather station
MO = Met Office
NRW = National Resources Wales
EA = Environment Agency
est = estimated
inc = including
cf = compared with
srb = since records began
CC = Chiffchaff
WW= Willow Warbler
ST = Song Thrush
BB = Blackbird
VW = very wet, W = wet, RW = rather wet, A = average, RD = rather dry, D = dry, VD = very dry
Unsettled start to Winter 2025 continuing from November:
Mon 1st wet and windy Wales widely 1 to 2 inches with over 4 inches for some hilly areas. Wettest Cwm Dyli (NRW) 127mm (24 hours to 2100) also Capel Curig 73mm (wettest UK MO).
Fri 5th wet pm WW 1-2 inches in places, Whitechurch 31mm (wettest MO UK); Lwn 35mm 0900 6th.
13th day over 25mm here at Llanwnnen this year equalling the record from 2021 which was though not an especially wet year (total 1432mm).
Tue 9th named storm Bram the first proper storm of the season, gusts over 70mph in exposed locations, estimated at least 55mph here at Lwn. Copious rain for much of Wales too, widely 1 - 2 inches and over 3 inches in some hilly areas. Much flooding in Carmarthenshire and Carmarthen again as last month. Rainfall NRW (midnight): Treherbert 86.4mm, Abergorlech 71.6mm, Cellan 43.8mm. Llanwnnen 32.4 mm (0900).
Pretty sure I heard a rumble of thunder just past 0900 (nearest sferics 9 miles east). A very mild day indeed, some places already above 14c by dawn (temperature rose after midnight). Llanwnnen max 13.4c the mildest Dec day since 2016 (14.3c and the record still), other max: Rhyl 16.3c, Shawbury 15.6c, CC 15.2c, Trawsgoed 15.0c, Cov 13.7c, Aberdaron 13.3c.
Sun 14th wet for NW Wales in particular, while Mids mostly dry. Cwm Dyli 103.6m wettest gauge in UK to midnight. Garnswllt (near Ammanford) 37mm, Llanwnnen 10mm to midnight.
Mon 15th yet another day over an inch here at Lwn (15th of the year) as 28.5mm fell 24 hours to 0900 in a persistent but never heavy fall since midday yesterday (highest hourly rate just 4mm). Some parts of Wales saw considerably more (over 4 inches). 24 hours to 0900 today: Honister Pass (Lake District) had 188mm (360mm in 48 hours). Wales: Cwm Dyli 112mm, Ystradowen (near Brynaman) 97mm, Abergorlech 67mm, Whitechurch 62mm, Cellan 25mm.
First half of December has been very mild, wet or very wet and rather dull.
Generally 2 or 3c above December average. Much of WW and parts of the Midlands have already exceeded the whole month average by the half-way point. All areas on the dull side.
Rainfall totals 1st to 0900 16th:
Lwn 173.6mm (whole month average reached)
Cov 53.6mm (v wet)
CL 61.6mm (whole month average)
NRW: Cwm Dyli 441mm, Abergorlech 306mm, Pencader 279mm.
Sun totals 1st - 15th:
Lwn 15 hours (r dull)
Cov 21 hrs (dull)
Wed 17th another wet one for Wales in particular, widely around an inch and 3 inches for some hilly areas. Whitechurch ( Pembs) 48mm wettest MO site in UK. NRW Cwm Dyli 76.8mm, Ystradowen (near Brynaman) 67.6mm, Abergorlech 54.4mm; a more modest 22mm by midnight here at Lwn.
Thu 18th wet day Midlands this time an inch locally (Coleshill 23.4mm wettest MO of Midlands).
Met Office saying it has the been the UK's sunniest year on record (beating 2003), for Wales only sixth sunniest. Over 1600 hours to date the UK average.
The Christmas period was very sunny (particularly WW), rather cold with night frosts:
Christmas Eve (Wed) Aberporth 6.9 hours sunniest in UK (Lwn est 6 hours).
Christmas Day (Thu) Widespread grass frost with air frost for some, minim Whitechurch -2.8c, Lwn -1.4c, Cov +2.5c, Porthmadog & Valley 3.3c. Lwn shade frost persisted all day (max 4.7c); other max Nantyglo (Valleys) 2.0c, Swyddffynnon 4.3c, Nott 5.0c, Pershore 6.2c, CL & Cov 5.1c, PS 6.5c, Cardiff BP 6.9c. Unbroken sun most of WW and parts of Mids: Aberporth 7.0 hrs (sunniest in UK again), Lwn est near 7 hrs, Wellesbourne 6.6 hrs, Cov 5.9 hrs.
Boxing Day (Fri) widespread grass frost and local air frost again. Sunny and rather cold for most, shade frost still persisting in our back garden. Maxima generally 5 or 6c: Nantyglo 2.2c, Cov 5.2c, Lwn 5.5c. Aberporth 6.9 hrs sunniest place in UK for third successive day; here at Lwn 18 hours for the Christmas period (24th - 26th) after est 6 hours today.
Sat 27th maxima up to around average today 6 - 9c, still sunny WW.
Rather cold finale to 2025 with further frosts:
New Years Eve (Wed); Severe frost in places, minimum -7.7c here at Llanwnnen the equal coldest night of 2025 (also -7.7c in November).
Nature notes
Early month: Honeysuckles leafing. Fresh growth continuing/ resumed after the sharp frosts of late November and mild start to December. A few Daffs poking up.
Thu 4th Aberaeron fresh growth and flowering inc Roses and Cranesbill, especially notable the profuse yellow flowers covering the shrub at the Craft Centre (had noticed that it had died off earlier in Autumn but now thinks it is Spring!). Several bees making the most of the pollen bonanza. Aberaeron would not have had the severe frost of inland last month.
Thu 11th Squabbling Mistle Thrushes in the Holly (2/3).
Mid month recent birdsong, Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrush, Wren, Starlings singing their heads off! Song Thrush pretty much full on song mid month. BB spikes appearing all around the garden now.
Mon 22nd Daffs well up end of Bro Grannell (usual place they are earliest).
Sunny chilly Christmas with swarms of Winter Gnats enjoying the sun:
Winter gnats
Late month: first Primroses flowering in the garden; Daff spikes up across the road (never seen so early).
New Years Eve (Wed) Long Lawford: Blackbirds singing on a cold dusk (not full on song), also Tits and Robins vocal.
Summary December 2025
Very mild; rainfall varying average to very wet; sunshine rather dull to sunny.
West Wales very variable rainfall between average and twice average; Mids more homogenous, generally rather wet or wet.
Midlands rather dull to average (Northants quite sunny); WW generally sunny.
Temperatures averaging 1 or 2c above average.
Rainfall totals Dec 2025
Valley, Anglesey 147% (128%)
Capel Curig, Snowdonia 355mm (102%)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular 152mm (154%)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion 146mm (ave)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog 129mm (wet)
Llanwnnen 209.4mm (111% but 146% of Falcondale)
Pembrey Sands, Carms 143mm (wet)
Milford Haven, Pembs 159mm (126%)
Nottingham 79mm (112%)
Shawbury, Salop 84mm (126%)
Coleshill 85mm (130%)
Coventry, Bablake School 79.8mm (129%)
CL, Warks 82.4mm (145%)
Pershore, Worc 76mm (131%)
Hereford 89mm (122%)
King's Newnham EA gauge (near Rugby) 82.6mm
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges Dec 2025 (midnight - midnight)
Llyn Cefni, Ynys Mon 226mm (VW)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 282mm (RW)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 535mm (wet)
Abersoch (Llyn Peninsular) 192mm (VW)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 335mm (RW)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 130mm (RW)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 153mm (ave)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 213mm (RW)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 207mm (wet)
Pencader (Carms) 343mm (VW)
Abergorlech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 372mm (twice average)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 320mm (VW)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 302mm (VW)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 203mm (wet)
Southgate, Gower 152mm (RW)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 146mm (ave)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 298mm (VW)
Tenby (Pembs) 193mm (wet)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 156mm (ave)
COL stations rainfall Dec 2025
Llansadwrn 157mm (115%)
Ludlow, Salop 107mm (129%)
Alvechurch, Worc 95mm (115%)
Warstock, Brum 106mm (137%)
Alcester (Great Alne)
Cosby, Leic 75mm (119%)
Hinckley 83mm (129%)
Towcester, Northants 82mm (119%)
Sunshine totals Dec 2025
Valley 62 hrs (128%)
Aberdaron 72 hrs (167%)
Llanwnnen estimated 57 hrs
Nottingham 39 hrs (70%)
Coventry, Bablake School 49 hrs (79%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 40 hrs (71%)
COL stations sun Dec 2025
Ludlow 47 hrs (82%)
Alvechurch 47 hrs (80%)
Cosby 52 hrs (77%)
Towcester 78 hrs
2025 annual summary
Very mild and sunny; rainfall varying from rather dry to rather wet
Llanwnnen sunniest years since estimated totals began 2014
UK sunniest year on record, Wales sixth.
Close call warmest year (2022 to beat)..?
Rainfall totals 2025
Llanwnnen 1462.7mm (111% Falc, 104% 2006-25 here)
Coventry 627.1mm (91%)
Church Lawford 562.4mm (83%)
KN (EA) 561.4mm
Sunshine totals 2025
Llanwnnen 1463 hrs (109%)
Coventry 1652 hrs (106%)
