Weather log January 2026
Key
WW= Willow Warbler
ST = Song Thrush
BB = Blackbird
Cold and wintry start to 2026:
Fri 2nd overnight rain turned to snow in places, a sprinkling for Rugby and Coventry, a few cm Brum and Black Country, also much ice.
Sat 3rd brief snow shower gave a new sprinkle at Rugby station just after midnight. Further wintry showers affecting Wales today giving coverings in places. NW Wales reportedly a foot in places (rainfall equivalents close on 2 inches for Snowdonia). Must have a snow cover back home as many showers there on the radar not draining through the Vue (frozen snow or ice). Carmarthen golf course has a thin covering (4 miles NW of the town). Driving home sprinkling of snow as far as Redditch (M42) then all clear to near Brecon. Slight covering then much of the rest of the way, deepest above Cwmann looked 2 inches, with 2cm on our back lawn at 8pm.
Sun 4th snow shower streamer direct hit for Ceredigion overnight into this morning gave a fresh 7cm on the lawns (total depth 9cm and so not quite the deepest since 2010). Roads blocked this morning including coast road near Llanrhystud, Temple Bar abandoned cars and on the way to Carmarthen. T1 buses cancelled today. Photos of close on a foot of snow in the Deiniolen are of Snowdonia. Severe frost in places, minima Pershore -7.9c, Tirabad -7.3c, CITE -6.1c, CL & Trawsgoed -5.7c, Coventry -4.5c, Lwn -3.1c, MH +1.8c. Cold by day with a partial thaw here; maxima Tirabad +0.6c, CL 1.8c, Trawsgoed 2.8c, Cov 3.1c, Lwn 3.2c, Market Bosworth 3.6c, Pershore 5.2c, MH 6.2c. Mids generally snow free and sunny today.
Mon 5th 2cm fresh snow this morning with a general 9 or 10cm over the back lawn therefore marginally the greatest snow depth since December 2010. Severe frost quite widely, minima Tirabad -10.3c, Shawbury -9.4c, Pershore -7.9c, Lwn -6.4c, Trawsgoed -5.7c, Cov -4.3c, CL & Coleshill -4.2c, Hereford -3.3c, Aberdaron +0.7c. Many coastal areas affected by snow Cardigan Bay today, road blocked by stuck vehicles Llanarth and at several places on the Lampeter to Carmarthen road this morning. Maximum 0.9c the coldest day at Llanwnnen since Dec 2022 (max -1.8c), other maxima Tirabad -0.9c, CL & Coleshill +0.9c, Cov 1.1c, Pershore & Shobdon 3.3c, MH 4.5c. Unbroken sun parts of Mids (Nott & Wellesbourne 7.2 hrs).
Tue 6th widespread hard frost, minima Tirabad -10.3c, Swyddffynnon -9.3c, Shawbury -9.2c, Pershore -8.4c, Trawsgoed -7.8c, Lwn -7.4c, CL -6.4c, Cov -5.5c, Hereford -3.9c, Aberdaron +0.4c; snow showers overnight a fresh 2cm, general level a good 10cm now, thaw set in afternoon with some light rain and sleet. Maxima higher for some Hereford 6.9c, Cov & Lwn 3.9c, Market Bosworth 3.8c.
Wed 7th continuous thaw today with max 5.8c, this morning the fourth successive day of snow lying here probably not by tomorrow though. Maxima MH 8.6c, Cov 5.5c.
Thu 8th most lying snow gone by morning after it got milder overnight close to 6c. Storm Goretti then arrived into SW England later in the day bringing a red warning for wind there. Here rain from early afternoon turned to sleet as colder NE winds started and there was wet snow at times during the evening. A slushy inch on the lawns mid evening thereafter a slow thaw with rain and sleet showers overnight into Friday.
Fri 9th measured 31.4mm here this morning and so had the temperature been a couple of degrees lower a foot of snow may have fallen and it is likely some of the hills had such amounts in mid Wales. Birmingham & Black Country had 4 to 6 inches, Coleshill MO 3cm max depth, Coventry likewise just an inch or so and little or no snow in Stratford. 2 or 3 inches rainfall equivalent for the area between Cardigan/ Newcastle Emlyn & Carmarthen. 0900 totals: Aberporth 33.3mm (wettest MO), Coleshill 27mm. NRW Maenclochog 57mm, Llechryd 53mm, Pencader 40mm.
Sub 11th max 11.6c the first day above average (7c) since Dec 23rd and the mildest day since December 11th. Not nice though as damp, drizzle and rather windy.
First half of January was rather cold, rainfall very variable with around average to rather dull sunshine
Most of the Midlands has been wet/ very wet so far, a few places above the whole January average while much more variable across WW ranging from rather dry to very wet.
Temperatures running around a degree below average.
Rainfall totals 1st to 0900 16th:
Valley c 45mm (average)
CC c 120mm (r dry)
Aberdaron c 40mm (ave)
Trawsgoed c 80mm (RW)
Aberporth c 60mm (wet)
Llanwnnen 109.1mm (v wet)
PS c 38mm (RD)
MH c 65mm (RW)
Nottingham c 65mm (v wet)
Shawbury c 45mm (wet)
Coleshill c 50mm (wet)
Coventry 45.4mm (wet)
CL 45.6mm (wet)
Pershore c 50mm (VW)
Hereford c 35mm (ave)
KN (EA) 48.6mm
Sunshine 1st to 15th: Lwn 23 hrs (ave), Bablake 30 hrs (ave).
Sat 17th Porthmadog max 12.2c mildest in UK, Aberdaron 7.0 hrs sunniest. Lwn 9.4c sunny intervals, also Pershore 10.8c.
Mon 26th/ Tue 27th named storm Chandra gave copious rain to much of southern England with some bad flooding. Here at Lwn 43.8mm measured 0900 27th becoming the wettest January day (beating 40.8mm from 2008). Widely between 1 and 2 inches WW and over an parts of W Mids. Wettest MO to midnight; ROW 32.8mm, Libanus 31.8mm (Lwn 28mm midnight to midnight). Gusts over 60mph for exposed parts of Wales (PS 67mph).
Nature notes
Fri 2nd Caldecote Park, Rugby first Snowdrop flowers appearing. Rookery active LL.
Mon 5th Carmarthen park: mini Daffs close to flowering.
Tue 6th Carmarthen park: Stonechat was very close at first (5 metres) and near the bandstand then cycle track.
Wed 7th first drumming GSW this morning with snow thaw underway.
Thu 8th 3 Mistle Thrush, Starlings, a S Thrush and Blackbird enjoying the snow free lawn today.
Mid month first Snowdrops out Grannell lane and end of our garden. Rookery very active Uni. GSW heard drumming more often
Fri 16th Aberystwyth: Daffs well up in places as Plas Crug where will be out soon, a few Snowdrops and Crocus out there. S Thrush full pelt song by Morrisons.
Mon 19th walking back from garage Song Thrush singing strongly, Great Tits calling, Dunnock singing, few Snowdrops amongst the litter.
Late month plenty of Snowdrops out inc local lanes. Magnolia buds swollen. Birds active and vocal generally.
Sun 25th RSPB birdwatch: BT 16, GT 4, CT 2, 6 HS Starling 3, Magpie, Robin, BB, GSW, Nuthatch, Dunnock, Chaffinch.
Late month: southern forestry Darragh blow being cleared now at the top, track as yet untouched though. Saw a Goshawk driving up past the care home.
Summary Jan 2026
Rainfall varying between rather dry and very wet; average temperatures; sunshine dull to average
Most places above average rain, NW & mid Wales mainly average to rather wet, SW Wales widely wet. Parts of the Mids over twice average. Llanwnnen had its wettest January of the past 21 years (previous 238mm 2008). Coventry dullest Jan since 1997 (when 42 hours).
Rainfall totals Jan 2026
Valley, Anglesey 88mm (118%)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular 105mm (125%)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion 131mm (average)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog 127mm (141%)
Llanwnnen 239.0mm (156%/ 166% Falc)
Pembrey Sands, Carms c 120mm (rather wet)
Milford Haven, Pembs 166mm (152%)
Nottingham 120mm (203%)
Shawbury, Salop 84mm (146%)
Coleshill 105mm (165%)
Coventry, Bablake School 87.2mm (145%)
CL, Warks 76.6mm (137%)
Pershore, Worc 92mm (164%)
Hereford 107mm (159%)
King's Newnham EA gauge (near Rugby) 83.4mm
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges Jan 2026
Llyn Cefni, Ynys Mon 109mm (ave)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 213mm (ave)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 247mm (RD)
Abersoch (Llyn Peninsular) 105mm (ave)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 215mm (ave)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 97mm (ave)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 164mm (ave)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 206mm (wet)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 218mm (wet)
Pencader (Carms) 281mm (v wet)
Abergorlech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 217mm (r wet)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 221mm (RW)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 185mm (RW)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 173mm (RW)
Southgate, Gower 147mm (RW)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 139mm (RW)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 268mm (VW)
Tenby (Pembs) 143mm (wet)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 143mm (RW)
COL stations rainfall
Llansadwrn 108mm (104%)
Ludlow, Salop 118mm (157%)
Alvechurch, Worc 151mm (202%)
Warstock, Brum 141mm (200%)
Hinckley 93.8mm (153%)
Towcester, Northants 106mm (165%)
Sunshine totals Jan 2026
Valley 70 hrs (105%)
Aberdaron 60 hrs (99%)
Aberporth 52 hrs (84%)
Llanwnnen estimated 45 hrs (102%)
Nottingham 45 hrs (80%)
Shawbury 46 hrs (87%)
Coventry, Bablake School 43 hrs (68%)
Shobdon 56 hrs
COL stations sun
Ludlow 45 hrs (77%)
Alvechurch 41 hrs (69%)
Towcester 76 hrs
