Winter of 2010–2011 in Europe
Encyclopedia
The winter of 2010-2011 in Europe began with an unusually cold November caused by a cold
weather cycle that started in southern Scandinavia
and subsequently moved south and west over both Belgium
and the Netherlands
on 25 November and into the west of Scotland
and north east England
on 26 November. This was due to a low pressure zone in the Baltics, with a high pressure over Greenland
on 24 November.
From 22 November 2010, cold conditions arrived in the United Kingdom
, as a cold northerly wind developed and snow began to fall in northern and eastern parts, causing disruption. The winter arrived particularly early for the European climate, with temperatures dropping significantly lower than previous lows for the month of November. On 28 November, Wales recorded its lowest-ever November temperature of -17.3 C in Llysdinam, and Northern Ireland recorded its lowest ever November temperature of -9.5 C in Lough Rea. The UK Met Office
issued severe-weather warnings for heavy snow for eastern Scotland and the north-east of England.
From January, temperatures were more normal.
and subsequently moved south and west over both Belgium
and the Netherlands
on 25 November and into the west of Scotland
and North East England
on 26 November. This was due to a low pressure zone in the Baltics a high pressure over Greenland
on 24 November.
A cold front moved out of Siberia
on 24 November, and cold spell and snow storms also hit the Alps
, on the 26th before hitting the UK on 29 November. Other earlier, but unrelated, storms had dusted Northumberland
and Scottish Borders Region on 23–24 November, before being absorbed in to the advancing Scandinavian weather system. Ireland was first hit on 26 Nov.
Heavy Snow caused many problems across the UK and the first disruption of Snowfall occurred on 24 November in the Grampians, Eastern Scotland and Cairngorms, where snow showers blown from a northerly wind caused havoc as accumulations up to 20 centimetres (8 in) in Aviemore made conditions difficult and major roads in Aberdeen
had gridlock problems in the rush hour. Further snow disrupted all of Scotland, Southern Wales, Northern Ireland, South West and England and much of the North and East of England as snow accumulated to over 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in rural settlements in Scotland. The snowfall was the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993. Some forecasters have warned of temperatures dropping to -20 C. Temperatures in Carterhouse, Scottish Borders
, fell to -7.8 C, and several inches of snow were recorded in Devon
and Cornwall
.in 2011 to 2012 the snow will start in november in scotland and the north east of england probaly from 29th of november.
saw snow storms expected some in parts of Sweden
on the 23rd, especially in the south of the country. Snow flurries were reported by the afternoon. The Scandinavia
n low moved southward bringing snow and frost to both The Netherlands and the north west coast of Germany
.
for 17 years was recorded in November 2010.
A low night temperature of -9.1 C and heavy snow fell over the night of the 25th/26th, which was recorded at Redesdale Camp, Northumberland
. A similar quantity of snow fell in Aberdeenshire
, 4.7 in (12 cm) and 4 in (10 cm) in Durham that night. A Thomsonfly
Boeing 737-800 plane with 196 passengers overshot its landing position at Newcastle Airport
due to an icy runway. On 26 November, nighttime temperatures plummeted well below 0 °C, with the Welsh
towns of Sennybridge
and Trawscoed being among the coldest places at -10.2 C. The town of Dalwhinnie
in the Scottish Highlands
saw the temperatures fall to –8.2 °C and Chesham
in Buckinghamshire
fell to –7 °C, and Preston, Lancashire recorded –5.8 °C. Inverness
recorded a night time low of -13 C with a day time high of 0C. The Met Office then issued severe weather warnings for almost every part of the UK The Welsh village of Hawarden
recorded its coldest November temperature since 1944 with a reading of -9 C.
The thermometers at Llysdinam
, near Llandrindod Wells
, Powys
, recorded a low of -17.3 C, the coldest temperature for the month of November in the UK since 1985, and the coldest November night in Wales on record. Shawbury
, in Shropshire
was hit with -12.5 C; Lough Fea, in Northern Ireland
was left hopping with -9.2C; and Church Fenton
in North Yorkshire chilled out with a nocturnal low of -11.9 C.
The severe winter weather resulted in school closures as Northern Scotland, North East England and parts of North and East Yorkshire were blanketed in up to 6 inches (15.2 cm) of snow. Sub-zero overnight temperatures were recorded across the country, with the t 2 of the coldest place being at Carterhouse in the Scottish Borders
at -7.8 C while Benson
in Oxfordshire
fell to -7.6 C. By the middle of 27 November, up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of snow fell in parts of Staffordshire overnight while residents in the Black Country
also woke up to a covering today with warnings of way with blizzards expected in the region with a predicted snowfall of 8 inches over the next few days. Scotland saw the temperature at Loch Glascarnoch fall to -15 C, a new record low for a Scottish November.
Northern Ireland hit a new low of -9.5 C at Lough Fea, Co Tyrone, and Scotland set a November record at Loch Glascarnoch, with -15 C as snow fell in Scotland, Northern Ireland and North East England. Topcliffe
in North Yorkshire
saw a temperature of -19.0 °C (8F) on 2 December, making it the coldest night recorded in Yorkshire.
The city of Edinburgh
had 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snowfall. As a result of the chaos the city's airport was closed. It was also reported that around 3,000 homes in the Tayside
and Perth
areas were without power.
The Automobile Association
|(AA) said that 29 November 2010 was one of its busiest times in its entire 105 year history as they were called to more than 200,000 broken down drivers across the UK.
The morning of 30 November saw about 1 feet (30 cm) of snow hit Banburyshire
and Oxfordshire
with 2 to 5 cm (0.78740157480315 to 2 in) snow falling many more parts of the UK, but much less fall in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Over 1,000 schools were closed across the Kingdom, mostly in Scotland
and the north of England
, with 50 schools in Northumberland
, County Durham
, and Tyne and Wear
closed.
The evening of November 30 and the whole of December 1 saw extremely heavy snowfall hit Sheffield
, one of the worst affected cities in England
. All transport was cancelled throughout the city and the surrounding areas and many people were snowed in their homes. On that day, 40–50 cm (15.7–19.7 in) fell on top of a blanket of 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in).
The evening of 1 December and the morning of the 2nd December there was extremely heavy snow in Southern England
, especially on the South Coast, 30–40 cm (11.8–15.7 in) of snow was recorded throughout East and West Sussex
with the South Downs
receiving close to 60 cm (23.6 in).
More heavy snowfall was reported in Southern England on the 17/18 December, with parts of Greater London reporting nearly 20 cm. Snow even settled in Central London, causing travel disruptions to the city's Underground system and airports.
The coldest December recorded in the UK since December 1890.
The lowest temperature of the winter so far is -21.2 C recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands at 10 am on the 2 December.
freezing in what could be a rather costly cold snap as it emerged that the extreme weather earlier in 2010 had cost a colossal €297m in insurance payouts, due to the snow causing damage was also caused to homes and other buildings all over the country. The Irish Insurance Federation revealed there were 22,450 claims from the public, the vast majority of which involved snow or ice damage to people's homes. Road conditions in the Dublin area were made dangerous after freezing temperatures and snow led to icy surfaces and paths were made Icy by frost. A prolonged freeze disrupted businesses and schools as travel was made hazardous. The DART
and the northern commuter and Maynooth
commuter lines were not running and Belfast
and Rosslare
train services out of Dublin were also affected. The main runway at Dublin airport closed due to snow and ice for most of the day.
The extreme weather was reminiscent of the winter storms of 2009/2010, which were the worst in recent Irish history. Met Eireann
said the areas worst affected by the overnight snow were eastern parts of Leinster
, Donegal
and Connacht
and said the bad weather was expected to last for up to a week, with depths of up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in places. Met Eireann put a weather warning in place and more snow for the counties in the east, north and north west. They also put a gale and small craft warning in effect.
on the 27th. Heavy snow caused Geneva Airport to close. The temperatures hovered between 5 and -5 °C (41 and 23 F) for the next 8 days, with November 30 to December 1 having a nighttime temperature of -11 °C. Similar weather was predicted for the Austria
n Tyrol
.
, France
. This is the lowest temperature in November at sea level in France. Ice and snow led to power outages in Orleans.
, Norway
's third biggest city, located in Central Norway, experienced the coldest November since the beginning of recording temperatures in 1788. Especially the last week of November saw temperatures 12 – below normal.
Severe blizzards hit southern Sweden
and Denmark
, affecting flights at Copenhagen Airport
. Over 30 centimetres (11.8 in) of snow fell. Helsinki
and Stockholm
recorded their coldest November nights on record, at -20 C.
According to thelocal.se Sweden had its coldest and snowiest start to the winter in 100 years. The east coast of Sweden experienced heavy snowfall in November/December, coming from very cold air influenced by the still open water of the Baltic Sea
and the Gulf of Bothnia
.
On 22 December 2010, there were 56 centimeters of snow in Helsinki
, Finland
. Throughout the winter, the snow had caused a one-minute increase in the average response time of the city's fire and rescue department.
In Sweden there was severe snowfall near Christmas, especially in Scania on December 23, on Öland on December 24, and in South Norrland coast on December 26. These were very important Christmas travel days, and caused heavy travel disturbances, especially for trains. Worst hit was Bornholm, Denmark on December 23, which got all roads unpassable for days, which means that arriving visitors had to celebrate Christmas in schools or hotels.
In January, the temperatures in Sweden were warmer than normal, Malmö had 0°C, Stockholm -3°C and Luleå -11°C on average. South Sweden had 0-1°C above normal, but south Norrland had 2-4°C above normal. The snow cover mostly remained in all the country during this month.
In February, the temperatures in Sweden were again colder than normal, Malmö had -1°C, Stockholm -5°C and Luleå -16°C on average. South Sweden had 0-2°C below normal, but north Norrland had 3-5°C below normal. There was a storm on 8 February over Skåne and neighbourhood with a sustained wind of up to 30 m/s. The temperarure reached -42.6°C in Nikkaluokta
, the coldest in Sweden this winter.
Additionally to the cold, about 60% of the German Weather Service's weather stations below 200 m elevation saw record snow falls for December. Notably, Aachen, in Germany's west, had 36 cm of snow, breaking the old record of 25 cm. The heavy snowfalls between 22 and 25 December provided for a white Christmas for all of Germany - the first time since 1981. On 26 December, Gera had a snow cover of 70 cm, also a new record. However, these snowfalls and freezing rain caused chaotic conditions for those travelling home for Christmas. Similar conditions had already occurred at the beginning of the month. At Germany
's busiest airport in Frankfurt, many flights were cancelled for the second day running on 2 December due to the severe weather conditions. Munich Airport and rail transport were also affected.
, where temperatures dropped as low as -26 C.
had recorded 17 days with snow for the season, an absolute record. A church in Diepenbeek
collapsed on December 24 under the weight of the snow.
had their coldest December since the beginning of recording temperatures. The average temperature in Gothenburg
was -6.2C. which was 2.5C colder than the old record. In Örebro the coldest temperature in December since 1886 with -26.6C was measured. The coldest temperature that was notified in December in Sweden was -42.1C. in Nikkaluokta
.
, Norway
's third biggest city, experienced the coldest November since the beginning of recording temperatures in 1788. Especially the last week of November saw temperatures 12 C-change below normal. The average temperature in Oslo
was -1.7C in November 2010, the coldest since 1968 which had -2.1C. The record low for Norway in November 2010 was measured in Karasjok
in Finnmark
, the northernmost county, on the 27th, showing -35 C.
, in western Northern Ireland
, recorded a new record low temperature of -18 °C on the 19th December 2010. The previous Northern Ireland record was -17.5 °C.
The same location then beat this record on the morning of 23 December, reaching -18.7 °C.
, Croatia
, Montenegro
, and Serbia
. The River Neretva
reached its highest level in the past 50 years. The rivers Lim and Drina
both caused severe flooding. The River Drina reached a high point of around eleven times its normal level, and the Lim flooded around 250 acres of land, as well as around 50 buildings. A state of emergency was declared in parts of Albania
because of floodings near the cities of Shkodra and Durrës. In Bulgaria
, temperatures in the end of November and beginning of December went to 20 °C (68 °F).
In response to the flooding, upwards of 12,000 people were evacuated in Albania from the areas most affected. An estimated 2,600 houses were flooded, while some 7,500 more damaged. Around 1,400 Albanian military and police personnel were deployed to assist in the evacuations. In addition to domestic resources, NATO dispatched five helicopters from Greece and Turkey, while Italy delivered 25 tonnes of supplies to the country. According to Albanian interior minister Lulzim Basha
, the flooding was the worst "in living memory." In Montenegro, upwards of a thousand soldiers were deployed in response to the flooding.
Cold
Cold describes the condition of low temperature.Cold may also refer to:*Common cold, a contagious viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
weather cycle that started in southern Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and subsequently moved south and west over both Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on 25 November and into the west of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and north east England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 26 November. This was due to a low pressure zone in the Baltics, with a high pressure over Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
on 24 November.
From 22 November 2010, cold conditions arrived in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as a cold northerly wind developed and snow began to fall in northern and eastern parts, causing disruption. The winter arrived particularly early for the European climate, with temperatures dropping significantly lower than previous lows for the month of November. On 28 November, Wales recorded its lowest-ever November temperature of -17.3 C in Llysdinam, and Northern Ireland recorded its lowest ever November temperature of -9.5 C in Lough Rea. The UK Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
issued severe-weather warnings for heavy snow for eastern Scotland and the north-east of England.
From January, temperatures were more normal.
Meteorological history
The weather phenomenon was caused by a cold weather cycle that had started in southern ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and subsequently moved south and west over both Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on 25 November and into the west of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
on 26 November. This was due to a low pressure zone in the Baltics a high pressure over Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
on 24 November.
A cold front moved out of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
on 24 November, and cold spell and snow storms also hit the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, on the 26th before hitting the UK on 29 November. Other earlier, but unrelated, storms had dusted Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
and Scottish Borders Region on 23–24 November, before being absorbed in to the advancing Scandinavian weather system. Ireland was first hit on 26 Nov.
Heavy Snow caused many problems across the UK and the first disruption of Snowfall occurred on 24 November in the Grampians, Eastern Scotland and Cairngorms, where snow showers blown from a northerly wind caused havoc as accumulations up to 20 centimetres (8 in) in Aviemore made conditions difficult and major roads in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
had gridlock problems in the rush hour. Further snow disrupted all of Scotland, Southern Wales, Northern Ireland, South West and England and much of the North and East of England as snow accumulated to over 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in rural settlements in Scotland. The snowfall was the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993. Some forecasters have warned of temperatures dropping to -20 C. Temperatures in Carterhouse, Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, fell to -7.8 C, and several inches of snow were recorded in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.in 2011 to 2012 the snow will start in november in scotland and the north east of england probaly from 29th of november.
November to December 2010
On November 22 forecasters in the Baltic nationsBaltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
saw snow storms expected some in parts of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on the 23rd, especially in the south of the country. Snow flurries were reported by the afternoon. The Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n low moved southward bringing snow and frost to both The Netherlands and the north west coast of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
UK
The earliest winter snowfall in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for 17 years was recorded in November 2010.
A low night temperature of -9.1 C and heavy snow fell over the night of the 25th/26th, which was recorded at Redesdale Camp, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. A similar quantity of snow fell in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, 4.7 in (12 cm) and 4 in (10 cm) in Durham that night. A Thomsonfly
Thomsonfly
Thomsonfly was a British airline, previously known as Britannia and a business within TUI UK prior to September 2007. Following TUI UK merging with First Choice Holidays in September 2007 it became part of TUI Travel PLC...
Boeing 737-800 plane with 196 passengers overshot its landing position at Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
due to an icy runway. On 26 November, nighttime temperatures plummeted well below 0 °C, with the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
towns of Sennybridge
Sennybridge
Sennybridge is a village in Powys, Mid Wales, situated some from Cardiff and from Swansea. It lies west of Brecon on the A40 trunk road to Llandovery, at the point where the River Senni flows into the Usk...
and Trawscoed being among the coldest places at -10.2 C. The town of Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie "Meeting Place" is a small village in the Scottish Highlands.-Location:Dalwhinnie sits at an altitude of 351 m. It is one of the coldest villages in the UK, having an average annual temperature of 6.5oC, making it suitable for winter walking and mountaineering.It is north of Drumochter,...
in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
saw the temperatures fall to –8.2 °C and Chesham
Chesham
Chesham is a market town in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located 11 miles south-east of the county town of Aylesbury. Chesham is also a civil parish designated a town council within Chiltern district. It is situated in the Chess Valley and surrounded by farmland, as well as...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
fell to –7 °C, and Preston, Lancashire recorded –5.8 °C. Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
recorded a night time low of -13 C with a day time high of 0C. The Met Office then issued severe weather warnings for almost every part of the UK The Welsh village of Hawarden
Hawarden
Hawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858...
recorded its coldest November temperature since 1944 with a reading of -9 C.
The thermometers at Llysdinam
Llysdinam
Llysdinam is a hamlet located to the west and near to the Welsh town of Llandrindod Wells in Powys-History:The Llysdinam estate and hamlet were created by the Venables family around their Llysdinam House, in Newbridge-on-Wye, then in Breconshire...
, near Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells , colloquially known locally as "Llandod", is a town and community in Powys, within the historic boundaries of Radnorshire, mid Wales, United Kingdom. It was developed as a spa town in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government. Before...
, Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, recorded a low of -17.3 C, the coldest temperature for the month of November in the UK since 1985, and the coldest November night in Wales on record. Shawbury
Shawbury
Shawbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Shropshire. The village is north east of the town of Shrewsbury, north west of Telford and north west of London. The village straddles the A53 between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton...
, in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
was hit with -12.5 C; Lough Fea, in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
was left hopping with -9.2C; and Church Fenton
Church Fenton
Church Fenton is a village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is home to many commuters and is served by a railway station; Church Fenton railway station. Neighbouring villages include Cawood and Ulleskelf. It is about from Tadcaster and from...
in North Yorkshire chilled out with a nocturnal low of -11.9 C.
The severe winter weather resulted in school closures as Northern Scotland, North East England and parts of North and East Yorkshire were blanketed in up to 6 inches (15.2 cm) of snow. Sub-zero overnight temperatures were recorded across the country, with the t 2 of the coldest place being at Carterhouse in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
at -7.8 C while Benson
Benson, Oxfordshire
Benson is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England. It is about north of Wallingford at the foot of the Chiltern Hills at the confluence of a chalk stream and the River Thames, next to Benson Lock...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
fell to -7.6 C. By the middle of 27 November, up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of snow fell in parts of Staffordshire overnight while residents in the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
also woke up to a covering today with warnings of way with blizzards expected in the region with a predicted snowfall of 8 inches over the next few days. Scotland saw the temperature at Loch Glascarnoch fall to -15 C, a new record low for a Scottish November.
Northern Ireland hit a new low of -9.5 C at Lough Fea, Co Tyrone, and Scotland set a November record at Loch Glascarnoch, with -15 C as snow fell in Scotland, Northern Ireland and North East England. Topcliffe
Topcliffe
Topcliffe may refer to:*Topcliffe, North Yorkshire*Topcliffe, West Yorkshire*RAF Topcliffe*Richard Topcliffe...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
saw a temperature of -19.0 °C (8F) on 2 December, making it the coldest night recorded in Yorkshire.
The city of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
had 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snowfall. As a result of the chaos the city's airport was closed. It was also reported that around 3,000 homes in the Tayside
Tayside
Tayside Region was a local government region of Scotland from 15 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. It was created by the 1973 Act following recommendations made by the 1969 Wheatley Report which attempted to replace the mishmash of counties, cities, burghs and districts, with a uniform two-tier system...
and Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
areas were without power.
The Automobile Association
The Automobile Association
The Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
|(AA) said that 29 November 2010 was one of its busiest times in its entire 105 year history as they were called to more than 200,000 broken down drivers across the UK.
The morning of 30 November saw about 1 feet (30 cm) of snow hit Banburyshire
Banburyshire
-Location:Banburyshire is an informal area of England that is centred on the market town of Banbury. The county of Oxfordshire has two main commercial centres, the city of Oxford itself that serves most of the south of the county, and Banbury that serves the north plus parts of the...
and Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
with 2 to 5 cm (0.78740157480315 to 2 in) snow falling many more parts of the UK, but much less fall in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Over 1,000 schools were closed across the Kingdom, mostly in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the north of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with 50 schools in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, and Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
closed.
The evening of November 30 and the whole of December 1 saw extremely heavy snowfall hit Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, one of the worst affected cities in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. All transport was cancelled throughout the city and the surrounding areas and many people were snowed in their homes. On that day, 40–50 cm (15.7–19.7 in) fell on top of a blanket of 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in).
The evening of 1 December and the morning of the 2nd December there was extremely heavy snow in Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
, especially on the South Coast, 30–40 cm (11.8–15.7 in) of snow was recorded throughout East and West Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
with the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
receiving close to 60 cm (23.6 in).
More heavy snowfall was reported in Southern England on the 17/18 December, with parts of Greater London reporting nearly 20 cm. Snow even settled in Central London, causing travel disruptions to the city's Underground system and airports.
The coldest December recorded in the UK since December 1890.
The lowest temperature of the winter so far is -21.2 C recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands at 10 am on the 2 December.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland was first hit by the snow on the morning of 27 November 2010. The morning of Saturday, 27 November, saw IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
freezing in what could be a rather costly cold snap as it emerged that the extreme weather earlier in 2010 had cost a colossal €297m in insurance payouts, due to the snow causing damage was also caused to homes and other buildings all over the country. The Irish Insurance Federation revealed there were 22,450 claims from the public, the vast majority of which involved snow or ice damage to people's homes. Road conditions in the Dublin area were made dangerous after freezing temperatures and snow led to icy surfaces and paths were made Icy by frost. A prolonged freeze disrupted businesses and schools as travel was made hazardous. The DART
Dublin Area Rapid Transit
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
and the northern commuter and Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
commuter lines were not running and Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Rosslare
Rosslare
The name Rosslare may refer to:*Rosslare Strand, a village in County Wexford, Ireland* Rosslare Harbour, a village in County Wexford, Ireland*The Rosslare Europort at Rosslare Harbour...
train services out of Dublin were also affected. The main runway at Dublin airport closed due to snow and ice for most of the day.
The extreme weather was reminiscent of the winter storms of 2009/2010, which were the worst in recent Irish history. Met Eireann
Met Éireann
Met Éireann is the national meteorological service in Ireland, part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.-History:...
said the areas worst affected by the overnight snow were eastern parts of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
and Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and said the bad weather was expected to last for up to a week, with depths of up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in places. Met Eireann put a weather warning in place and more snow for the counties in the east, north and north west. They also put a gale and small craft warning in effect.
Switzerland
Heavy snowfall was reported across higher parts of the country on November 26 and in lowland SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on the 27th. Heavy snow caused Geneva Airport to close. The temperatures hovered between 5 and -5 °C (41 and 23 F) for the next 8 days, with November 30 to December 1 having a nighttime temperature of -11 °C. Similar weather was predicted for the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
.
France
A record -15.3 C was measured the 30 November in OrleansOrléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This is the lowest temperature in November at sea level in France. Ice and snow led to power outages in Orleans.
Scandinavia
TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's third biggest city, located in Central Norway, experienced the coldest November since the beginning of recording temperatures in 1788. Especially the last week of November saw temperatures 12 – below normal.
Severe blizzards hit southern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, affecting flights at Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Airport is the main international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark and the Oresund Region. It is located on the island of Amager, south of Copenhagen city centre, and west of Malmö city centre on the other side of the Oresund Bridge. The airport lies mainly in the municipality...
. Over 30 centimetres (11.8 in) of snow fell. Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
recorded their coldest November nights on record, at -20 C.
According to thelocal.se Sweden had its coldest and snowiest start to the winter in 100 years. The east coast of Sweden experienced heavy snowfall in November/December, coming from very cold air influenced by the still open water of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
.
On 22 December 2010, there were 56 centimeters of snow in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Throughout the winter, the snow had caused a one-minute increase in the average response time of the city's fire and rescue department.
In Sweden there was severe snowfall near Christmas, especially in Scania on December 23, on Öland on December 24, and in South Norrland coast on December 26. These were very important Christmas travel days, and caused heavy travel disturbances, especially for trains. Worst hit was Bornholm, Denmark on December 23, which got all roads unpassable for days, which means that arriving visitors had to celebrate Christmas in schools or hotels.
In January, the temperatures in Sweden were warmer than normal, Malmö had 0°C, Stockholm -3°C and Luleå -11°C on average. South Sweden had 0-1°C above normal, but south Norrland had 2-4°C above normal. The snow cover mostly remained in all the country during this month.
In February, the temperatures in Sweden were again colder than normal, Malmö had -1°C, Stockholm -5°C and Luleå -16°C on average. South Sweden had 0-2°C below normal, but north Norrland had 3-5°C below normal. There was a storm on 8 February over Skåne and neighbourhood with a sustained wind of up to 30 m/s. The temperarure reached -42.6°C in Nikkaluokta
Nikkaluokta
Nikkaluokta is a Swedish Sami village in Norrbotten County. The village belongs to Gällivare Municipality, bordering Kiruna Municipality, the closest urban area some 60 kilometers away...
, the coldest in Sweden this winter.
Germany
Germany experienced its coldest December since 1969. The average temperature was -3.7 °C which was 4.5 °C below the long term mean. This made December 2010 the fourth coldest of the last 120 years. Only 1890, 1969 and 1933 were colder. The cold was strongest in the northern half of Germany with deviations from the long term mean between -5 °C and -6 °C. The month was slightly milder in the south, due to two notable periods of thawing and maximum temperatures of up to +15 °C around 8 December and shortly before Christmas.Additionally to the cold, about 60% of the German Weather Service's weather stations below 200 m elevation saw record snow falls for December. Notably, Aachen, in Germany's west, had 36 cm of snow, breaking the old record of 25 cm. The heavy snowfalls between 22 and 25 December provided for a white Christmas for all of Germany - the first time since 1981. On 26 December, Gera had a snow cover of 70 cm, also a new record. However, these snowfalls and freezing rain caused chaotic conditions for those travelling home for Christmas. Similar conditions had already occurred at the beginning of the month. At Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's busiest airport in Frankfurt, many flights were cancelled for the second day running on 2 December due to the severe weather conditions. Munich Airport and rail transport were also affected.
Poland
18 people died from exposure in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, where temperatures dropped as low as -26 C.
Belgium
On December 18, BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
had recorded 17 days with snow for the season, an absolute record. A church in Diepenbeek
Diepenbeek
Diepenbeek is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Diepenbeek had a total population of 17,706. The total area is 41.19 km² which gives a population density of 430 inhabitants per km²....
collapsed on December 24 under the weight of the snow.
Sweden
Many cities in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
had their coldest December since the beginning of recording temperatures. The average temperature in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
was -6.2C. which was 2.5C colder than the old record. In Örebro the coldest temperature in December since 1886 with -26.6C was measured. The coldest temperature that was notified in December in Sweden was -42.1C. in Nikkaluokta
Nikkaluokta
Nikkaluokta is a Swedish Sami village in Norrbotten County. The village belongs to Gällivare Municipality, bordering Kiruna Municipality, the closest urban area some 60 kilometers away...
.
Norway
TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's third biggest city, experienced the coldest November since the beginning of recording temperatures in 1788. Especially the last week of November saw temperatures 12 C-change below normal. The average temperature in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
was -1.7C in November 2010, the coldest since 1968 which had -2.1C. The record low for Norway in November 2010 was measured in Karasjok
Karasjok
Kárášjohka or is a village and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karasjok.-Name:Karasjok is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Kárášjohka...
in Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
, the northernmost county, on the 27th, showing -35 C.
Northern Ireland
CastledergCastlederg
Castlederg is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is close to the border with County Donegal. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den...
, in western Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, recorded a new record low temperature of -18 °C on the 19th December 2010. The previous Northern Ireland record was -17.5 °C.
The same location then beat this record on the morning of 23 December, reaching -18.7 °C.
Floodings and high temperatures in Balkans
Much different temperatures occurred in the beginning of December in the Balkans, where heavy rain caused floodings in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The River Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
reached its highest level in the past 50 years. The rivers Lim and Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
both caused severe flooding. The River Drina reached a high point of around eleven times its normal level, and the Lim flooded around 250 acres of land, as well as around 50 buildings. A state of emergency was declared in parts of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
because of floodings near the cities of Shkodra and Durrës. In Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, temperatures in the end of November and beginning of December went to 20 °C (68 °F).
In response to the flooding, upwards of 12,000 people were evacuated in Albania from the areas most affected. An estimated 2,600 houses were flooded, while some 7,500 more damaged. Around 1,400 Albanian military and police personnel were deployed to assist in the evacuations. In addition to domestic resources, NATO dispatched five helicopters from Greece and Turkey, while Italy delivered 25 tonnes of supplies to the country. According to Albanian interior minister Lulzim Basha
Lulzim Basha
Lulzim Xhelal Basha is an Albanian politician.In 2005, Basha was appointed Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications in the government of Sali Berisha where he served for two years...
, the flooding was the worst "in living memory." In Montenegro, upwards of a thousand soldiers were deployed in response to the flooding.
See also
- 2010 Central European floods2010 Central European floodsThe 2010 Central European floods were a devastating series of weather events which occurred across several Central European countries during May, June and August 2010. Poland was the worst affected. Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine were also affected.At least...
- 2010 Var floods2010 Var floodsThe 2010 Var floods were the result of heavy rainfall in southern France that caused severe floods in the department of the Var in the evening of 15 June 2010. As well as generalized flooding, there were also flash floods. Meteorologists say the floods are the worst in the region since 1827,...
- 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat wave
- Winter of 2010-2011 in Great Britain and Ireland
- Arctic dipole anomalyArctic dipole anomalyThe Arctic dipole anomaly is a pressure pattern characterized by high pressure on the arctic regions of North America, and a low pressure on the Eurasia region. This pattern sometimes replaces the Arctic oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation. It was observed for the first time in the...
- Arctic oscillationArctic oscillationThe Arctic oscillation or Northern Annular Mode/Northern Hemisphere Annular Mode is an index of the dominant pattern of non-seasonal sea-level pressure variations north of 20N latitude, and it is characterized by pressure anomalies of one sign in the Arctic with the opposite anomalies centered...