UK weather: 20-degree north-south divide


The coldest night of the year so far has been recorded in Scotland, with the UK seeing a temperature difference of more than 20 degrees between north and south.

Braemar in Aberdeenshire saw temperatures dip to minus 10.1C (13.8F), while the Isles of Scilly recorded 10.2C (50.4F), the Met Office said.

Met Office spokeswoman Emma Sharples said Braemar was a "well-known cold spot" due to its location in the Scottish Highlands.

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"It is a valley location, so you tend to get cold air drained down into the valley," she said.

The chilly spell did not beat the coldest night of the winter though - on Monday December 5 temperatures fell to minus 11C (12.2F) in Cromdale, Moray.

Snow cover in Scotland and cold air in the north helped keep temperatures low, with overnight figures of minus 3C (26.6F) in Edinburgh, minus 2.8C (27F) in Carlisle and minus 1.6C (29.1F) in Durham.

Meanwhile, temperatures hit 4.3C (39.7F) in Nottingham, 7.1C (44.8F) in Gravesend and 7.7C (45.9F) in Cardiff.

The coldest night in January 2016 was minus 12.4C (9.7F) in Kinbrace, Scotland.


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