THE residents of Wick and district experienced weather with a predominately "westerly" theme during January 2012 - although the increasing influence of a very intense anticyclone that had developed over north-west Russia introduced a strengthening south-easterly airflow and drier continental air from the 29th.
Strong winds were frequent and there were damaging gusts at times. The winds, however, were not as severe or as relentless as those that affected the area in December.
There were no particularly mild or cold days, this the principal tell-tale hallmark of an Atlantic weather regime. Rainfall was slightly above normal for the midwinter period.
Wick's mean temperature for January was 3.97C (39.14F) - an increase of 0.47C on the midwinter norm.
The average daytime maximum temperature was 5.86C (42.55F), 0.14C lower than the established number for January.
The highest daytime air temperature (between 6am and 6pm) was a seasonally mild 9.7C (49.5F) recorded on the 8th, 10th, 11th and 25th.
Interestingly, however, Wick's actual highest air temperature for the month was recorded during the evening of the 11th when, in response to a force-five south-westerly wind that had engulfed the town in an air mass originating from the subtropical regions of the North Atlantic, the mercury aspired to a very mild 10.3C (50.5F) between 10pm and 11pm.
The temperature was still a remarkable 10C (50F) at 1am on the 12th but had subsequently reeled back to just 7C (44.6F) by 2am and still further to just 6.6C (43.9F) by 3am after an active cold front that had moved across the North caused the wind to veer to a gusty force-six west to north-westerly and introduced increasingly cooler polar air across the region.
The royal burgh's lowest daytime air temperature was 2.1C (35.9C) recorded on the 15th - cold but certainly not exceptionally so for the time of the year.
Overnight minima averaged out at 2.07C (35.73F), this represented a not insignificant departure of +1.07C from the corresponding long-term number for January. Wick's highest overnight temperature was a mild 6.9C (44.4F) noted on the 9th.
January's lowest overnight air temperature occurred on the 16th when the mercury bottomed out at a penetrating minus 3.4C (25.9F). Air frosts also featured on the 15th, 17th, 24th and 27th.
There were 16 ground frosts (the temperature at 5cm above the grass) with the lowest figure being a truly severe minus 8C (17.6F) recorded on the16th.
Precipitation was logged on 23 days. The amounts collected daily had accrued to 90.7mm or 112 per cent of the long-term average amount by the end of the 31st.
Wick's wettest day was the 3rd when a hefty 20.1mm (0.8 of an inch) soaked the town's inhabitants. The 4th was also a particularly wet day that had witnessed a further 14mm (0.55 of an inch) of rain.
Winds reached or exceeded full gale force (eight on the Beaufort scale) on 17 dates. The burgh's windiest date proved to be the 21st when a boisterous force-eight west-to-north-westerly gale gusted up to 68 mph/59.1 knots (and violent storm 11 on the Beaufort scale).
Thunder was audible in the town very late on the evening of the 4th.
