JANUARY, across the region, was warm and windy, especially on both counts during the first ten days or so. South-westerlies dominated the month except between the 22nd and 29th when there were cool, mostly dismal, northerlies.

Rainfall varied enormously, ranging from as much as a third more than average high up in the dales to less than half the usual on the east coast. Since it is normally wetter in the west, actual accumulations in the driest parts were just one-sixth of wettest values.

As to be expected, even larger extremes occurred on a daily basis. The most striking example of this being on the 7th, the wettest day of the month for many places. My colleague, Trevor Smith at Carlton-in-Coverdale, measured 68mm (2.5ins), whereas I at Carlton-in-Cleveland, near Stokesley, recorded only 5mm (0.2mm).

There was an even greater contrast with north-west Britain, where, in the first half of the month, a few spots had approaching 500mm (20 inches) of rain. This was no less than fifty times what our drier districts received in the same period and getting on for the annual total for some parts in the east. No wonder there was such disastrous flooding in Carlisle.

Bizarrely at Carlton, the wettest day was on 24th, during that spell of northerlies, when atmospheric pressure was far higher than earlier in the month. It climbed to a peak of 1036mb (30.6ins) early on the 26th, well into the "Very Dry" sector shown on barometers. Despite this, rain or drizzle persisted and although mostly light, amounts did add up. Almost two-thirds of January's total at Carlton fell between the 22nd and 28th whilst pressure averaged 1030mb (30.4ins), compared to 1011mb (29.85ins) up until the 21st.

Although "high", pressure was low relative to that in the middle of the anticyclone to the west of Eire. This had developed and moved north from its previous position, attaining a central pressure of around 1050mb (31.0ins). The airstream circulating clock-wise round the top of the high was particularly damp.

In the northerly breeze on its eastern flank, additional moisture was picked up over the North Sea, which then dropped out as it came inland, especially on the north side of the North York Moors as the air was forced up over the Cleveland Hills. This "orographic" effect, where rainfall is enhanced on the windward side of hills and reduced in their lee, was a minor version of what had happened in the earlier south-westerly regime which produced the deluges to the west of the Pennines and the corresponding dryness to the east.

For the first ten days or so, temperatures were more typical of the end of March or beginning of April, though this may not have been appreciated with the breeze. The highest of the month was achieved widely on the 9th, one of the warmest January days in the past couple of decades. Also worthy of note was the time at which this was reached - about midnight.

Even in the final ten days, when it may have felt distinctly cold, the mercury was close to normal levels, apart from around the week-end of the 22nd/23rd, the first two or three days of that northerly interlude. Briefly, the wind originated from beyond the Arctic Circle, giving wintry showers and a slight covering of snow to many areas.

Overall, temperatures were about 2C (nearly 4F) above the mean making it the third warmest January in the last 20 years after the exceptionally mild ones of 1989 and 1990. In a few locations, the warmth of those years was matched.

However, January 2005 will probably be remembered most of all for the wind. An almost incessant, series of deep depressions raced north-east across the Atlantic every 48 hours or so, tracking largely between Scotland and Iceland. They were notably vigorous from the turn of the year until the 12th, giving one of the most sustained, stormy spells that I can remember. At least two of the lows were extremely intense, with central pressures down to 935mb (37.6ins) - off the bottom of many barometer scales.

The worst blow for us was in the early morning of Saturday the 8th when a vicious low tracked just north of the Border. Winds generally over the region rose to gale force, 39-47mph (34-40 knots). This is rare inland, occurring only once in several years. Gusts of 70mph (61kn) were widespread, bringing down many trees, tiles and countless fence panels.

The strongest gust that I'm aware of, a staggering 128mph (111kn), was measured at Great Dun Fell, where it is of course very exposed, high up on the North Pennines. No wonder there aren't any trees up there! An average speed over ten minutes of 92mph (80kn) was also achieved there, equal to force 15 on the Beaufort Scale. This is well beyond hurricane force 12, more than 72mph (63kn), but, in true tropical hurricanes, winds are far more violent.

January temperatures and rainfall

Mean max 8.2C, 47F (+1.8C, +3.2F); mean min 2.8C, 37F, (+1.5C, +2.7F); highest max 13.5C, 56.5F, 9th; lowest min -4.0C, 25F, 22nd; total rainfall 49mm, 1.9ins, (-16mm, -0.65ins); wettest day 9mm, 0.35ins, 24th; rain days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more: 19 (+2) Figures in brackets show the difference from the 21-year mean, 1984-2004.