One of the things that's struck me about the last 30 days or so (since
the winter equinox) has been the dullness; there have been very few
bright days, or, indeed, clear nights. This seems to have been caused
by a combination of anticyclonic gloom over Christmas followed by a
westerly spell notable for the frequency of fronts (it almost seems to
have been one frontal system a day) and the dominance of tropical
maritime air rather than the more usual polar. Compared to the sunny
June/July/September/October and even November it's quite a change.

With the upcoming northerly though it's doubtful this month will break
any records - but I wonder how, say, Dec 21-Jan 20 will come out on the
all time dullness records?

Nick