Looks like - snow or not - just about everywhere will have a cold New
Year's Eve, and cold New Year's Day too. Given New Years Day 2009 was
also cold, it looks like a cold start and end to the year. The vast
majority of New Year's Eve/Days have been mild in the last 20 years,
and I think in the 80s too - ISTR even January 1987 starting mild and
wet before changing two or three days into the New Year.

So can anyone recall a previous calendar year with a cold Jan 1 and
Dec 31, or two consecutive cold starts to the New Year for that
matter?

Nick