Early this evening the MO verified and accepted the 18.7C at Achfary, Highland, reached on 28 Dec - a new Dec UK record confirmed. https://twitter.com/metoffice

In case you are reading this, Spike, rest assured that this is not distorted by any urban heat-island effects!

Julian Mayes

PS The reason I could not be bothered to post earlier this afternoon was because I was compiling a spreadsheet of snowfall at an entirely rural site in west Wales - a 50-year decline being quite apparent. The warming rate there is quite comparable to more urban areas in southern Britain. Odd how the urban heat-island is exaggerated in the minds of much of the public - and the deniers.