In early November the weather was particularly mild with above average temperatures, especially overnight.
On Bonfire Night, traditionally a time to wrap up warm to watch fireworks, temperatures were higher than normal with a number of weather stations setting new November minimum temperature records for warmth.
And in Chivenor, Devon with a minimum temperature of 14.8C recorded on 5 November, it was the warmest Bonfire Night on record.
Soon after, an Arctic wind spread across the UK with temperatures falling quickly with significant snowfalls for some parts.
With -12.4 C recorded in Kinbrace, Highland on 11 November, it was the coldest November night in almost 15 years.
The cold northerly winds also resulted in frequent snow showers across northern and eastern Scotland and north east England where up to 25cm of accumulated snow gave some disruption.
A “Pembrokeshire Dangler” – a stream of showers, wintry in this case – also gave significant snowfalls in south west Wales and Cornwall.
Colder weather in autumn hasn’t been that unusual in our past climate but in an increasingly warmer climate, snow and ice in early November is and will become more unusual.
