Scottish Village Sets January Temperature Record in the UK

In a surprising turn of weather, the village of Kinlochewe in the northwest Highlands of Scotland recorded a temperature of 19.6C, setting a new record for the warmest January day in the UK. This unprecedented temperature, confirmed by the Met Office’s provisional figures, surpassed the previous records held by Inchmarlo and Aboyne in Aberdeenshire at 18.3C in 2003, and Aber in Ceredigion, Wales, which reached the same temperature in 1958 and 1971.

Kinlochewe’s temperatures soared higher than those in traditionally warmer locations such as Rome and the Cote d’Azur. The Met Office had initially forecasted temperatures around 17C for the region but was taken aback as the mercury nearly reached 20C, far exceeding expectations.

This record-breaking warmth in Kinlochewe came amidst a yellow weather warning for wind in the area, with Eilean Siar and the Highlands experiencing gusts up to 80mph. The central belt of Scotland and the eastern coast of Northern Ireland were also under a yellow wind warning.

The Met Office attributed this unusual warmth to the Foehn Effect, a phenomenon that creates significantly warmer and drier conditions on the leeward side of mountains due to southerly winds. This effect led to exceptionally high temperatures in Kinlochewe, while other parts of the UK experienced much cooler weather, with temperatures struggling to reach double figures.

Despite the localized warm spell in Kinlochewe, the UK has been enjoying a milder weather phase following a cold snap earlier in the month, with the recent mild conditions attributed to a southwesterly airflow, a shift from the previous Arctic blast brought about by northerly winds.