ACROSS the region, it was widely the wettest January for more than 25 years, apart from along the coast. Rainfall varied between 150 per cent and 250 per cent of normal from east to west. Accumulations ranged from about 90mm (3.4in) to almost a staggering 300mm (12in) up in the Dales, where one or two places suffered their worst drenching in any month since at least 1960.

At Carlton, near Stokesley, the total was 122mm (4.8in), easily exceeding the 108mm (4.25in) received in the former wettest January in my 25 years of data, in 2004. However, the number of days with measurable rain was three less than the 25 we endured in January 1984, even though that month wasn't unusually wet (84mm, 3.3in).

This January was so sodden because there were no fewer than five days with substantial downpours of about 15mm (0.6in).

The most was on the 21st, "officially"

a modest 16mm (0.65in), but this ignores the 12mm (0.5in) that pelted down before the standard 9am observation and was therefore credited to the 20th.

Consequently, 28mm (1.1in) fell in the 18 hours until 8pm, but even this aggregate was well short of the 38mm (1.5in) that tumbled down on the 27th in 1990, my wettest January day here.

On the plus side, it was very mild, generally the fourth warmest January since 1980, after those of 1989, 1990 and last year. It was remarkably so during the eight days from the 22nd. The maximum for this spell averaged 10.7C (51.3F) at Carlton, a figure that we wouldn't grumble at in April.

I recorded seven ground frosts, one less than in any previous January in my logs. On the other hand, with five air frosts, the month was no match for the Januarys of 1989 and 1990, which had none.

Mild, changeable weather, blowing in from a south-westerly quarter, prevailed during the final week of 2007 and on throughout much of January.

The main exception to this occurred at the turn of the year when high pressure built strongly over Scandinavia.

This caused a frontal system to stall across eastern Britain and produce a most unwelcome, miserable, wet start to the new year. Winds picked up from the south-east, drawing in bitterly cold air from off the Continent.

Lots of snow showers arrived on Thursday the 3rd, but the situation didn't last long.

By the Friday, the breeze had switched back to the southwest.

It became very brisk at times as deep depressions raced north-east over the Atlantic every other day or so. They mainly tracked across or just to the north of Scotland, close enough for their associated fronts to be active and generate plenty of heavy rain.

There was limited relief for several days from Tuesday the 22nd when a powerful anticyclone developed over France, forcing the paths of the lows towards Iceland. For many, the 25th was the first completely dry day since before Christmas. However, it remained very blustery and by the end of the month, we were back to square one.

An especially noteworthy feature in January was the vigorous cold front that zipped across the North-East mid-evening on Tuesday the 8th. It was particularly lively at Carlton, where there was a violent five-minute hailstorm, with thunder and lightning, propelled by a near gale-force squall.

The hail covered the ground in seconds and drifts of it were piled 15cm (6in) deep and survived until the following afternoon.

The temperature plunged sharply from the day's maximum of 9C (48F) to its minimum of 2C (35.5F) in an hour, mostly within the initial few minutes.

January Temperatures and Rainfall at Carlton-in-Cleveland.

- Mean Maximum: 8.3C, 47F (+1.7C, 3F); Mean Minimum: 3.2C, 38F (+1.7C, 3F); Highest Maximum: 13.2C, 56F, 18th; Lowest Minimum: -2.6C, 27.5F, 12th; Total Rainfall: 122mm, 4.8ins (+60mm, 2.4ins) Wettest Day: 16mm, 0.65ins, 21st and No. of Rain Days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more: 22 (+2.5).

(Figures in brackets show the difference from the 24-year mean, 1984-2007)