The mean December temperature in Penzance is now running 3.1C above normal. 2015 was, of course, the warmest on record, but this year is now firmly in 2nd place

Warmest Decembers
2015 - 12.0C
2016 - 10.9C (so far)
2006 & 1994 9.3C

The temperature has only dropped below 10C on 1 day - minimum of 9.7C on 3rd, when the 'cold'? spell was hitting the news.

Looking at variances to date there are many places with anomalies running around +3C, from the midlands to right up in Shetland.

There's also been a fair bit of rain, mainly due to a front stuck over us on the 10th for far too long. More sunshine than last December. http://www.sennen-cove.com/imdec16.htm

A big swell at times, but still a complete lack of gales, something that doesn't look set to change. The recent swell, combined with frequent offshore winds, has been steadily returning sand at Sennen after the very low levels of the summer, the least sand I've ever seen during the summer season, far lower summer 2014, when the levels quickly recovered from the destructive swells of the previous winter. I suspect the huge 2014 destructive swlls with onshore gales dumped a lot of sand way below the low tide mark, where it stayed. The top of the beach recovered during 2014 due to favourable conditions for it to accumulate high up, but the pool of sand just below the low tide mark hadn't really recovered. Gales in March 2016 stripped the beach, with little recovery over the summer. Hopefully the recent large constructive swells are genuinely returning the sand to the main beach.

Anyway, it's looking a lot better now, banks of sand really piling up http://magicseaweed.com/Live-Sennen-Webcam/65/

Graham
Penzance