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In Pictures: A wild year of weather across the UK

Temperatures soared and dipped during 2023 as the weather created some extreme conditions.

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Tuesday 26 December 2023 03:39 EST
Autumn colours on the trees on Derwent island on Derwentwater in the Lake District (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Autumn colours on the trees on Derwent island on Derwentwater in the Lake District (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

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The world has seen some extreme weather in 2023 and the UK was no exception as a winter cold snap gave way to a sweltering June and September before freezing temperatures returned.

The first snow arrived in January, with the North East among the regions seeing plenty underfoot.

But there was worse to come in March as gales and blizzards from Storm Larisa battered much of the country. A temperature of minus 13.6C was recorded in Altnaharra in Sutherland in the Highland region of northern Scotland.

Three months later in June, there were weather hazards of a different kind as temperatures soared.

Thousands flocked to the beaches and rivers to cool off but a royal event in central London saw military personnel sweltering in heavy dress uniforms, with the conditions proving too much for one guardsman. Glastonbury also saw high temperatures, with shade at a premium.

However, the sunny weather did not last the whole summer as Storm Antoni hit parts of the UK with heavy rain and strong winds at the start of August.

But following a washout August, a September heatwave brought people back outside as temperatures reached the low-30s.

The contrasts continued as Storm Babet in October brought torrential rain across the UK.

The start of November brought some beautiful colours in the Lake District before a cold snap at the end of the month and into December sent people scurrying for hats and gloves.

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