Not even the rain could dampen British spirits in 2012

2012 was the year that put the 'Great' back into Great Britain.

Although we did our best to not let the wet weather dampen our spirits, it did have a good try. Especially on that Saturday when thousands lined the banks of the River Thames to catch a glimpse, through the heavy rain, of the Queen on the Royal Barge.

It seems so long ago but the start of the year was dominated by drought and hosepipe bans across many southern parts of Britain.

In March, we brought out the T-shirts prematurely as the month proved to be the fifth driest and third warmest on record.

Then the heavens opened and we had much more than 'April showers' with a deluge of rain making it the wettest April since records began. This was followed by two more months of very wet conditions.

Thankfully, the Olympics and Paralympics were not spoiled by the rain.

A lack of hot and sunny days during the summer months prompted hopes of an Indian Summer. That didn't materialise and October marked the start of yet more heavy rain and unsettled weather.

It was a Christmas that many people won't forget in a hurry as river levels peaked and spilled over the land.

South-west England and Yorkshire were the worst affected with floodwater causing major disruptions as thousands of people made the trip home for the festive period.

So here's how it breaks down: 2012 was England's wettest year since 1910 when records began.

The rainfall figures for the whole of the UK fell just 7mm short of setting a new record. For Wales, it was the third wettest, and the seventh wettest for Scotland.

Northern Ireland remained quite dry, you might say, seeing its 40th wettest year on record.

2013 hasn't started off badly although it has not been completely dry.

There is no sign of snow in the next few days but there are early indications that a colder spell is due in the middle of January, bringing back that wintery feeling!