December 2015 named the wettest month since records began despite record warmth
The fierce storms and torrential downpours in the last month of 2015 contributed to the wettest month in the UK since records began - despite record warmth for a December.
The Met Office said provisional data shows December was wetter than any other month since charting started in 1910.
The average fall of 230mm of rain - more than nine inches - across the UK was almost double the amount of rainfall typically expected for the month.
The record water levels came as flooding from Storm Desmond and latterly Storm Eva and Storm Frank devastated many regions across Britain.
Report by ITV News Correspondent Chris Choi
The Environment Secretary Liz Truss said today in a statement to the Commons that flood defences had protected "over 20,00 properties", and she defended the government's reaction to the crisis.
She said because the North West had faced the wettest December on record, the total number of flooded properties in England came to around 16,000.
She added: "Whilst of little consolation to those who have been flooded, it's important to note that flood defences have protected over 20,000 properties."
The Met Office issued a map of the UK displaying the areas across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and northern England that during December far exceeded the average rainfall level over the last 30 years.
Despite the heavy rain, last month was also the UK's warmest December on record, breaking 1934's previous record of 6.9C by a full degree centigrade.
A heat map across the UK showed England and Wales enjoyed the warmest temperatures during December.
Storm Desmond delivered record-breaking rainfall over the Lake District and along with heavy downpours across other northern locations in England and Scotland.
The Met Office said the record breaking rainfall in December placed 2015 as the sixth wettest year on record.
December's downpours brought more than double the average December rain in Scotland and Wales, almost double in Northern Ireland and 57% more in England.
Some of the other notable weather statistics from December and 2015 were: