by EFAS Meteorological Data Collection Centre,

January 2022 was characterized by lower than normal sea surface pressure over the Arctic Ocean and northeast Europe and above normal sea surface pressure over the Atlantic Ocean, southwest Europe and the African parts of the EFAS domain. Monthly precipitation totals were above the long-term mean in the eastern Mediterranean region and Northeast Europe. Sums below the long-term mean were observed mainly in the central and western Mediterranean region and western Europe. Monthly mean air temperature values were below the long-term mean in the Mediterranean region and Iceland and above the long-term mean in northern and central Europe.

At the beginning of January, a high-pressure system was located over the western Mediterranean region and low-pressure systems over the Atlantic Ocean and northeast Scandinavia. An upper-level low-pressure system was situated over the southeast Mediterranean region. This constellation prolonged the warm spell in central Europe from the last days of the previous year to the first days of this year. The low-pressure system over the Atlantic moved northward and intensified in the north of Iceland. It moved across Scandinavia to the northern European part of Russia. At the same time, the high-pressure system over the western Mediterranean region dissipated. A trough located over the Atlantic Ocean moved to eastern Europe and stretched towards the Mediterranean Sea. A new high-pressure system developed over the Azores. While the high-pressure system from the Azores moved eastward and changed to a high-pressure zone from Great Britain and Ireland to European Russia, a low-pressure system developed under the above-mentioned trough over the eastern Mediterranean Sea associated with heavy precipitation. Within the next days, this low-pressure system moved to the central Mediterranean region and the high-pressure zone dwindled to a high-pressure system over western Europe. A low-pressure system developed over the Denmark Strait. While moving across the Greenland Sea to the Barents Sea it intensified and caused strong winds and high precipitation amounts in northern Europe. The core of the low-pressure system split; one part moved to western Russia. A weak high-pressure zone extended from northern Africa to central Europe. A new intense low-pressure system developed over the Greenland Sea and moved to the Barents Sea. It caused again strong winds and heavy precipitation in northern and eastern Europe. As the corresponding trough moved eastward and the core area of the high-pressure zone to northwest Europe, cold air moved to the eastern Mediterranean region causing a cold spell especially in Turkey and Syria. This constellation also caused a warm spell in northern Europe. An upper-level trough swung from the northern Atlantic Ocean eastward and a small but strong low-pressure system developed over the Baltic Sea, while the high-pressure zone changed to a high-pressure system over Great Britain and Ireland. The low-pressure system moved southward and weakened, but the associated cold air caused a winter storm with high amounts of snow in the eastern Mediterranean region. The high-pressure system disappeared, and a new high-pressure system developed over the Azores Islands. In the same time, a low-pressure system moved from Newfoundland via Iceland to the Baltic Sea. The new high-pressure system shifted to the Bay of Biscay while a low-pressure system developed over the Labrador Sea. It moved via the Denmark Strait to the Norwegian Sea. It rapidly intensified while moving further to the Baltic Sea. Very strong winds affected large parts of northern, central, and eastern Europe. The low-pressure system weakened soon as it moved further eastward. By the end of January, this low-pressure system was located over the Baltic and a new low-pressure system was formed over the central Mediterranean region. A high-pressure system was situated between the Azores and Great Britain and Ireland.

The highest precipitation amounts were observed over the Norwegian Mountains, around the eastern Black Sea, eastern Mediterranean Sea, and the Pyrenees (Figure 1). No or almost no precipitation fell around the western Mediterranean Sea and in southeast Europe. Monthly precipitation totals above the long-term mean occurred mainly over northwest Scandinavia, eastern Europe and around the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Figure 2). Monthly totals below the long-term mean were reported in west and southeast Europe, south and northeast Scandinavia, and the western Mediterranean region.

The monthly mean air temperature ranged from -24.5°C to 20.8°C with the highest values in the southern parts of the EFAS domain. The lowest temperature values were reported in the northern, eastern, and mountainous areas (Figure 3). Air temperature anomalies ranged from -4.1°C to 7.7°C (Figure 4). Monthly mean air temperature values below the long-term mean occurred around the Mediterranean Sea and Iceland, while positive air temperature anomalies appeared in the other parts of the EFAS domain.