<P> Towards the later part of the season the weather usually stabilises with less wind, less precipitation and lower temperatures . This change is particularly pronounced near the coasts mainly because the Atlantic ocean is often at its coldest during this time after being cooled throughout the autumn and the winter . The early part of winter however is often unsettled and stormy; often the wettest and windiest time of the year . </P> <P> Snow falls intermittently and mainly affects northern and eastern areas, high ground in Wales and especially the mountains of Scotland, where there is often enough snow lying to permit skiing at some of the five Scottish ski resorts . These resorts usually operate between December and April, depending on the snowfall . Frequently in the mountains potent depressions may move in from the north in the form of' polar lows', introducing heavy snow and often blizzard - like conditions to parts of the United Kingdom, particularly Scotland . Blizzards have become rarer in the 21st century, although much of England was affected by one on 30 January 2003 . During periods of light winds and high pressure frost and fog can become a problem and can pose a major hazard for drivers on the roads . </P> <P> Mean winter temperatures in the UK are most influenced by proximity to the sea . The coldest areas are the mountains of Wales and northern England, and inland areas of Scotland, averaging − 3.6 to 2.3 ° C (25.5 to 36.1 ° F). Coastal areas, particularly those in the south and west, experience the mildest winters, on average 5 to 8.7 ° C (41.0 to 47.7 ° F). Hardiness zones in the UK are high, ranging from zone 7 in the Scottish Highlands, the Pennines and Snowdonia, to zone 10 on the Isles of Scilly . Most of the UK lies in zones 8 or 9 . In zone 7, the average lowest temperature each year is between − 17.7 and − 12.3 ° C (0.1 and 9.9 ° F), and in zone 10, this figure is between − 1.1 and 4.4 ° C (30.0 and 39.9 ° F). </P> <P> Snow in the UK falls almost every year, but in small quantities . The UK can suffer extreme winters like 1684, 1740, 1795 (when London received its record lowest temperature of − 21.1 ° C (− 6.0 ° F)), 1947 and 1963 . In 1963 it snowed on Boxing Day, and snow lasted in most areas until 6 March, with blizzards through February, which had significant and documented effects on the FA Cup - Wrexham were forced to play on sand for one tie . In modern times snow has generally become rarer, but the UK can still get heavy falls, such as in 1978 / 79, 1981 / 82, 1986 / 87 and 1990 / 91 . The winter of 2008 / 09 produced the heaviest snowfall since 1991 between 1 and 3 February, and the winter of 2009 - 10 was even more severe, with many parts of the United Kingdom experiencing the coldest and snowiest winters since 1978 / 79; temperatures plummeted to − 22.3 ° C (− 8.1 ° F) at Altnaharra, Sutherland--close to the − 22.9 ° C (− 9.2 ° F) recorded at the southernmost part of the globe in the same period . The lowest temperature ever recorded in the UK was − 27.2 ° C (− 17.0 ° F) which was recorded on 10 January 1982 and 11 February 1895 in Braemar, Scotland and on 30 December 1995 in Altnaharra, Scotland . December 2010 was the coldest December in 120 years; the CET (Central England Temperature) was - 0.7 ° C; it was the coldest month since February 1986, and the coldest December since 1890 . Many places had heavy snowfall and extreme cold, temperatures regularly fell below − 10.0 ° C (14.0 ° F)) across many areas . However, the cold subsided after Christmas Day, 2010 . November 2010 saw an extremely severe cold snap, with lows of − 18.0 ° C (− 0.4 ° F)) in Llysdinam on 28 November . The month saw temperatures below average, despite what was actually a very mild first half . Spring 2013 was also notoriously cold: March 2013 was the coldest month of the winter (and indeed 2013 as a whole), which is quite striking given that December 2012, January and February 2013 were all also below average in terms of temperature . The following winter was the opposite - in many places, only on 11 and 12 January was any snow recorded (some places having no snow at all), and the entire country was battered by a series of severe depressions and storms . The St Jude's Day storm first affected the UK on 26 October 2013, and many places saw no respite until a high swept across the country on 2 March 2014 . Parts of the Somerset levels remained under water for most of the winter and well into spring . Record - equalling gusts of 142 mph were recorded off the north coast of Scotland on 5 December 2013, with notably severe storms also recorded on 2 November 2013, 24 December 2013, 3 January 2014 and 14 February 2014 . </P>

What is the average temperature in the uk in winter
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