"A mild winter - using the (early) CET record (nearest whole degC only), the average comes out at 5degC, or roughly one-and-a-quarter C above the all-series mean. Pepys mentions in late January that there had been a general lack of cold weather, and that it was 'dusty' (implying a warm & dry winter), with plants well ahead for the season. However, to counter that statement, there are reports elsewhere at the time of 'high winds, excessive rainfall & flooding'. The two 'types' aren't mutually exclusive though because it could mean that the southeast / London was subject to broadly above-average pressure and small amounts of rain, whilst stormy, wet spells affected the more 'Atlantic' facing regions north & west."