Very cold, dry winter; minimum temperatures were lower than normal for prolonged periods of time; some light snow in January and February. March, and especially the last 10 days of April were quite rainy while May was characterized by insistent rain and lower than average temperatures along with the first of a series of hailstorms, which culminated in the devastating hail that hit the Barolo area on 3rd September. June signalled the arrival of an Azores high pressure system that, fed by warm air currents from Africa, caused a notable increase in maximum temperatures, a situation which lasted until the middle of July. North and south-western winds then ushered in a prolonged period of intense rain and lower temperatures. This continued for most of August. The month of September alternated between periods of warm and dry weather and rainy spells, while the last 10 days brought a stretch of mild, sunny weather which benefited Nebbiolo enabling it to make up for lost time lost during the inclement weather of the preceding months.