7th August - Today's News

Yet more heavy rain in parts of England yesterday and overnight, though here in Evesham we were right on the edge of it and managed only 6.4mm. However, in London there was chaos for commuters as half a month's rain falls in six hours

Some good news: Sunshine and rain has helped make some of Britain's rarest wildflowers make a comeback

Swiss villagers pray for glacier

Since the 17th century the Roman Catholic inhabitants of the Alpine villages of Fieschertal and Fiesch have offered prayers against what seemed like the unstoppable advance of the Great Aletsch glacier, Europe's longest.

But with global warming now causing the once-feared glacier to melt, they have formally applied to Pope Benedict XVI for permission to reverse the prayer and have requested an audience at the Vatican.

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The Aletsch glacier has retreated 2.1 miles since 1860, when it was 14 miles long. It is feared the glacier is receding up the mountain by about 100 feet a year.

The dwindling river of ice is regarded by scientists as one of the most visible examples of the impact of global warming in the Alps.

Well, it's an indication of regional climate change - global warming in itself would not necessarily mean and Alpine glacier retreated, indeed in theory under global warming the Alps themselves could become colder or snowier and the glaciers advance. Global warming doesn't mean everywhere gets warmer (which you all knew, I'm sure) and likewise the fact somewhere is getting warmer or experiencing less winter snowfall is not evidence of global climate change.

Meanwhile, climate change melting US glaciers at faster rate, study shows - is similarly evidence of regional climate change which may or may not be part of global warming. However, Bloomberg, normally a credible news source, let themselves down with a headline claiming shrinking glaciers reveal global warming in US northwest. Unless, of course, as many Americans seem to believe, America is the world ...

I'm sure some of the pro-cooling lobby could soon find some examples of glaciers which are advancing ........ which also proves nothing.

Louisville residents weary after so many unusual weather events in such a short time and elsewhere in the USA, heat too hot to handle for several cities.

Quebec tornado strongest in 15 years

NOAA have now updated their hurricane forecast, and Nat Geographic asks: Hurricane season 2009: where are all the storms?

Before the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season kicked off on June 1, forecasters were calling for 12 named storms, with about half developing into hurricanes. Now, about two months into the season, zero storms have formed in the Atlantic.

That's because El Niño conditions over the Pacific Ocean have so far kept a lid on the 2009 hurricane season, experts say.

Still, meteorologists warn that a monster hurricane could be spawned before the season ends on November 30.

Meanwhile, Pacific hurricane strengthens to category 4 storm

And finally, for all those girls in their summer clothes - wearing a summer dress? Research shows it's sure to rain. Though I have to say I envy the 'more than half' of women surveyed who claimed to have been caught without shelter in a thunderstorm. I can't even recall the last time I was caught out in any rain ...... let alone a thunderstorm!