Weather & Earth Science News

The year ends on a decidedly damp note for a large part of Australia where Queensland water levels still rising and Queensland floods spur more evacuations . However, whilst Rockhampton faces forced evacuations some locals hope the pub will stay dry and beer will keep wet . And in NZ, after a deluge on Tuesday, farmers begin big flood clean-up Philippine floods kill two and displace thousands High demand cancels giant Berlin snowball fight Winter storms pummel western United States In China, extreme patterns speak of climate change And in Canada, Winter Olympics weather declared top weather news story for 2010 In north India, rain disrupts air traffic, but most of Himachal gets snowfall In Sweden, wind power and reindeers struggle to coexist And finally, as we end 2010, there's relief for Britons as Arctic air is replaced by wintry showers and balmy 12c breezes - as daft and contradictory headline as ever from the Daily Mail.

Well the big thaw is now well underway. Throughout yesterday there was a constant drip, drip, drip, crash, bang, wallop as the icicles came down, and now there's just dirty mounds of ice littering the streets and pavements. Some of these will certainly still be there in 2011. But the thaw is not without its problems. There's a big rise in burst water pipes in Wales, Scotland and NI and millions face New Year water shortage after thaw in Northern Ireland sparks spate of burst pipes . One unexpected consequence of the cold spell has been that in Yorkshire, Knipe Point cliff homes threatened by new landslip - sounds like some freeze-thaw action taking place, making the cliffs crumble more than normal. On-going floods force mass evacuations in Queensland, Australia And North-east US struggles for normality after blizzards whilst in Canada, storm disruptions continue in Maritimes Cold wave kills 4 in northern India Greenland ice sheet future grim says Aberystwyth study

Hope you all had a good Christmas. It was by far the coldest I've ever experienced with a minima of -13.5c on Christmas Day morning, rising to a daytime max of -5.3c. However, this morning a bit of a thaw has set in with the temperature now up to +1.8c which is the warmest it's been here in Evesham since the 16th (it also just reached +1.8c on the 17th). Drips have resumed but this time they're not forming more icicles. Total, deep, snow cover remains though and some more snow looks likely for a time this evening before the real thaw sets in tomorrow. However, despite December 'set to be coldest since 1910' (when the England and Wales temperature series began) and warnings that freezing weather set to return across the country (an odd headline given it will be nowhere near as cold today or tomorrow as it was over the weekend and any snow will turn to rain as temperatures rise tomorrow and on Wednesday) the headline news today is that eastern USA hit by winter ...

Masses and masses of icicles. Packed snow and ice everywhere - although main roads and pavements in the high street are now clear. At least no more snow is expected - we could see some ahead of milder air pushing in from the west late on Sunday and through Monday, but I suspect little will get here although freezing rain is a worrying possibility. By Wednesday it should be comparatively milder - though still below normal temperatures - and a thaw ought to have set in. Meanwhile, signs are that for Britain this could be the coldest Christmas on record, with temperatures expected to drop to at least -18c in places tonight and remain below freezing throughout Christmas Day. Hope Santa's packed his thermals! Christmas travellers struggle as winter weather hits trains and roads There's a record low for water temperature in London's taps Snow paralyses transport in parts of Western Europe - but the good news is that Piers Corbyn's predicted Christmas Blizzard looks as...

On and on and on it snows, when it'll stop, nobody knows ..... Actually it looks like today should see the last of it for most people, with dry but very cold conditions setting in for Christmas. And 2-3" here overnight. Passengers face further misery as more snow sweeps Britain Better news for some as London travel getting back to normal after snow not so for others with the M5 in Worcestershire partly blocked by overnight snow . Heavy snow hits North Wales as concern rises over grit In Northern Ireland cold weather continues to bite with further record temperatures Oh, and a small earthquake shakes Cumbria residents And, having been pestered by politicians and the media to answer the question, Scientists say biting winters driven by global warming . And they're probably right. Though I wouldn't expect the public let alone media commentators to understand how it can be getting warming and yet we experience more severe winters (here's a clue: how big is Brita...

What a weekend! After a light dusting of snow on Friday night it started snowing again just as I got up at 6.00am Saturday morning - and didn't stop for 10 hours. A total of 11 inches on the grass. And then, overnight the temperature fell to -16.2c in my garden and -19.5c at Pershore Throckmorton (a site record for there). My previous lowest temperature was -10.5c. During the day the temperature only rose to -7.3c and last night fell back to -14.6c As I write, the south coast is getting pummeled with more heavy snow, but fortunately we're only likely to get some light stuff later, if anything at all. But it's expected to remain below freezing all week. Pershore temperatures drop to -19c Hundreds more flights cancelled as BAA criticism intensifies Police urge motorists to avoid the A38 after major snowfall overnight Travel warning as Scotland's freeze continues Ambulance response warning as more snow due in Wales Record low temperature recorded in Northern Ireland ...

Well the snow is back with a vengance today in Evesham with around 5" this morning - and though it's eased off now, we could see more later. In addition, there are indications that temperatures here and in many other parts of Britain may not rise above freezing again until after Christmas..... A white Christmas looks likely on the ground at least because this snow will not be going anywhere, though Christmas Day itself still doesn't look like producing any snow in most places. Britain left reeling under fresh winter blast North-west England travel warning after heavy snowfall While snow brings chaos across Europe In Canada, New brunswick flood damage 'beyond imagination'

Well, it's back. Though only a few flakes so far in Evesham. Heavy snow and ice cause disruption across UK Schools close as snowfalls blanket the Highlands Freeze returns as Wales prepares for 'Black Friday' Ulster hit by heavy snowfall Two dead in Germany as more snow threatens Europe Elsewhere: Cuba registers record low temperature in 50 years Colombia flooding continues with thousands homeless Loss of Arctic ice may promote hybrid marine mammals Ancient forest emerges mummified from the Arctic Cyclone lasting more than five years is detected on Saturn Iapetus moon's might ridge stirs debate

White Christmas likely as forecasters predict return of Arctic weather to UK - though it's only our old friend Jonathan Powell saying a white Christmas is a certainty (and he's no more a counterpart to the MetO than I am!). Looks possible for some, at least with lying snow even if only rain or sleet falls through the day. But whilst we take a breather from the cold and snow, problems continue in North America where Ontario snowstorm maroons hundreds and bone-chilling cold plods into North-east US while in the Mid-west, after brutal snow-storm, US starts clearing up . Whilst some States like Georgia and Florida have seen very low temperatures, elsewhere, Arizona and California have been breaking records for heat. So not all bad. Globally, it still looks like 2010 is probably the hottest year ever recorded One dead in severe Brisbane storm On I missed from last week: Panama Canal reopens after closure due to rain Scottish Govt outlines weather response changes Life may have...

Quiet weather in the UK at the moment - a brief respite before an Arctic front sweeps down on Thursday to bring a very cold and perhaps snowy weekend and run in to Christmas. However, not so in the US as winter storm warning brings snow, sub-zero wind chills ; season's first big snow storm slams southeast Michigan ; and storm buries mid-west, crippling roads, airports . And in the Pacific NW, sandbags battle record-setting flood . More flooding in Australia too where brave teens rescue stranded girl as flash floods keep Qld crews busy . Middle East countries hit by storms bringing snow in Jerusalem With no guarantee of delivery due to the weather, Tesco and Sainsbury halt online orders in Scotland Solar storm could knock out power grids and satellites - but will in fact simply produce a nice auroral display. And finally, my heartfelt thanks to Runrig - and all the crowd at Warwick Arts Centre - for making Saturday night such a remarkable, memorable occasion. Possibly the...

The thaw has now set in across Britain and Scotland faces flood nightmare as temperatures shoot up by 20c But it's still wintry elsewhere: Snowstorm traps drivers in Estonia In Germany, snow keeps falling, traffic chaos continues Earlier in the week, Eiffel Tower shut and roads blocked by Paris snowfall In Ireland, weather claims its sixth victim as thaw brings new dangers Extreme weather hammers large parts of Canada In Australia, disaster declared as river swallows town of Queanbeyan and today, Vic, Qld floods ease, NSW still at threat Meteor fireball spotted in skies over Britain Cloud 'feedback' affects global climate and warming Greenland ice flow driven by short term weather extremes, not gradual warming 'Greener' climate prediction shows plants slow warming And one for Graham Hancock fans: is there a lost civilisation under Persian Gulf?

The temperature in my back garden rose to the heady heights of -4.9c yesterday afternoon, by far the coldest day I've ever recorded. Whilst I wasn't able to get out and take any photos during the brief period in the afternoon when the fog cleared and the sun shone on a frozen winter wonderland, I did get out with tripod for some night-time shots after work. I think they came out rather well! And on a different note, a friend on Ukweatherworld found this little cartoon which seems to be based exactly on the 'Vale Effect' whereby storms always pass around rather than over Evesham! http://xkcd.com/831/ And back to the weather news, and it's much of the same old same old, I'm afraid as North York Moors drivers stranded in heavy snow and fresh snow brings Scotland to a halt We were caught out by a perfect storm says Salmond It's cold and snowy across the Atlantic too with Northern Maine digging out of snowstorm as snowfall blankets Montreal and there...

And so it goes on. Scotland and N Ireland were hit badly by snow yesterday whilst elsewhere it was a bitterly cold day, with widespread freezing fog, lots of hoar frosts and even some 'fog' or 'power station' snow. The temperature in Evesham this morning was down to -7.7c and is not expected to rise much through the day as the fog persists. Three Scots police forces urge driver not to travel Motorists trapped overnight in freezing weather Heavy snow leads to 'horrendous' driving conditions in NI 100 children trapped overnight as snow forces them to sleep in classrooms Freeze bites hard in Wales with temperature of -14c Big freeze death toll rises, leaves drivers trapped and threatens Christmas It currently looks like a brief respite this coming weekend, before turning colder again next week and the likelihood of more snow before Christmas.

After a slightly milder weekend in the south, the freeze returns. Across the snowfields of Yorkshire the temperature this morning fell to at least -18c - a record for the county. In Evesham it was only -5.3c but we had freezing fog and a good covering of 'power station snow'. By the way, that's a record 13 consecutive frosts for me now. There's more, heavy, snow falling across Scotland and N Ireland at the moment. Indications are it will turn milder by the end of the week for a few days, but long term outlook is for cold and often snowy conditions to continue into 2011. It's a real winter at last! So the latest news this morning is that the big freeze returns whilst Edinburgh airport closed by snow Over the weekend, more than 10,000 skiers flock to Scotland's slopes Up on the Yorkshire Moors, snow leads to 'ultimate pub lock-in' Severe weather, air strike, disrupt travel across Europe Deluge continues in southern, central Qld Hundreds missing in...

We were supposed to get some rain or sleet or snow or something last night - the first band of snow passed over Evesham without a flake falling from the sky and the second, heavier band also produced zilch - contrary to what the radar indicated. Think someone has erected a big umbrella over us! Temperatures have however risen to above 2c and a slow thaw of the remaining icy patches left over from Tuesday light snowfall is underway. Outlook remains cold though with some more sharp frosts expected in the coming week. Roof at Tesco store collapses under weight of snow Trains restored to north of Scotland In Edinburgh, they've issued an Arthur's Seat avalanche warming - and all hills throughout the country are likely to be at risk this weekend First the freeze, now the panic buying despite the slight thaw in some areas today The snow is clearing ... now for the ice age However Europe's deadly cold snap maintains grip with at least 60 dead in Europe as snow, floods cause...

And the big freeze continues with still no further snow in Evesham apart from a few odd flakes - much of Tuesday's fall has gone in town though sheltered spots still retain a covering. Down to -7.1c this morning, but that's nothing to Altnaharra in Sutherland this week where it fell to -21.2c on Wednesday morning and there was a maxima of -14.0c yesterday. Last night it fell to -20.1c in Braemar. Ice warning across Scotland as temperatures drop with the Scotland rail network crippled by weather . Travel chaos hits UK after more heavy snow - over a foot fell in many parts of the SE and South on Wednesday night. Snow leaves commuters stranded So far, wind prevents heavy snow in Wales Jersey's Christmas festival launch cancelled after snow But amid all the misery, Britons enjoy the lighter side of the big freeze Two elderly people die in own gardens in Cumbria In N.I., schools closed and travel disrupted in heavy snow this morning with the weather across UK to become much...

About 2cm of snow fell in Evesham early on Tuesday morning, most of which is still around today. But compared with many parts we've had nothing. Snow and ice causes disruption as cold spell continues Heavy snow shuts Gatwick Airport Heavy snow disrupts schools, travel and Grimsby hospital Motorists urged to avoid the M25 in Surrey Fresh snow disrupts London Victoria rail services Snow brings part of South Yorkshire to a standstill Scots die in freak accident as snow continues Heavy snow closes Forth Bridge and section of M8 Petrol stations run out of fuel as tankers get stuck Scottish ski resorts predict bumper season as snow comes early And it's not just in Britain as Ireland gets another blanket of snow and the worst is yet to come In Germany, accidents and delays rise as weather worsens Snow forces Geneva airport closure Sweden braces for record freeze While in America Spokane breaks record for most snow in November NSW sees wettest summer start in 60 years whilst for Bris...

A minimum of -9.2c on Sunday morning, with a daytime max of -1.6c. Not quite my lowest minima, though it shattered the previous record for November, but it was the coldest day I've recorded since my records began in 2003. But it was even colder in Wales as temperature drops to record -17c November low in Powys while temperatures fall to record low for November in N Ireland as well. The figures at Llysdinam in Wales have been confirmed by the Met Office as -18c with a daytime max of -5c. There's a -20c warning as snow chaos spreads Fresh snow brings more disruption to Scotland And even in the SW, Cornwall snow closes roads and schools While the freezing weather shows no sign of letting up It currently looks like it will be our turn for some more significant snow in Evesham tomorrow. Record rainfall drenches Melbourne, puts motorists on alert while there have been blackouts in Darwin as 100mm rain falls in 1 hour Earth's lakes are warming, NASA study finds Climate change...

Quite a few more places had snow overnight, including Evesham - barely 1cm but nonetheless produced a ground covering, which is something we've not had in the town in November since I moved here in 1999 (it snowed in 2005 but soon melted again in town). Fresh heavy snowfalls and icy roads affecting UK Cumbria wakes up to snow chaos Warning for drivers across Wales as snow takes hold In Ireland, drivers warned over icy conditions There's been reports of thundersnow in Ireland and also the Channel Islands where Jersey airport hit by lightning causing delays And this earliest white winter for two decades could go on for 10 days . Or even longer. Back in October, 'inclement weather' blamed for late running of trains - even though the weather was as normal as it could possibly be! 'Weather check' could predict A&E injury rates How Robert Mugabe tries to control the weather Montreal freezing rain stirs frustration Hunters may have delivered fatal blow to mammoth...

One dominant news story which is likely to remain the case for at least a week - and that of course is the early onset of weather across Britain. Down to -5.2c this morning in my garden, not quite a record but we may see -6c or lower in the coming nights. Big worries too about next week as low pressure pushes up from the Bay of Biscay in a classic 'channel low' scenario. Some parts of England could see some nasty blizzards later in Tuesday and through into Wednesday - and one of those parts could even be Evesham! However it may not be until Sunday or Monday until we will really know exactly where the low will go and thus where the snow will most likely fall. If it's further north than the current consensus then we get rain, if it's further south we could even stay dry. Heavy snow falling in North Wales this morning, but otherwise it's so far been Scotland and NE England that has been worst affected. Heavy early snow grips parts of UK amid fresh warnings . Desp...

And so it begins. Winter 2010/11 that is. Down to -1.8c this morning with a good frost on the ground and temperatures expected to be much lower over the coming days. Some indications we could see snow in the Vale as early as tomorrow morning, though more likely on Saturday night and again next week. And model output suggests this will not be a short wintry blast but the start of a prolonged spell of cold weather. Prolonged cold snap and significant snowfall forecast . And already the cold snap causing road problems in north of Scotland . However, despite its severity, the number of deaths due to cold weather fell last winter . Icy roads continue to play havoc across Alaska In Seattle 'big storm' overwhelmed city's snow response as storm pounds Northwest, then heads east . In the Middle East, Israelis and Palestinians join together to pray for rain Global warming predictions lead to India temperature rise concerns Cloud study predicts more global warming Cost effectiv...

Well no surprise the media have finally cottoned on to the fact it's going to turn cold this week as Britain braces itself for up to 6in of snow with temperatures set to tumble to -10c as winter bites . And I'm not the only one wondering if we could see a repeat of 1981/2 this winter - plenty of cold and snowy weather. But all over by February. Snow blankets metro Vancouver while further south, SoCal mountains get snow as rain subsides Australian outback storms bring a month's rain in 10 minutes Despite the recession, global carbon dioxide emissions may reach record levels in 2010 though there may be some good news since " We could be seeing the first signs of net CO 2 sequestration in the forest sector outside the tropics ".

The risk of widespread snow, with daytime temperatures struggling to get much above freezing in some places, by next weekend, increases rather than decreases in this morning's model output, though nothing if ever guaranteed! More overnight flooding confined to isolated areas of Devon (it's worth noting that as it stands, the monthly rainfall for Evesham is going to come in at well below average!) while Cornwall teams work overnight to prevent more flooding . And after (unfair) criticisms of the Met Office for 'failing' to predict the floods in Cornwall earlier this week, Ewan McCallum points out that ' If we got the weather forecast right every time, we'd be God '. In Canada, snow blankets Praries, heads east . Indonesia flights resume as volcano slows - odd how airlines have been happy to have flights cancelled for 2 whole weeks in Indonesia yet were up in arms after a couple of days in Europe earlier this year ..... NASA satellite captures huge Alaska wi...

Well, I admit I was sceptical about it at first, but forecast models are now in good agreement that the first really wintry spell of weather for Britain will set in next week, with some snow likely for low-lying areas in north and east Scotland and down the east coast of England - and maybe elsewhere too by next weekend (though still considerable doubt on this). I said before I expected an early start to winter - which looks like happening (bear in mind it was not till December last years that we had our first frost in Evesham, and only just before Christmas did the cold start to set in with snow waiting until January to make an appearance here). Hopefully my other prediction of an early start to spring will also hold true - but I know some are talking of a longer, colder winter than even last winter. We'll see. Update: For the record, the latest MetO forecast (issued just after this blog entry was written) reads: UK Outlook for Wednesday 24 Nov 2010 to Friday 3 Dec 2010: The p...

After up to 2 inches of rain fell overnight, trapped drivers rescued as floods hit Cornwall . But good news from the ST Austell brewery: beer deliveries will get through floods . There's also been a severe weather warning as N.I. battered by storms and in Wales, Pembrokeshire fire crews called out to flooding . Well, it is autumn, what do you expect? Signs are that it'll be turning colder too by the end of the month. And holly berries suggest harsh winter on the way (actually they do nothing of the sort - they only indicate what the weather was like earlier in the year, but that's not saying a cold winter might not be on the way). No signs unseasonable cold or snow for low lying areas as yet though, whatever the media may be misinforming their readers . Meanwhile, in Germany climate experts warn of extremely cold winters due to climate change. There've been 176 crashes in Calgary winter storm Web users unite to power climate change project - another of these...

After 2 days of torrential rain, floods claim two lives in Belgium with the latest reports now saying floods in France and Belgium killed at least 5 The 2010 Ashes series could be one big wash-out according to forecasters - yep, I've been saying that for a while. And the weather should play into our hand nicely since we only need a draw to retain the Urn. Though a convincing victory against the Aussies would always be better! The Scottish ski season gets underway at Cairngorm, though in contrast skiers enjoy Scotland while daffodils bloom in Devon . Early snow in Minnesota, Wisconsin causes hundreds of accidents, 2 deaths Scientists unlock the secrets of exploding plasma clouds on the sun As glaciers melt, science seeks data on rising seas

It's alleged there's another storm front at the BBC as now weather forecasters threaten to strike . As yet I've heard nothing direct from anyone at the BBC weather centre or the Met Office so couldn't say how true this might be. My views on strikes are no secret: I oppose them in all cases except where public safety is at issue. So sorry guys, no support from me. Heavy rains flood Gisbourne homes in Victoria, Australia Cholera fears in Benin's flooded city of Cotonou Landslides cut off parts of central Vietnam 5,800 lightning strikes seen over Chongqing in winter thunderstorm - which lasted 10 hours. That's longer that all the thunderstorms I've experienced in my life put together! An update on the damage from Thursday's storm with Blackpool lights and other landmarks hit by storm winds in Lancashire Western Isles fear over green power connection - but why do they need it? Why need use the windfarms on Lewis to power homes on Lewis? And then ...

Whilst yesterday's storm was by no means exception, it was the first time we'd had widespread gales across the British isles for some time. So little wonder it caused problems. Sadly a woman impales by tree branch in Wakefield dies . There were ferries and traffic disrupted as winds batter Kent , as strong winds and rain batter Wales . In Ulster there are 600 homes without power after gales while a child has lucky escape as tree hits car . They had the promendade closed as strong winds hit Blackpool and fallen trees and debris block Isle of Man roads . But the stormy weather has been beneficial to a few as surfers have been chasing the biggest waves in the world ... in Ireland . And it's been breezy elsewhere too as wind knocks down trees, power line in SoCal Record high temperatures return to Russia - Thursday's maxima of 14.5c in Moscow is nearly 2c higher than the November record prior to this year of 12.6c in 1927. And after a week of record high temperature...

In Sweden there was one dead as snowstorms cause traffic havoc After moderately heavy rain in parts of southern England yesterday, Hampshire and Isle of Wight flood homes evacuated and there were roads flooded after stormy night in Surrey and Sussex . Meanwhile, gale force winds batter Scotland and there's possibly worse to come tomorrow In Cumbria, common sense prevails as Alston residents create community snowplough . And yes, I bet it is fun driving it! Hurricane-like winds bother Sofia, Bulgaria , but on the up side, at the weekend there were record warm temperatures in Bulgaria Bridge washes away in water-weary Nova Scotia Weather delivers an early Utah ski season In Thailand, flood-related deaths rise to 185, landslides continue to occur in south Hurricane Tomas finally losing steam - but not before killing at least 21 in Haiti Lloyds alerts businesses to space weather threats but don't worry, NASA are on the case as they launch the International Space Weather Init...

Storm winds and rain hit Scotland - bringing the first road closures due to snow - and further south, storms across Devon and Cornwall result in road debris . Homes evacuated as heavy rain drenches Nova Scotia Storm-battered Haiti cleans up Tomas wreckage Indonesia volcano causes more flight chaos - interestingly, airlines cancelled flights despite authorities saying it was safe to fly ..... the very opposite to what they did earlier this year in Europe. Crops that reflect sunlight could offset global warming, scientists claim And EU's biofuels goals may raise greenhouse gas emissions

Nigeria isn't normally known for volcanic activity, but there's been a volcanic eruption in Benue, 1 killed, property destroyed Meanwhile, in SE Asia airlines make Indonesia a no-fly zone after Mount Merapi's worst eruption yet . There seems to be some confusion in Ireland at the moment with Dublin braced for hurricane ..... in fact, the storm predicted for Sunday and Monday has nothing at all to do with any hurricane: it's a normal North Atlantic depression which, less normally, will be developing south of Greenland and then tracking south to bring heavy rain and strong winds across much of the British Isles. There were, however, fatal floods as Hurricane Tomas sweeps over Haiti - it's now heading towards the Turks and Caicos Islands where a British Naval vessel is already positioned to provide aid if needed (demonstrating once again how vital our navy is!) In India, Andhra, Tamil Nadu brace for Cyclone Jal New temperature high in Prague - I assume it's th...

Breaking news this morning is that tropical storm Tomas lashes Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica with heavy rain and as a result there are tense evacuations in Haiti - as clearly stated, the main problem is likely to be mudslides caused by heavy rain falling on massively denuded hillsides. Dozens die in new Mount Merapi eruption in Indonesia - many victims of a pyroclastic cloud. Costa Rica landslide kills at least 20 as storm hits Flooding returns to west Cumbria after heavy rain - 160mm reported yesterday at Seathwaite - and there's likely to be more rain over the coming days too. Impact 'catastrophe calculator' updated - and looks great fun! Matt Hughes, 'Storm Chasers' star, dies from non chasing 'injury' - sadly, he committed suicide after suffering depression. The 2010 series of Stormchasers will probably be shown in the UK early next year. In Malaysia, nearly 40,000 evacuated in Kedah, flood eases in Perlis Heat spike breaks records in southern California...

After severe storms dropped a huge amount of rain in northern Italy ( reportedly 810mm fell in the space of 62 hours at Piancavallo), storms in Italy cause deaths, evacuations . As usual with such events in Europe, it's not easy to find decent English language coverage of the events. However the Daily Mail have picked the story up - and provided some good photos as they often do - in conjunction with another European story; a large crater opens up beneath German town swallowing car . There is also video footage on the BBC as mudslides kill three in Tuscany . Clean-up begins on holiday island of St Lucia after Hurricane Tomas claims 14 lives - and now storm takes aim at devastated Haiti . Though now only a tropical storm, Tomas is the last thing the country needs right now. Though to be fair, it's had a very lucky escape thus far this season. As floods continue to hit Thailand, Thai soldiers race to help flooded southern city - with even an aircraft carrier being deploy...

Over the weekend, Hurricane Tomas lashes Caribbean islands and although today Tomas down to a tropical storm, Haiti still on alert . Meanwhile, in the Indian Ocean there's a cyclone headed for Cocos Islands whilst reports suggests there were 170,000 affected by cyclone Giri in Myanmar last month. Mars volcanic deposit tells of warm and wet environment It was the wettest October in nearly 4 decades in Brisbane whilst for Sydney rain clouds out sunny October . Stay off our patch, oil industry tells North Sea wind farm developers And new insights on Arctic Quaternary climate variability from paleao-records and numerical modelling suggests that during the early Holocene there may have been " periods of ice free summers in the central Arctic Ocean ". Which seems to have got them excited on WUWT . But not here on W&ES - because we already knew this to be the case !

I'm currently running polls on the 3 main UK weather forums ( Ukweatherworld , TWO and Net-Wx ) asking whether people find dark mornings depressing. Over 100 respondents so far although the results aren't quite what I had expected. However, next week I'll post the results here. My point is that surveys on whether people would like to shift to Alpha time and have more daylight in the evenings are biased in that they do not point out the downside to this - darker mornings. And I personally find darker mornings in winter more depressing than it getting dark at 10.00pm in summer. Unfortunately there is no co-ordinated campaign against the proposal to shift to Alpha time and the public are being deliberate misled over the percieved benefits. Maybe I should also pop over to Mumsnet to ask there how easy parents find it to get their children to go to bed when it's still daylight outside - and how they therefore feel about an extra hour of daylight in the evening? Howev...

Putting clocks back damages our health, says expert - to which there is a simple answer: stop putting the bloody things forward in Spring! There's nothing more depressing than dark, dreary morning and having to get up and travel to work in the dark. Any attempt to move Britain to the the alpha time zone would seriously harm our mental wellbeing not to say totally fail to bring any benefits whatsoever (except to a handful of arrogant tossers in the SE England who want to be able to play tennis at 11.00pm on a summer's evening - when all normal folk have gone to bed, albeit struggling to sleep in the continuing daylight ......) Someone's been looking at the MetO website and has decided that Met Office data suggests mild winter - however, my own interpretation is that there is no clear signal with regards temperature. Though I agree the data suggests a drier than average winter. Anyway, the story has prompted a MetO comment . Manitoba, Saskatchewan clean up after weath...