Weather & Earth Science News

The last of the year! After a cold 2010, the Met Office announce (to no great surprise) that 2011 UK's second warmest year on record - the actual press release is here . Looks like being a mild but damp Hogmanay across many parts of Britain tonight, though hopefully not as wet for most as in NZ where New Year's Eve celebrations washed out . 34 die in south India cyclone And a record heatwave hits South Pole Why tornadoes take the weekends off in summer - it's all down to pollution World pays Ecuador not to extract oil from rainforest in an initiative that we may well see become commonplace in future decades. Cloud Appreciation Society's beautiful 2012 calendar is a hit with sky gazing fans - featuring a stunning photo of Nocties over Fort William taken by my good friend John Cameron.

As 'Thane' crosses the Indian coast, cyclonic storm leaves six dead in TN and Puducherry Freak foam storm swamps seaside resort of Cleverleys Across the UAE, nation offers prayers for rain More flooding in NZ as heavy rain hits Nelson and Tasman And as reports start coming in on 2011's weather records: Highest temperature reported in Austrian mountain areas since 1851 In Germany: 2011 was fifth warmest, third sunniest in record Perth swelters through hottest year

The Christmas Storm Dagmar cuts power, causes damage across Nordic regions as Sweden struggles with wrath of storm Dagmar and Norway counts cost of Christmas hurricane Meanwhile today, more floods expected as 90mph winds batter Scotland In Australia, violent summer weather cuts country in two Germany has 'mildest Christmas in decades' it's been Sweden's warmest December in 250 years and 2011 hottest year in France since 1900 And there's been a bumper crop of Christmas apples as 'two Springs and no Summer leave British plants in confusion . But mild weather could spell vegetable shortages come Spring. Eastern Canada braces for first major storm of the season Philippines storm death toll rises to nearly 1250 In India, high tidal waves lash Andhra coast as Cyclone Thane develops in the Bay of Biscay Taking the pulse of Ngozumpa , a Nepalese glacier that is producing a growing meltwater lake.

In stark contrast to one year ago, it've been a very mild, green Christmas in Britain this year - the warmest on record in N Ireland and overall the 3rd warmest for the whole country. Nonetheless, not good news for all as winds of 101mph recorded in Northern Isles Here in Evesham it was a breezy 12.3c which is a date record since 2003. Though in 2004 I recorded 14.4c on the 23rd December. Last year the max was -4.4c ! Which was also a date record... In Eire too, there's cheer for swimmers as unseasonal weather puts Greece in the shade Elsewhere, a rare white Christmas graces Texas panhandle and wild Christmas weather hits Australia as thousands mop up after hail barrage inflicts havoc on Christmas Day . And in the Philppines, more floods feared as new storm threatens Mindanao

After the Philippines floods: more than 1,000 remain missing New Zealand's Christchurh rocked by earthquakes again After heavy rain in Wales yesterday, flooding keeps Mid and West Wales fire crews busy Whilst following a landslide in the Highlands, tonnes of fallen rock block Lochcarron to Kyle road In the US, heavy snow closes roads, delays flights in West but in the NE, there's no snow, little go at ski resorts . Meanwhile, up in Fairbanks, with record setting weather another December to remember Whilst it;s going to be a mild Christmas in Britain, bear a thought for those in Western Australia where Pilbara sizzles again after 49.4c - the hottest WA DEcember day on record And in the SE of England don't take bath this Christmas as drought order is issued . Darwin on alert as cyclone develops offshore Airlines cleared to use Santa's short-cut - which can only increase Arctic warming And we all have just a year left as Mexico Maya begin 2012 'end of era' co...

The Daily Mail gets all confused with temperatures today as they ask will it be the warmest Christmas on record? There is in fact nothing at all amazing about a maximum temperature in December being higher than the April mean; and we're hardly looking at record temperatures when the predicted maximum temperature is still below the record highest minimum ! But that's journalists for you! And we'd need temperatures to get over 16c to have a chance of the warmest Christmas on record. I suspect around 12c will be closer the mark. But, at least they have some nice pictures to accompany their misleading nonsense. Meanwhile the Met Office provide this summary on how common a White Christmas is In Finland, unusually warm weather preventing birds flying south And how will warm weather affect your holidays? If you live in Toronto - which like so much of the northern Hemisphere is suffering a dearth of cold and snow this winter. Fourth hurricane-force windstorm blasting A...

Philippine floods: President declares national calamity with current estimates of up to 1,000 dead. It's a Christmas to forget in Mindanao . The Met Office supported charity Shelterbox assesses Philippines flood damage . In the US, deadly snowstorm halts travel across Great Plains But there's be no snow in Britain this Christmas - as indeed has looked the case since the beginning of the month. In fact, after a few days ago predicting a white Christmas, the tabloid press are now proclaiming Scotland in for hottest Christmas Day ever - not sure of that, although with southwesterly winds a fohn effect could bring very mild temperatures to the northeast. Looks like Piers Corbyn will be losing his bets this year! And on a more serious note, Scotland's cities' chances of a white Christmas rated with, on average, Aberdeen coming out top. But this years extreme weather baffles butterflies in Britain Aussies shiver in coldest start to summer in 50 years After recent r...

Over the weekend, Philippines flood toll passes 650 as search continues with mass burial for Philippines flood victims . Grim scenes indeed. It's been the worst storm of the year for a country which is sadly prone to such disasters. Here in Britain, still no snow seen in Evesham and we're looking very likely now to see an entirely snow free 2011. And a green Christmas. Just like in the US: dreaming of a white Christmas? Dash it all! They too have had a lot less snow than last year, and indeed only around half the longer term average. Must be this new ice age they keep telling us about! Although that said, today a major storm takes aim at SW Great Plains . Walker dies in avalanche on Y Garn in Snowdonia after a cornice he was standing on collapsed In Victoria, residents evacuated as storms cause flash flooding India cold wave claims dozens of lives in north - though I'm not quite sure how water pipes froze if the temperature only plummeted to +2.8c? Such co...

Yesterday's storm - named Joachim - caused a fair bit of damage. Jersey homes flooded and roads closed in heavy storm with a massive outage as storm batters northern France and Joachim lashes Switzerland . Meanwhile in Germany, winter storm 'Joachim' snarls traffic . Still no snow in Evesham - we even had rain this morning, despite the temperature having dropped to -1.6c (coldest night so far this autumn/winter). But there was snow elsewhere yesterday: in Wales, snow and ice strands motorists on A55 for up to five hours Nevis Range ski resort to open after storm repairs Philippines storm triggers deadly flash floods with reports of hundreds dead or missing Flooding, landslides claim more lives in Colombia Irene was tropical storm, not hurricane, over NJ Looks like we'll soon be able to gaze in awe and wonder at majestic wind turbines from the Cairngorms National Park as approval of Allt Duine wind farm recommended . Any excuse to build roads over the Monadh Liat...

In NZ flash flooding: man swept from armchair and earlier this week in WA thunderstorm causes widespread damage Snow on Bredon and the Cotswolds this morning, but nothing even fell in Evesham. Last time we had sleet was 27th December 2010. Some parts of the SE have seen snow today though, as well as Wales and further north as Britain wakes to snowfall and heavy rain as bookies slash odds of a White Christmas - though there is nothing at all at present to suggest the southern half of Britain will see snow on the 25th. Maybe Scotland. The storm that tracked across southern Britain overnight has had more impact on the Continent as winter storm 'Joachim' reaches Germany and storm Joachim arrives in Switzerland Yesterday morning, snow in Sheffield 'caught out' city council In Londonderry, storm-hit residents left to pick up pieces While in Wales, double lightning strike hits Arriva and FGW services And in Coventry, Keresley residents mystified by apple shower - f...

Snow and strong winds disrupt travel in Scotland with in Ireland a record breaker: monster wave in top surf spot and a severe weather warning as storms batter Ulster whilst heavy rain and snow disrupt traffic. In Hampshire, ex-ambassador Richard Wilkinson trapped as tree smashes roof and roof blown off Bexhill flats as gales batter South-east . Stormiest UK weather for years expected to continue and there could be more gales tonight, whilst although the big storm on Thursday/Friday now looks like tracking south bringing the worst of the winds through the Channel and especially into France - which could see some very serious conditions on Friday - there is now an increased risk for snow across the Midlands. All good wintry stuff! And during last week's storm, up on Orkney, seal pup blown into field of sheep by gale-force winds Poor spring blamed for affecting sea eagles Flooding means state of emergency declared in Nelson , NZ America's top hurricane forecasters give up...

Get ready for the windiest week of the year as storms are on their way to batter most of the UK - it's going to be wet, it's going to be very windy at times, and we might even see the odd flurry of snow. But after this week the weather looks like calming down a bit, especially in the south, and it's odds on from a rather mild, green Christmas. Some studding photos from Australia where you can expect to be drenched: rain causes Sydney chaos Motorists trapped in flooded Gothenburg on Friday night Britain's birds suffer bust and boom due to 2011's rollar-coaster weather Strong earthquake rattles Mexico, killing tow There have been 1,500 accidents and incidents on UK wind farms in the past 5 years - it would be useful it have a comparison with other forms of energy production though since on their own these figures don't really mean anything.

First air frost of the 'autumn' here in Evesham this morning, though only just with a min of -0.8c. Rather different to last December! This is the latest date on which I've recorded an air frost still my records begain in 2003. The previous latest date was 1st December 2009. Some more stories from Thursday's storms: Scotland clears up storm damage but many still without power Family flee as wind whips through house Oil vessels broke anchors in winds A82 briefly reopens and snow returns And the bad news is that there's more to come with another storm on Tuesday and a potentially much worse one next Friday. Snow fall in the Alps - and not a minute too soon In Nigeria, hot weather heralds severe harmattan A daft and frankly nonsensical Plain English award for Met Office 'gobbledygook' - apparently it's because they don't understand the difference between precipitation and rain. Idiots! Chile's Jorge Montt Glacier shrinks half a mile in a year ...

It was well forecast and with warnings heeded there appears, fortunately, to have been no serious injuries (though a number of vehicles were overturned and one person was injured in Lochailort when their static caravan blew over). Credible reports have come in of low level gusts in excess of 100mph whilst the 165mph recorded on Cairngorm was just short of the all time record (173mph). The Daily Mail runs with a headline claiming it was too windy for wind turbines! 165mph gales raise MORE questions about wind farms as gusts leave trail of destruction across country with a lot of great pictures including some of a wind turbine exploding - but this of course is not a reason to ban turbines any more than the pictures of lorries blown over is a reason to ban them. Met Office researchers fly into violent Atlantic storm affecting Scotland Police declare 'major incident' in storm-battered Lochaber with many roads blocked. The A82 south of Ft William was due to be closed over the we...

As Brisbane chills out through first week of summer - with today probably their coldest December day on record - it's been Sydney's coldest start to summer since 1960 . Here in Britain there's blizzard warning as gales sweep south with up to 4 inches of snow on the way by tomorrow - in Scotland. Nothing much expected down here whatever the media might say - though the odd flurry is possible on Friday with maybe a further risk of snow on Sunday night, before it turns milder again. Still, some nice pictures, especially of the white reindeer. The main concerns though are the winds across Scotland tomorrow and Friday. With another bad storm possible next week, and the current very unsettled conditions looking likely to persist through the month. In Germany, this season's first wintry weather causes road chaos French alpine glaciers in retreat New Taipei City sets record high winter temperature

Some good news for those planing a pre-Christmas ski trip as snow finally arrives in the Alps In Scotland, driver killed on M73 as wintry weather takes hold with caution urged in icy conditions across Scotland today . Global winds could explain record rains, tornadoes in the US this year Winter storm blasts New Mexico with snow, cold In WA, Perth hit by wild storms It wasn't just Europe that was warm this autumn as in South Korea highest-ever average temperature recorded for November . Dense smog in Beijing, China stops hundreds of flights Met Office warns of UK climate risks UK green energy projects fall by wayside in dash for gas Cores reveal when Dead Sea 'died' - it was back in the last interglacial, when the climate was warmer than today, suggesting that if GW continues it could dry up again, even without humans taking most of the inflowing water. NASA's Kepler confirms its first planet in habitable zone outside our solar system - but with different gravity and...

Driver killed as snow hits Britain but, a year after Britain ground to a halt under snow and ice, pictures show this season's warmer winter . Currently no indications of snow down in this parts before Christmas. It's been confirmed that Scotland has warmest November on record - with reports of midges still biting. But whilst it was a warm November in much of Europe, Bahrain shivers during a record cold month - with a mean temperature of just .... 23c! More contrasts in Finland where Helsinki 20 degrees warmer than last December High winds return to southern California Canary Island volcano: a new island in the making? And thousands flee as Indonesian volcano erupts Cornwall and Devon homes hit by earthquake And it now appears that after the LGM, there was simultaneous ice melt in Antarctica and Arctic - interesting.

It's here! England's first snowfall in Cumbria, and more is on the way this weekend - though really only for the hills at the moment, except perhaps in the far north of Scotland. There are sign though of a more general spread of snow later in the weekend. Winter has arrived, right on schedule. And just in case, there's plenty of salt stockpiled ready for winter roads . Cider firms enjoy bumper harvest after cold winter and mild spring November 2011 Jersey's mildest ever Calif. residents grapple with windstorm clean-up One more story from last weekend's storms in Norway where storm wave sweeps away film crew Bodies recovered in Indonesia landslide, 30 missing It would appear that over just the past 5 years the Arctic has taken a turn for the warmer . Whether the trend continues remains to be seen. Are rapidly growing windfarms a 'new Klondike' New projection shows global food demand doubling by 2050 Sharp decline in pollution from US power plants, NA...

Across a large part of England now there are calls for hose pipe ban after warmest November in 353 years . In Germany, parched November the driest month ever whilst Norway sees the warmest November in 111 years . And in Switzerland, mild weather fools trees - meaning that 'officially' it's now spring! - whilst so far, snow is a no-show at Swiss ski resorts . No drought worries in SW Scotland though, quite the opposite as flood family rescued after being cut off for two days whilst further north, slip could close A83 Rest and be Thankful for 24 hours - the 3rd time the road has been closed by a landslide in 4 years. Earlier this week, storm 'Berit' leaves 80,000 without power in southern Sweden Violent wind storm leaves path of destruction in California, other western states Abrupt permafrost thaw increases climate threat And it's being suggested that a drop in carbon dioxide levels led to polar ice sheet forming in Antarctica. Basically, whilst CO2 le...