15th June - Today's News: Warmest May on Record

Planet sees warmest May on record - makes you wonder what could happen if we get an El Nino, which normally produces higher temperatures (at present ENSO is neutral).   And all this despite most 'natural' forcings, such as solar activity, pointing towards cooler conditions at present.  Whither now the great global cooling?   Full NOAA report here.

(Note: it was the warmest May over land, but taking oceans into account as well, only the 2nd warmest after 2010 - when we last had El Nino conditions).

And it seem that the two warmest months in Midwest  US history may have connection

However, not everywhere has been enjoying warmth, and Vancouver's  stormy summer on pace for record cold

Here in Britain it's also been a cold June and a second weekend of flooding forecast - with heavy rain in places, although not quite the 80mph gales and 8 inches of rain or the 'worst storm for 50 years' that Nathan Rao at the Daily Express has forecast!  A more accurate story from the Huffington Post which headlines Britain faces 'unsettled' but not severe weekend weather.   Read the last link, ignore the others, they're only there for reference!

Edit: just come across this earlier story in the Telegraph which seems to explain where the '50 year storm' nonsense originated:

Weather Channel forecaster Leon Brown said: “There’s a 50 per cent possibility of extreme downpours seeing over 80mm of rain in 12 hours in south and east Wales, which is a once-in-50 years event.

I'm really not sure thugh where on earth Brown gets the idea that 80mm in 12 hours is a one in 50 year event since such rainfall occurs somewhere or other in Britain several times a year (and much more frequently over higher ground - the recent flooding in Wales was caused by ~200mm in 24 hours, for example)

It had been pretty windy in Deveon and Cornwall though, with gusts to 50mph as gale-force winds hamper clean-up in the South-west

Funnel cloud caught on camera in Cornwall on Tuesday whilst there was also an impressive waterspout spotted off Pwlhelli in Wales - though we're not quite sure when.

27 feared dead as Typhhon Guchol hits Philippines

Tropical storm Carlotta aims at Mexico Pacific coast

Venice assesses damage after tornado strike

Looks like ice to clear from Northeast passage early this year - and we could be looking at record low ice cover come September

Studies of forams in ocean mud cores suggest that back in the Eemian there may have been warm climate - cold Arctic?  Though it's not clear why this should be. 

Giant falling boulders close parts of Yosemite National Park forever - unlike here, in US National Parks you can't just wander around at will and have to follow set trails and camp only at recognised sites.  

13th century volcano mystery may be solved 

And ancient volcanoes destroyed ozone layer