7th December - Today's News: Deadly Auckland Tornado

Three dead as tornado strikes New Zealand city with tornado damage 'utter devastation' - Key and  in the aftermath,  search on for scores of pets left behind during storm.  Today, 'extreme care' urged as storm cordon lifted

Freezing UK weather closes schools and slows trains - and there's lots more to come.  Next week looks like being even colder, with a risk of snow for most parts before the week is out.

btw, back in August I said "my current thoughts are that we could see a cold start to winter, but a mild end.  Not dissimilar to 2010/11. But that may of course change and I'm starting to lean towards a return of colder conditions in late Feb/March.   A mild January sandwich."   So far so good!

Sweden hit with real snow on Wednesday though with transport standstill as storm lashes Stockholm and on Thursday many still stranded after Stockholm blizzard

However, in the US, snow-savvy Mid-west cities breaking no-snow record

In the Philippines, there are now at least 475 dead, hundreds missing in typhoon's wake

Canberra has the coldest December morning on record

Ocean heatwave hits WA waters bringing new fish

Japan earthquake triggers alert in Miyagi whilst also eastern Iran hit by deadly earthquake - though only a relatively small one.

Evidence that in the US and elsewhere, wildfires fanned by invasive grass species - spread, of course by human activity.  And since wildfires may affect the weather and perhaps even climate, it's another piece anthropogenic climate change.

Arctic lost record snow and ice last year as data shows changing climate

How illegal logging in Brazil's Amazon turns 'legal' - all it takes is violence and corruption....