21st January - Today's News: Heavy Rain Affects UAE

After-effects of heavy rain felt across the UAE

A little snow in parts of Britain yesterday, though nothing particularly disruptive, and only sleety rain in Evesham as a fairly normal winter continues. Some problems in the southern Pennines though as motorists abandon cars on busy motorway as heavy snow causes travel chaos.    I think we will see more snow before March, but I am not expecting anything significant, albeit that my patent "antipodean SLATless forecast" did highlight the risk of a notable cold/snowy spell in late January or February - and there's still time for that to prove true!

In the US at the weekend, freezing rain makes Northeast roads slick; at least 5 killed

Cluster of storms and rain ease Gold Coast heatwave

Spain hit by proper winter

Flood death toll across southern Africa reaches 260

Floods cut off roadusers on highway linking Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo

Heat wave in Brazil forces power cuts

In Malta, 2014 was third hottest year on record and globally, we had the warmest December on record says NOAA

Greenland ice: the warmer it gets, the faster it melts - well that's a surprise!!!   Meanwhile, giant atmospheric rivers add to mass to Antarctica's ice sheet

Wind turbine study finds possible correlation between noise and residents' complaints

And this week it's no surprise that electricity demand hits highest this winter - as wind power slumps to its lowest