10th January - Today's News: Famous Sequoia Felled by California Storm

The famous sequoia Pioneer Cabin Tree in California felled by storms as thousands in California and Nevada told to evacuate due to flooding

Starting to get a little exciting now as Arctic cold snap to bring 'thundersnow' to parts of Britain - okay, so not here, but a brief flurry is possible and there should be copious amounts of snow over the Brecon Beacons to play in on Sunday!   After that a great deal of uncertainty, but a prolonged cold spell and further, more widespread, snow is not entirely beyond the bounds of possibility (sods law says the model output suggesting a quick return to milder conditions will prove right though...)

Won't be quite as much as other parts of Europe, anyway, where after a weekend of snow chaos, more winter weather on the way for Italy  and Bulgaria appears set to break electricity consumption records as freezing temperatures persist as the Europe freeze brings deaths, power outages and closures in many other countries.

Bolivia weather takes centre stage in Dakar Rally - it's was a bit muddy!

China says 2016 temperatures drop on year, rainfall highest on record and whilst 2016 was USA's second-warmest year on record overall, Alaska's 2016 was warmest year on record -- by a wide margin.