Weather & Earth Science News

14th February - Today's News: Dozens Killed by Cold Weather in Algeria

2012-02-14T09:37:00.003Z

Cold weather kills dozens in Algeria

Mild winter breaks in US as central plains are hit by snow and freezing rain and east coast sees temperatures plummet - though it has to be said that conditions are only what would be expected this time of year and not particularly severe.

Russian cold snap kills 215 while in Belarus, Minsk struggles with coldest days on record

Some great pictures as Australian waterspout touches land

15 die as rainstorm wreaks havoc in Lagos

Madagascar hit by Cyclone Giovanni

West Iceland glacier to vanish in a few years - no suggestion made as to why this particular glacier is receeding quicker than others on Iceland

Even moderate air pollution can raise stroke risk

Darwin proved right on origin of life on Earth - it began in a pond.

An amusing if it wasn't serious story from a US shooting website 'Ammoland' claims global warming hoax - now killing people. It seems to equate homeless people dying due to the cold weather in Europe as being caused by us building windfarms instead of coal power stations. But I'm particulary bemused to see the author suggest scientists "should be driven from office, defunded, and chased through the streets like villagers in pursuit of Frankenstein." I used to joke that the anti-science mob wanted to do that. Now we know. I'm sure US religious fundamentalists will lap it up.

13th February - Today's News: Avalanche Hits Kosovo Village, 9 Dead

2012-02-13T09:53:00.004Z

As severe weather continues across Europe, nine dead after avalanche hits Kosovo village while Europe's rivers, lakes and even seas are iced over as bitter Siberian cold leads to temperatures of almost -40c

But in Britain, cold snap to finally end after record-breaking sub-zero temperatures - though it should be moted that Chesham is not an official Met Office station and it's data won't count in the official records. Officially, the coldest temperatures of winter so far have been at Holbeach with -15.6c, and on Sunday morning, -12.7c at Cavendish.

Meanwhile, in the US, winter 2011-12 on low-snow records pace and as a storm lashes Newfoundland and Labrador it's more rain than snow.

In Essex, a man in underwear crawls over frozen river to rescue dog - fortunately both survived okay

Fears of British super-drought after record low rainfall in winter

Woman rescued as storms lash southeast Queenland

Clouds unleash hail on the Blue Mountains

At least 1 dead as storm hits Nigerian city

11th February - Today's News: After Record Snow, Record Warm Spell Hits Alaska

2012-02-11T09:32:00.004Z

From one extreme to another as cold snapped: record warm Alaska weather out of nowhere

Down to -6.2c this morning in Evesham to give just the 3rd decent frost of the cold spell. But at least we finally have clear blue skies! Further east though, temperatures hit -18c with -15c and -16c widely reported across East Anglia and the Home Counties (other reports say -17.8c). In December 2010 it dropped to -16.2c in Evesham, the lowest temperature I have experienced.

Not as cold as Europe though where it's been minus 31.5 degrees in Austria with more similar - or lower - temperatures expected over the weekend as Russia, Europe freeze in cold spell

Europe's cold snap leaves many of Turkey's earthquake survivors shivering in tents

What does new glacier data mean for the climate debate? - it actually doesn't mean anything. Although presumably there will be no grumbles from the sceptics about the veracity of the data if in 10 years time it shows there has been a decline in the extent of Himalayan glaciers as a whole? It also (possibly) suggests that glacial melt if currently being matched by increased snowfall. Which in turn is suggestive of climate change and regional if not global warming.

10th February - Today's News: Freezing Rain Causes Problems in England

2012-02-10T09:45:00.003Z

Disappointed with the snow (or lack of) last night - just 1cm settled and most had gone by this monring. Though we have had a few unexpected flurries this morning as well. Disappointed too in the lack of severe frosts this week - the colder air just hasn't reached us and we've been under grey cloud most of the week. Oh well, winter's not over yet so always chance of some better wintry weather (which for me means a light covering of snow on the ground, a hard frost and bright blue skies) before the Spring.

We did have a little freezing rain for a time yesterday evening, though not enough to cause problems. But further north, freezing rain causes more than 100 crashes in Cumbria.

Bulgaria faces further fatal freeze a day after Black Sea devastation

Danube river shut in six countries due to ice

Arctic cold wreaks quirky havoc across Germany

Heavy rain lashes western Sydney

Mumbai weather: city shivers on second coldest day in 10 years while Delhi shivers at 4c, lowest so far in 2012

British weather 'better than tourists think' says Culture Secretary - and indeed he's right: we have a pleasant, benign climate and little in the way of extremes compared to many other places - never to hot nor too cold (though some of us would rather it was more extreme!). And if it wasn't sometimes wet it wouldn't be such a green and pleasant land.

Deconstructing a mystery: what caused 'snowmageddon' in the US two winters ago?

NASA mission takes stock of Earth's melting land ice - with some media outlets ignoring the main findings to concentrate in the lesser detail that melting glaciers on the Himalayas not contributing to sea level rise.

Amasia: as next supercontinent forms, Arctic Ocean Carribbean will vanish first

It's now confirmed that Russians reach Antarctic lake in scientific coup

And what is claimed to be a 'woolly mammoth' caught in video in Siberia is clearly just a bear. In any case, the 'tusks' are completely wrong for a mammoth.

8th February- Today's News: Ice-breakers on the Danube & Britain Faces More Snow

2012-02-08T10:10:00.003Z

Quite a shock this morning to see the latest model output and forecasts suggesting a spell of heavy snow here on Friday - still time for changes in that but it does look like winter is not yet done with us and this time we may not only get a lot more snow but also see it stick around longer. Whilst the media warn snowy blast to put Britain back in the freezer, the lastest forecasts suggest snowfall totals could be much higher. But news as a boy aged 10 dies as he play wth friends in snow. Meanwhile, UK freezes as night-time temperatures fall, though it's not been as cold as last week thanks mainly to more cloud cover (only -5.3c here last night).

And there's no let up further east as Ukraine freezes to death and emergencies in Italy, Greece and Serbia as ice-breakers battle Europe's big chill on the Danube

There's also been a new low temperature record in Azerbaijan

In Alaska snow load beginning to worry building owners

January was USA's 4th warmest on record

More flash flooding hits NSW coastal towns

Cyclone Jasmine battering Vanuatu's south

British greenhouse gases rise for first time since 2003 - and apparently it's all our fault for putting the heating on ....

An interesting piece on how the media manipulate the news and misquote out of context to convey a very different story to that supported by the facts: how the 'windfarms increase climate change ' myth was born.

Mars Express radar yields strong evidence of oceans that once covered part of Red Planet

And down at Vostok, Antarctic lake success 'uncertain'

7th February - Today's News: Floods Follow Freeze in Eastern Europe

2012-02-07T10:07:00.005Z

Greece declares emergency in flood hit north whilst there are floods in Bulgaria: evacuation of district in Svilengrad after dam bursts in Bulgaria, 8 killed in floods. So far, the European cold snap toll tops 360.

And it's not just Europe, as China gripped by unusual cold spell as well.

Whilst there's no more snow on the horizon - except perhaps the odd flurry here and there - it does look like the rest of this week will bring my favourite weather as UK weather turns cold but sunny. We could see the lowest temperatures of the winter by the end of the week.

La Nina brings record-breaking rains to Australia over the past 2 years

Vanuatu braces for Cyclone Jasmine

Unusual February tropical system douses south Florida

So far, winter is 6th warmest ever in Illinois

Sunbathers pack out Ipanema beach as Rio de Janiero swelters in heatwave

Philippines earthquake toll rises as dig continues for landslide casualties

Michael Hanlon has what is actually quite an interesting piece in the Daily Mail today, explaining what real Siberian weather is like. Unfortunately some moron in the editing department decided to give it the totally misleading headline scaremongering weathermen need to chill out: this is not Siberian weather. Er, actually it's you lot in the gutter press who have been harping on about a Siberian freeze ever since September. Idiot!

Richard Black discusses whether the climate consensus cracking open - or not

And could an artificial volcano cool the planet? A study by US aerospace company Aurora Flight Sciences concludes it would be most cost effective to do so using a fleet of specially adapted 747s flying around the equator. But mught they have an ulterior motive, I wonder? And, signifiantly, it would appear that "no attempt is made to quantify the potential benefits or the risks involved in the likely disruption of weather patterns on earth."

6th February - Today's News: England Sees First Widespread Snowfall Since 2010

2012-02-06T09:41:00.006Z

Snow arrived in Evesham around 14z on Saturday and continued through until about 22z, turning briefly to rain on the back edge. In total there was about 4cm accumulation with 2cm still on the ground Sunday morning. My manual rain gauge recorded 14mm (15.6mm reported at nearly Astwood Bank) which suggests a lot of the snow may have been wet and didn't settle - due in part to our low elevation. By this morning, just traces left. Nothing special, especially by the standard of recent winters, But at least we've had some snow this year!

Being the first widespread snow fall of the winter (indeed, the first since December 2010), there's little surprise that Saturday night and Sunday saw severe snow and ice bring Britain to a standstill. Though even by English standards it wasn't particularly severe, and was forecast well in advance. The Met have a list of snow depths on Sunday. And today, as drivers warned after accidents due to icy conditions we're told it will be snow better for weeks

Record snowfall wreaks havoc as freezing conditions move west as the death toll from Europe cold snap passess 300 .

And some nice pictures from last week as Colosseum closes and drivers abandon cars as snow falls on Rome for first time in 26 years (as reported last week, it's the first significant fall in 26 years - light snow has fallen there more recently)

But there is good news for some as Arctic wave saves Czech ice wine production.

The Times is only available online behind a paywall, but the MetO Blog has conveniently replicated their version of a story from last week asking so do we freeze or fry?

In the US, storm blankets Nebraska after dumping on Colorado

Thousands evacuated from Queensland flooding whilst NSW on flood alert as 7000 isolated

Weather Channel's storm chaser among weekend Turner Turnpike crash victims

At least one dead in central Phillipines earthquake

Tree rings may underestimate climate response to volcanic eruptions

Artifical glaciers helping combat climate change in the Himalaya

And a new study suggests that land-cover changes do not impact glacier loss after all, though they do affect rainfall at mid altitudes.

4th February - Today's News: Rare Snowfall in Rome

2012-02-04T09:29:00.002Z

Monday's main headlines will hopefully be about the snow expected across much of Britain - due here around 15z. -7.3c in my garden this morning but nearly -11c at Pershore and with cloud cover I'm expecting it to stay close to freezing all day. How much it warms up tonight and ho much the snow turns to rain later, remains to be seen. But I'm confident of seeing my first snowflakes since the 22nd December 2010!

Meanwhile, freezing Europe hit by Russian gas shortage

Snow falls in Rome as cold snap hits - their first significant fall for 26 years

And is climate change bringing the Arctic to Europe? Er, no. Well, no more so that it has been for millenia. After all, why would it bring cold weather to Europe in December one year and then February the next? Unless it's just ...... weather.

In Japan, record lows recorded at 38 locations - but I suspect these are daily records and not all time records.

Major storm hits Colorado, moving east

Snakes compete for rooftops as floods hit east Australia

Texas drought forces town to sip from a truck

Mega volcanoes 'may be predicted' - decades before they erupt.

And scientists worry Alaska volcano Cleveland could blow soon

Mars too dry for life

When it comes to global extinction: gradual doom is just as bad as abrupt

And this is sure to spark conspiracy theories about Atlantis, hidden Nazi bases and crashed alien spacecraft as there are fears for Antarctic 'alien' lake scientists - radio science just as they were expected to break through into Lake Vosktok! But it seems it's not true - there has not been any loss of contact with the Russian team. It's a typical, made-up, viral tabloid news story with no corroboration whatsoever. That won't stop the pureile speculation in some quarters though.

3rd February - Today's News: More Deaths as European Freeze Continues

2012-02-03T09:57:00.003Z

Britain shivers at -11c as cold snap brings snow - there was a good covering in parts of Lincolnshire, for example, overnight. Temp in Evesham dropped to -7.1c - the lowest since the 31st January 2011. Still looking good from some fairly widespread snow across England - including the Vale - tomorrow night.

But we'll see nothing like they've had in many parts of Europe where cold weather death toll passes 100 in Ukraine and Serbia says 11,000 people trapped in remote villages by snow. Elsewhere, Cold and snow wreaks havoc over Sweden whilst Norway numbed: mercury drops to -37 degrees and in Germany, freeze deepens to minus 20 celsius and snow. As the cold spreads south there's also a Costa del Sol weather warning. And it's be quite funny if it wasn't, sadly, so deadly serious, as Mini names lethal cold front 'Cooper' in PR gaffe. But the end is in sight for some; temperatures return to near 'normal' as Bugaria's big freeze ends.

In the US, Groundhog Day weather, of not the forecast, pleases Phil's fans

And warm weather wreaks havoc as hibernating animals invade towns across US

Floods create 'inland sea' in Australia whilst in WA wet Iggy dumps heavy rain overnight

Bus floods during storm in Argentina

Tropical cyclones to cause greater damage, researchers predict - well d'uh! Of course they will unless we reduce the number of people living in places they hit.

And is this the real reason glaciers are retreating? In Chile, man arrested over glacier ice theft

Down at Vostok, Russian drill nears 14-million-year-old Antarctic lake

New super-Earth detected within the habitable zone of nearby cool star - but any life evolving there would be very different to anything on this Earth.

1st February - Today's News: European Freeze Worsens

2012-02-01T09:52:00.003Z

The latest from Europe is that Ukraine says death toll from cold weather at 43 whilst the European side of Istanbul paralysed by heavy snow and cold weather and Switzerland braces for Siberian cold front. Bulgaria's Arctic blast to continue until Friday (with a nice dig at the Daily Mail there!). The big freeze has also extended to Finland where there's been record cold in Kuusamo - though I think it's only the coldest of the winter. And further south, snow blankets Italy on coldest week in 27 years.

Here, the so-called big freeze continues as snow hits British coast - though to be fair, it's just been a few chilly, frosty days with the odd snow flurry. Sort of thing you expect to occur several times in a normal winter. Not much snow and certainly no record temperatures! There's still uncertainty on what will happen at the weekend but, although the Met Office said yesterday they expect Atlantic fronts to stall over Britain and for cold to continue in the south and east, it does look from latest model output that milder, unsettled, weather from the west or northwest will return next week. But, we'll see.

And here's a surprise: Russia cuts EU gas, blames cold weather - who'd have thunk it, eh?

Much consternation on WUWT after dead battery caused false near-record low temperature reading at Alaska weather station - with insinuations of conspiracy and fraud and questions over why they were using a top of the range Davis weather station that only had a minimum operating temperature of -40c ...... Some of the comments would be quite funny of you didn't realise these guys are serious! To the Daily Mail's credit, they at least reported the story correctly. Some US media outlets ran with the initial WUWT misinformation .....

Something WUWT probably won't be reporting is that Perth sweats through hottest January in 34 years (some reports claim 50 years). Though if they do it'll be to argue that if it was hotter there 50 years ago it proves the world is getting colder ....

Man drowns as rain lashes northern NSW

Fiji braces for new storm as death toll rises

Did plants freeze the planet? 460 million years ago... Obviously not if you don't believe CO2 levels make any difference to global temperature.

And these are well worth a look at: breathtaking images of the northern lights over the Arctic circle

31st January - Today's News - Deadly Freeze Spreads Across Europe

2012-01-31T10:07:00.005Z

Low temperatures, snow paralize Serbia, claim victims, there's a fatal freeze in Bulgaria and further deaths in Ukraine and Poland in freezing Europe weather - which is slowly spreading into Britain. The end of the week will be coldest, with some uncertainty thereafter but a risk Atlantic fronts could bring a spell of widespread snow. Here in Evesham today we had some snow grains precipitate out of the fog to give our first wintry precipitation since December 2010. And apparently, army on stand-by as temperatures plummet to -11c (actually whilst such temps are normal in January and February in some places, they haven't dropped that low as yet).

Heavy snow leaves 53 dead, hundreds injured in north, west Japan

And it's oh, snow! in Junneau, Alaska

In Argentina, one dead, fifteen injured after severe thunderstorm hits Cordoba

Blue balls theories rage after Dorset storm mystery

Was the Little Ice Age triggered by massive volcanic eruptions? An i.ntriguing hypothesis - but as yet no smoking caldera

NASA solves case of Earth's 'missing energy' - it wasn't missing at all!

And Earth's energy budget remained out of balance despite unusually low solar activity - further supporting the premise that it is human activity, and not solar activity, that is behund recent global warming. Of course, the 'sceptics' will just claim another if their infinitely variable (and often contradictory) 'lags'.

30th January - Today's News: Daily Mail Deliberately Mislead Readers

2012-01-30T09:27:00.004Z

A little bit of snow in Wales and the West Country yesterday and today - nothing at all in Evesham and currently nothing on the horizon. January will now certainly be our 4th consecutive winter month without sleet or snow - a remarkable record. It does look like being cold this week though as Britain buttons up for big freeze as temperatures plummet. Uncertainty as to how long it may persist and whether we get any snow next weekend.

3 people die in freezing weather in Serbia

In WA, Iggy threat wanes and cyclone Iggy tracks Pilbara coast whilst flooding eases across northern NSW. But drenched Queensland braces for more rain.

Deadly tornado attacks on Indonesia - triggered by Cyclone Iggy

3,000 displaced as cyclone hits Madagascar

At 10 degree celsius, Mumbai witnesses coldest January day in 10 years

Strong earthquake hits Peru's central coastline

This has to be one of the worst pieces of misleading, non sequitur journalism I've come across in the mainstream media. According to the Daily Mail we should forget global warming - it's cycle 25 we need to worry about alleging that:

... figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th century.

.... the data was issued last week without fanfare ..... It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997.

Utter poppycock. The story was widely reported in the press last week under a slightly different headline: Sun's changes unlikely to slow global warming and although the Mail contacted the MetO, they totally ignored what they were told and printed a wholly contradictory story! According to a Met Office response:

This article includes numerous errors in the reporting of published peer reviewed science undertaken by the Met Office Hadley Centre and for Mr. Rose to suggest that the latest global temperatures available show no warming in the last 15 years is entirely misleading.

Despite the Met Office having spoken to David Rose ahead of the publication of the story, he has chosen to not fully include the answers we gave him to questions around decadal projections produced by the Met Office or his belief that we have seen no warming since 1997.

The full response given to the journalist is published on the Met Office blog.

Clearly what the Met office had to say did not fit the intended agenda and was therefore ignored. The actual story is that we don not have to worry about solar cycle 25 and the ongoing warming trend is now is expected to continue to do so regardless or any drop in solar activity. But why base a story on facts when you can make up a load of rubbish instead? And people wonder why I am so cynical about the media!

28th January - Today's News: Britain Prepares for Winter

2012-01-28T09:38:00.003Z

Winter is finally bearing down on us, with a risk of snow in Evesham on Sunday and Monday, though more likely the precipitation will stay west of here. Thereafter a cold, but mostly dry, week looks likely. How long this cold spell will last remains to be seen although the Met Office have hinted it could last till at least mid February.

And down in NZ, where it's the height of summer, South Island hit with snow and wild winds

In Australia, rescue as monsoon rains cause further flooding in northwest Queensland with further deluges for Qld while NSW north coast allowed flood reprieve . Meanwhile, in WA, Caernavon battles fire and cyclone 'refugees' and Pilbara braces as Cyclone Iggy heads for coast. Earlier in the week, Tropical Cyclone Iggy wreaks more havoc in Indonesia.

Anchorage on track to set record for coldest January but elsewhere, the US seems to have largely escaped winter.

Accumulating 'microplastic' threat to shores

Cumulative impact of mountaintop mining documented

And an interesting article in the Alaska Dispatch asks is wind power as clean as renewable energy proponents claim? Well worth a read, whatever your views.

27th January 2012 - Today's News: Heavy Snow Hits SE Europe

2012-01-27T09:33:00.003Z

A few places in England saw their first snow of 2012 yesterday - including Bredon hill just outside Evesham (but not a flake in town). More possible today and we're monitoring developments at the end of the weekend with interest as a front from the west stalls over Britain and may be undercut by colder air from the east. Looking further ahead it's all very uncertain, but a spell of more wintry weather is certainly possible, after what has thus far been a very mild winter. However, although there are plenty of stories in the press today on this, none are worth quoting!

I doubt we'll see anything like they've been having this week in Europe though: Road closures, power cuts as Bulgaria buckles under weight of snow with one dead as heavy snow hits southeast Europe and Romania uses army to save snow-trapped travellers

One forecaster we won't hear talking about it is Jonathan Powell from PWS, who has announced his 'retirement' after George Monbiot asked do the weather forecasters used by the Daily Mail really exist?

Severe storms drench Texas, spawning tornadoes

In NSW, residents still isolated as more rain forecast

And Fiji declares state of disaster over severe flooding

In the Malawi floods: helicopters sent to rescue villagers

In a new Defra report, flooding rated as worst climate change threat facing UK - though of course it's just a threat even without any climate change thanks to decades of indiscriminate building by rivers and over winter bournes etc.
Ireland braced for more tremors after Donegal earthquake

25th January 2012 - Today's News: First Snow of 2012 in Tokyo

2012-01-25T09:59:00.002Z

Tokyo snow causes injuries, disrupts traffic

Davos hit by heaviest snow un 66 years ahead of the World Economic Forum

There could be some snow showers in western parts of Britain tomorrow, but most eyes are on developments next week when there's growing confidence we could see the start of the first really wintry spell of weather across the country. No predictions yet on how cold or how much snow, but I think in the next couple of weeks we could well see our first flakes since December 2010 in Evesham.

Qld flood threat eases but more rain due whilst rivers burst, towns flood in northern NSW but further south there's fine weather forecast for Australia Day in Victoria and South Australia, with a heatwave in Perth.

Woman killed in Alabama tornado is found 40 feet from her house

Huge solar storm produces outstanding aurora over Alaska

Low temperatures enhance ozone degradation above the Arctic - and could mean the Arctic ozone hole becomes a regular occurence since current warming in the troposphere, due to the increased presence of GHGs, results in cooling in the higher stratosphere where the ozone layer exists.

Gigantic crack spooks officials on Baltic Island with fears a 2km long landslide could occur.

Are the snows of Kilimanjaro returning? Guide says yes, scientists say no - because there's not been any increase in precipitation. And it's lack of precipitation more than anything else that is causing the glaciers to retreat. Human activities (deforestation) being at least partly responsible for this.

24th January - Today's News: Extreme Weather Across Australia

2012-01-24T09:45:00.004Z

In Australia, extreme weather hits Northern Terriory, east and west coasts with Queensland braced for flash flooding, monsoonal rain, in worst weather since 2011 flood disaster and a tropical cyclone threat for WA coast. And they're expecting a record breaking heatwave to hit Perth

More strong storms hit Alabama, kill two

In Mozambique, floods cut off Maputo whilst heavy rains displace people in Malawi in the wake of cyclone Funso.

Two dead in Fiji floods

Arctic freshwater bulge discovered

Sun's changes unlikely to slow global warming, scientists say - which perhaps explains why the long predicted mini ice age steadfastly refuses to show itself?

Death Valley's volcanic explosion crater may have future potential

And tonight we're expecting the arrival of the strongest solar radiation storm since 2005 - with good potential for aurora to be visible in Britain. Bet it's cloudy ....

23rd January - Today's News: Can African Storms Affect the Weather in Britain?

2012-01-23T10:38:00.003Z

The only weather news of note from Britain at the moment is that here in Evesham we've had only half the average rainfall so far this month as the drought continues unabated. Maybe it's all down to conditions in Kenya? As scientists discover how the weather in Africa can change conditions above Shetland

New York hit by snowstorm as wintry weather sweeps across the Northeast

Tornadoes strike Arkansas as storms menace south

US weather radar network gets upgrade

In Queensland, storm buffets north west town

Storms spark fires across Victoria, NSW

Cold snap sweeps across the UAE

Namibian floods close 64 schools

New Year firework frenzy to send Beijing pollution readings rocketing

Oceans have acidified more in the last 200 years than they did in the previous 21,000 - and guess why? It's not so much the acidification that's the problem but, as with climate change, it's the speed it's occuring - which makes it difficult for life to adapt. Something the anti-science mob deliberately persist in refusing to understand.

And on a slightly more political note (but it's nice to see the deniers face FOIA requests for a change) climate scientists back call for sceptic thinktank to reveal backers.

21st January - Today's News: Dramatic Thunderstorm Strikes Perth

2012-01-21T09:36:00.003Z

In Perth, dramatic thunderstorm strike's city's south - nice pictures.

In Chicago, snow cripples commute, cancels flights and moves on whilst after NW storm, outages and flood concerns abound

Cycle of unusual cold weather descends on northern region of Viet Nam

New study blames current cold weather in the capital on pollution - that's New Delhi, not London (I hadn't realised that the Daily Mail published an Indian edition)

Good timing as Aviemore sled dog rally takes place on snow this year

Good video from yesterday of a waterspout off north Devon coast

NASA 'climate change' test chamber to simulate Venus' toxic conditions

And it's all safe for GMT as clocks change bill runs out of time in Commons

20th January - Today's News: Ice Storm Adds to Pacific NW Weather Woes

2012-01-20T09:38:00.003Z

If snow wasn't bad enough? Now Oregon is battling floods but after falling tree kills ATV rider in WA ice storm, the Northwest hopes for reprieve from powerful storm.

Meanwhile, extreme and wacky weather continues as record lows hit parts of Canada

A couple of video stories with record snow fall in Japan and in North Africa, snowstorm 'unusual sight' in Algeria. Here in Britain all eyes on on developments later next week with growing indication we could finally get a proper cold, wintry spell of weather to herald in February. Whether it brings any snow to Evesham remains to be seen though - we've not had any since 2010!

Mozambique and SA's Kruger Park hit by deadly floods after TS Dando.

No surprise to hear that US saw records for extreme weather in 2011. The full NOAA report is here. Meanwhile, the world not quite as hot in 2011; ranks 11th warmest according to NOAA, though NASA finds 2011 ninth-warmest year on record. But more significantly, it was also the warmest La Nina year on record. I wonder why? Aren't we supposed to be plunging into a new ice age or summat?

And as far as this year is concerned, NASA sees repeating La Nina hitting its peak

In Scotland, avalanche services images record changing winter weather

Scientists make progress in assessing tornado seasons

My good friend John Mason has interviewed Dr Natalia Shakhova about her team's recent report on Arctic methane outgassing on the E Siberia Shelf. Well worth reading, especially given the usual sensational news tories the accompanied the initial announcement.

And good news for us in the Campaign for Real Time as Marck D'Arcy at the BBC asks is night falling on Daylight Saving Bill? I do like "Jacob Rees-Mogg's proposal for an independent Somerset time zone, and Philip Davies' proposal to call it the "Berlin Time" Bill."

18th January - Today's News: Historic Snowstorm Bears Down in Seattle

2012-01-18T09:45:00.003Z

In Seattle, schools closed, flights cancelled as twin winter storms slam Pacific Northwest - though I have to say that 5" doesn't sound all that much snow.

Here in Britain, the high pressure that brought a brief spell of settled but more wintry feeling weather has receded and we're back to mild and damp again. Though we should see some snow showers in the north from later in Thursday and the Met Office long range forecasts - in part supported by model output - suggests we may see some colder conditions set in towards the end of the month and, if high pressure settles in the right place, continuing for a time into February. At present that looks like winter, so far as the south of Britain is concerned. It's too early to say where we may see any snow fall then.

Elsewhere in the US, tornadoes strike Mississippi, Indiana and Kentucky, the lack of snow turns Yosemite National Park into a very different place compared with normal for this time of year whilst in contrast, snow-buried towns dig out from massive pile-up in Alaska's Prince William Sound.

Drought emergency in central Argentina and Paraguay continues

In SA, heatwave claims labourers, 5 in hospital

With drought and now low temperatures, Mexico food aid sent to crisis-hit Tarahumara Indians

Data from end of last Ice Age confirm effects of climate change in oceans

Light pollution: is there a solution? Yes, invent the off switch .... and save millions in electricity bills in the process.

Highland committee opposes Allt Duine wind farm plan - though isn't it ironic that they used a similar scar on the landscape, the Cairngorm furnicular, to assess the impact the turbines might have?

17th January - Today's News: Snow Ends Record Reno Dry Spell

2012-01-17T10:05:00.002Z

An inch of snow snarls Reno traffic as record dry spell ends

In NZ over the weekend twister clouds, hail, snow and rain hit South

Flood warning as Queensland coast cops drenching whilst in Victoria, blistering heat set to burn up the state, tennis

Afghan snowfall: 16 dead in Badakhstan Province following avalanches

Bangalore weather: Shivering? Blame it on cold wave in the North - more record low temps recorded there.

Arctic Ocean may be approaching 'tipping point'

And is Siberia really warming up? I like the commet at the end: "Though acknowledging the hard fact that the Siberian climate is warming up, in some places even faster than anywhere else in the world, Russian climatologists insist that the process in now being reversed, which means that we in the next few years Siberia will start freezing up again…" Hmmm, we'll see! Sounds more like wishful thinking it me. Or maybe heading burying in sand ....

Meanwhile, research suggests cold winters caused by warmer summers in some parts of the N Hemisphere - though they said that as a reason for the recent cold winters here, and look what's happened this year.

Tropical Storm Dando hits Mozambique

New project to look at effectiveness of cloud seeding in Texas

Ash closes Argentina airport days after its re-opening

In Oregon there's a project to pour water into volcano to make power

16th January - Today's News: Winter Returns

2012-01-16T09:39:00.003Z

It's been ice weather for ducks! over the weekend - with the first sell of widespread sharp frosts this winter, but also some rather nice sunshine. And there is indeed a chance we could see some low level snow showers in England on Friday. Though nothing of great consequence and milder conditions will soon resume so any lying snow will quickly clear.

In Canada, winter back with a cold, snowy bite

Heavy snow brings cheer to war-torn Afghan capital

Cold weather disrupts life throughout Turkey

In NZ, weather factor in wilderness death toll which has been unusually high this summer

Cyclone Heidi brings a world of water to Karajini National Park

Cold breaks 16 year record in Kashmir

Antarctic lake drilling mission edges closer - but still no word on what is happening at Lake Vostok

14th January 2012 - Oil Supplies Reach Snowbound Alaska

2012-01-14T09:35:00.004Z

Worst Alaska winter piles on more snow - it just keeps on coming. Meanwhile, Russian ship to pump fuel to ice-bound Alaskan port - stormy weather meant Nome never received its normal pre-winter supplies this year hence this tricky operation, never attempted before. And conditions are harsher than normal this year.

A cold and frosty weekend for Britain and for many of us the first spell of wintry weather - though of the sort I like most: cold but dry and sunny. Those wanting snow will have to wait - there's still nothing particularly cold or snowy on the horizon though a hint we may see more in the way of colder northwesterlies through the second half of the month which at this time of year always bring the risk of snow showers to lower levels for a time.

However, despite a few wet days earlier this month, it looks likely to be the 14th consecutive below average month for rainfall here in Evesham with Britain facing summer hosepipe ban as drought risk remains high. It should be said that it's Central and Eastern England - not Britain - that has been experiencing significantly below normal rainfall over the past year.

A little different 30 years ago when in Cheltenham records broken as town's temperatures fall to -20.1c That's a good deal colder than December 2010!

After winter's mild start, snowstorm frustrates drivers, elates skiers in Midwest, Northeast

Russia's failed Phobos-Grunt space probe heads to Earth - watch to the skies on Sunday

13th January - Today's News: US Midwest Finally Gets Some Snow

2012-01-13T09:42:00.006Z

In the US, storm ends snow drought for much of Midwest - a cold spell was indeed predicted this week for the US by our old friend Piers Corbyn though more specifically for the NE. And in Chicago the snow warning cancelled early as it dies out sooner than expected (did Piers say anything about amounts being less than standard meteorology predicted? Did he hell ...) But, give him his due, he wasn't entirely wrong on this occasion.

Meanwhile, another storm blankets Alaska with snow, as weary residents dig out

Piers also predicted that some time between the 11th and 13th January 'a torpedo low' would bring stormy conditions to Britain, specifically "The weather will be just as disruptive, if not worse, between January 11 and 13 as it was during the first week of the month. England will probably be more affected than Scotland with winds of over 80mph in parts" as quoted in the Scottish Sun (and not denied when asked whether this was a genuine quote - I understand it's more or less what he had previously said in his pay-to-view forecast).

He verified his forecast by showing that gales were indeed forecast by the MetO in sea areas in the North Sea though admitted the low did not track quite so far south as he predicted. In fact, a minor sub low did track eastwards across the Faeroes to Norway - rather very much further north than he said it would. The Fax Chart for 00z on the 12th shows the situation well - no 'torpedo low' to be seen!

Associated with this was a cold front which brought gusty winds to parts of northern England on Thursday morning - but whilst winds batter Yorkshire - and it's getting colder this is hardly the storm Piers predicted (the conditions were so bad, I couldn't find any story about it at all on the BBC website). And the MetO, if anything, over-estimated the strength of the winds associated with the cold front, given they warned of 70mph gusts whereas with a couple of exceptions in exposed, high level, locations, they were all less than that. Nor has Piers made any mention of high pressure settling over Britain this weekend to bring some cold, but settled, weather for the first time this year (I think he was expecting snow - or more likely, thundersnow).

And in the light of this latest failing, Piers would do well to note that South African weather forecasters who get it wrong face imprisonment - this new legislation appears to be aimed specifically at people like Piers who make sensational predictions that rarely if ever verify. Piers does not, however, issue forecasts for SA. Mores the pity. Though there may be a rethink on weather bill over concerns it goes too far.

Tornado injures at least 15 in North Carolina

In WA, part of shelter collapses as Heidi shuts Port Hedland

Gale force winds hit Wellington in NZ, where they're really not having a very good summer at all. I have a silly little theory that our weather often follows the trend set by the antipodes (last winter was quite mild and they had little snow until late in the season) and if so, it doesn't bode well for summer 2012. Though to be fair I have another inkling that we'll not have too bad a summer this year, maybe not exceptionally hot, but at least not so cool or wet as recent years.

Meanwhile, our mild winter turns natural world on its head

European mountain vegetation shows effects of warmer climate

New cores from glacier in Eastern European Alps may yield climate clues

New climate-cooling molecule found

Nothing new (I've been saying it for years), but good to see this recieving more publicity: to slow climate change, cut down on soot, ozone.

US teachers offered support for climate change lesson, as they are for teacing the disgraceful blasphemy that is evolution.

Earthquake hits Stoke-on-Trent - but no-one notices

Exact colour of Milky Way found - and it's white

In what's becoming almost weekly news now, astronomers find three smallest planets outside solar system and also discover that planets with double suns are common. I think we can safely conclude that planets are very common indeed and amongst them there are sure to be quite a few not too dissimilar to Earth and capable of supporting similar lifeforms. Still waiting to hear of an Earth-like planet around Epsilon Eridani - which as well as being the location of the Vulcan homeworld in Star Trek, is also a star I (think I) read about having a solar system similar to ours when I was in my early teens - and immediately afterwards was unable to find where I had read it. A mystery I've never solved. (It was around the same time that, whilst sitting in the bath, I had my eureka moment and came up with the idea that there was a super massive black hole at the centre of each galaxy - something I only saw hypothesised by astronomers many years later, and which today is a recognised theory). Spooky, eh?

And finally another silly season story as Met Office bonuses rise by third after icy winter of discontent - I do wonder whether any of the morons at the Telegraph even know what the MetO do? And do they think Tesco sells only sausages? And the fact that journalists made up a forecast using data they didn't understand (and thus got it totally wrong) does not mean that the MetO got it wrong! There's probably scope for libel there. But the Telegraph has never forgiven the MetO for causing cancer, Noah's flood and starting WWI and WWII. So we expect stories like that.

11th January - Today's News: Alpine Resorts in 'Lockdown' After Heavy Snowfall

2012-01-11T09:40:00.005Z

European ski resorts in 'lockdown' after freak snowfalls cut, road, rail and air links and there are also ongoing problems in the US where Alaska snow and ice cuts off Cordova and Nome

Arctic sea ice below average in December - despite a positive AO producing colder than average temperature.

Tropical Cyclone Heidi intensifies as it near West Australian coast

New records set by heatwave in Uruguay - but only for electricty and water consumption - whilst across the border, Argentina faces a continuous drought this summer

North India reels under bitter cold

In Germany, warm temperatures cause early hay fever

Brazil rescuers find more landslide dead in Rio state

Indonesia quake triggers brief tsunami alert

Could Siberian volcanism have caused the Earth's largest extinction event? A daft headline given that I'm pretty sure it's well accepted if was a major contributory factor! This research simply further reinforces that widely held view.

Remote wilderness polluted by humans - we don't just shit in our own beds, we shit everywhere else as well.

It may have been cold - and dry - but Siberia was a wildlife refuge in the last ice age

9th January - Today's News: Heavy Snowfall Hits Alps & Eastern Europe

2012-01-09T10:01:00.003Z

Shaping up to be a very mild winter in Evesham - with just 4 light frosts in December, none yet this month and not a snowflake to be seen. No surprise there's signs around the country that Spring arrives early in Britain following mild winter weather

So where's the snow? Well it's over in Europe where snow-laden Bulgaria recovers from electricity, motorway disruptions as snowstorm hits parts of Serbia and snow buries many parts of the Alps while Austria hit by heavy snow, major railway line shut.

Even in India, Himachal towns get snow after 35 years - mind, they are in the sub tropics - whilst oin Pakistan they're reassured that snowfall on Margallas not unusual weather phenomenon

Alaska town tries to dig out from huge snow dump

And just to rub it in, even Australia has a flaky forecast as state readies for summer snow

Wild weather hits Wellington in NSW - with a slightly confused opening paragraph!

Whilst in Brisbane, hottest day in two years to kick off three days of summer swelter

Now this is strange - researchers announce that carbon emissions 'will defer Ice Age' due to start in just 1500 years time. I fail to see how unless previous models of the Milankovitch Cycles have been totally wrong. All we're seeing at present is a decline in axial tilt which whilst leading to a cooling northern hemisphere, especially the Arctic, will not be enough to precitate a full glacial. In my opinion and, I understand, that of most other who have studied the subject. Though of course we could be wrong. Or the media article may be misleading. Be interesting to read the full paper.

And finally, Piers Corbyn gets back in the news, having failed to predict the storms last week (though he claims he did - but forecasting there'll be gales in NW Scotland in January does not count!) , or the general lack of cold and snow across large parts of Britain so far this winter. But, he says, two more monster storms heading our way - and the first 'torpedo low' is expected around the 11th-13th January. He's quited as saying it'll be worse than last week and affect England more than Scotland. Which given most of the country should be under high pressure at the time looks, um, well, interesting .... (I'm not sure whether the quotes in the news article come from a press release that I've not seen as yet - if so I'll link to it when I see it. Just for fun!). He's also predicting snow in the USA at the same time (but missed the recent record warm weather there).

7th January - Today's News: Record High Temperatures Set Across US Plains

2012-01-07T10:04:00.003Z

Record high temperatures in Fargo, ND as warm weather causing widespread melting in area whilst elsewhere Plains shatter warm weather records, set historic high temperatures

And the US National Weather Service says 2011 was the driest year on record for Texas; 2012 won't bring relief

From too little Alpine snow to too much: avalanche traps skiers at Swiss resort of Zermatt

Wild weather hits Latin America:

Wildfires are raging in Chile during an atypical heat wave, and northern Mexico is suffering from its worst drought in 70 years of record-keeping. A second straight season of heavy rains in Colombia killed at least 182 people, destroyed more than 1,200 homes and caused an estimated $2 billion in damage in the past four months.

Rain eases South Australian bushfire threat

New Zealanders none to happy as their rainy summer ruining holidays - must be just like being in England!

Harbour Inn at Southwold floods again - a place I've drunk in a few times in years gone by. But only when it's been warm, dry and sunny!

Scientists now say Africa's rainforests 'more resilient' to climate change (though not to fire, axe and saw).

Pollution rise 'worsens' South Asia's winter smog

In stark contrast to recent winters, this year's weather 'doubles' UK wind farm output

6th January - Today's News: Lack of US Snow Causes Concern

2012-01-06T09:38:00.003Z

US snow drought could have serious implications with concerns over water supplies come the spring

While in Canada, weather records fall, winter winds howl across much of Alberta

In Norfolk yesterday, Acle High School solar panels belown through roof and this week's gales have mean the 'worst ever' storm damage at Edinburgh botanic garden. In Wales, storms ease after 500 homes hit by power cuts and across the country, Britain battered by hurricane force winds after forecasters underestimate stength of gusts - but it must be said that amateurs on UKww had noted the risk of severe gusts occurring inland a day beforehand.

An interesting historical piece in the Daily Mail: think this week's gales are bad? They're nothing compared to the storm that drowned Britain in 1703

2011 was the warmest year in Jersey since records began

In NZ Hamilton endures record wet weather during December

Drought shrinks China's largest freshwater lake

Search continues for Philippines landslide missing

After heavy rain, Brazil dam burst forces thousands from homes

Spectacular images as Europe's highest active volcano rumbles back to life

Climate change models may vastly underestimate extinctions

And finally a 'told you so' story: after they closed down all their nuclear power stations for fear they'd be hit by a massive tsunami, Germany forced to buy Austrian electricity - and like us in Britain, they've had a very mild winter thus far.

5th January - Today's News: Gales Continue to Disrupt

2012-01-05T12:34:00.002Z

Today, more storms leave thousands without power across England and 16,000 people remain without power in Scotland where passengers injured as train hits tree after storms.

There's also been a record wave recorded off Jersey

And on Tuesday, plane hit by bus shelter during storm at Edinburgh Airport

In Europe, storms, flooding prompt Dutch evacuations

and in the Alps, first storm of the year keeps skiers away

(perhaps worth noting our friend Piers Corbyn failed to predict any of this - but then, he can't expect to get all his guesses right)

Things should start to calm down tonight and it looks like a quieter week ahead, especially in the south - but more gales possible next weekend.

And elsewhere, deadly floods ravage Brazil's Minas Gerais

Rather than melting sea ice, it seems it's Russian run-off freshening Canadian arctic

New computer model explains lakes and storms on Saturn's moon Titan

Flipped from head to toe: 100 years of continental drift theory - Wegener's theoiry was first published 100 years ago tomorrow.

4th January - Today's News: Another Big Storm Batters Britain

2012-01-04T09:53:00.002Z

As promised, we start with a selection of news stories on yesterday's storm, whch sadly claimed 2 lives in England. Another spell of gales and squally showers looks likely across much of the country tomorrow.

Storms of up to 106mph batter UK leaving two dead and many injured

Driver dies as tree collapses in Tunbridge Wells

And a sailor dies as storms hit Westcountry

Storm-hit families tell of their terror as 100mph winds bring tower block roof hurtling down on their homes as Scotland counting cost of storms

High winds damage Saints' new Langtree Park stadium roof in Liverpool

Severe winds damage Chalgrove village shop in Oxon

Trees, cars and lorries no match for huge Somerset storm

Trail of destruction left by Hainault 'tornado'

In Surrey, falling tree injures bus driver

Storm trapped lorry driver freed in Dorset

Train strikes tree on line in Berkshire

And there's wild beauty amid a storm as winds rip across Northern Ireland

Meanwhile, as the European's have named it, storm 'Emil' barrels north over Sweden whilst flooding threatens southern coast of Norway.

And, as noted above, Britain faces fresh battering from 75mph gales tonight as thousands are still without power

In the US on Monday, snow wreaks havoc: multi-car pileups in 3 states

La Nina leads to third wettest year on record in Australia, but at the same time, 2011 Perth's hottest year ever and for now, nation braces for heatwave to continue.

And beings as it's 2012, the end of the world and all that, is a supervolcano just 390 miles from London about to erupt? Er, no.

3rd January - Today's News: Record New Year Heatwave in Australia

2012-01-03T09:31:00.003Z

Bliadhna mhath ur! Happy New Year!

Australia endures record heatwave at the start of 2012 with today heatwave replaced by fire, flood threat and Record temps at Hobart airport

But year in Britain starts on a stormy note today after a mild Hogmanay as rain and gales batter UK - as it's ongoing, we'll have a full round of news stories on this tomorrow.

Record breaking December snow in Iceland

In South Africa on New Year's Eve, KZN storm wreaks havoc - quite possibly a tornado

31st December 2011 - Today's News: 2011 Britain's 2nd Warmest Year

2011-12-31T09:37:00.004Z

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.

30th December - Today's News: Cyclone Thane Hits India

2011-12-30T10:11:00.002Z

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

28th December - Today's News: Christmas Storm Hits Scandinavia

2011-12-28T10:10:00.003Z

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.

26th December - Today's News: A MIld Green Christmas

2011-12-26T08:13:00.002Z

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

24th December - Today's News: Merry Christmas One and All!

2011-12-24T09:28:00.002Z

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' countdown.

Wednesday 21st December - Today's News: No, it Won't be the Warmest Christmas on Record (But it Will be Mild)

2011-12-21T09:30:00.005Z

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 Anchorage Hillside

Waves of unusual clouds roll over Alabama - the most impressive KH clouds I've seen

Four killed as floods wreak havoc in Tanzania

It's long being argued in some quarters that global warming will lead to malaria spreading to places like Britain (despite it having been endemic here back in the Little Ice Age - Oliver Cromwell being perhaps the most famous victim). Well now we're told that global warming wilts malaria - not that it stops the spread of malaria spreading mosquitos (which need moist environments (malaria was wiped out in Britain when we drained the fens) but that in warmer conditions the parasites that actually cause it becomes less infectious.

Climate change killing trees across the Sahel, study says

Scientists say cloud seeding could tame hurricanes

A volcano erupts in west of Yemen with a bit more info here

East Lancashire earthquake goes unnoticed

And Kepler has now found the first Earth-sized planets beyind our solar system - though not ones on which I'd care to live!

20th December - Today's News: Up to 1,000 Now Feared Dead in Philippines Flood Disaster

2011-12-20T09:45:00.003Z

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 rainfall, Jersey's desalination plant switched off - worth noting that here in Evesham, although a bit wetter of late, we could still end with our 14th consecutive dry month.

India cold wave death toll rises to 39

A Katla volcanic eruption doesn't mean catastrophe: Icelandic expert

And contrary to what some more consipiracy minded folk like to pretend (expecially with 2012 looming) big quakes no more likely than in the past.

19th December - Today's News: Many Hundreds Dead, Missing After TS Washi Hits Philippines

2011-12-19T09:35:00.002Z

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 cold spells are quite normal in the north of India in winter.

Meteorite shockwaves trigger dust avalanches on Mars

17th December - Today's News: Storm 'Joachim' Hits Europe

2011-12-17T09:46:00.002Z

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 Liath - one of Britain's quietest, least visited tracts of wild land - eh?

16th December - Today's News: Man Swept From Armchair in NZ Flash Floods

2011-12-16T09:30:00.003Z

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 - from a tornado?

Arctic ice melt is reversible: glaciers can reform in a 'geologic instant'

Researchers assess the effects of a world awash in nitrogen - all thanks to them pesky humans. Again.

And the latest development on the hacked climate emails: police sieze computers at West Yorkshire home.

14th December - Today's News: Record Waves as More Storms Batter Britain

2011-12-14T09:34:00.002Z

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 trying to predict summer storm season in December - because they can't do it.

There's shock as retreat of Arctic sea ice releases deadly greenhouse gas

Space weather prediction model improves forecasting

Papua New Guinea hit by 7.1 magnitude quake

And finally, an interesting piece by Bjorn Lomberg, writing in the China Daily, about the climate extremists - aka the media. Well worth reading, even if you don't agree with some of his other views.

12th December - Today's News: Britain Prepares For More Storms

2011-12-12T09:41:00.003Z

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.

10th December - Today's News: Did Deforestation Cause Haiti Earthquake?

2011-12-10T09:53:00.003Z

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

2010 spike in Greenland ice loss lifted bedrock, GPS reveals

Uk to build atmospheric sentinel

Skywatchers await lunar exclipse - it starts before moonrise in Britain but if clear could still look good.

And this is rather interesting: why the Haiti earthquake may not have been a natural disaster - the suggesting being that, following research that hurricanes my cause earthquakes, that deforestation was also a contributory cause. And Haiti is one of the most badly deforested countries in the world.

9th December - Today's News: Disruption as Major Storm Hits Scotland

2011-12-09T09:32:00.003Z

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 weekend anyway in order to remove a dangerous rock that was looking like falling - whether this is the same one which caused the landslide there I don't know.

The BBC also highlight the exploding turbine in Ardrossan as engineers work to restore power to homes

Elsewhere, Cumbria suffers flooding after heavy rain and there were three rescued from floodwaters and bridge collapses in Yorkshire Dales An end of house collapses in Fleetwood due to strong winds whilst high winds cause North-east disruption and on the Isle of Man roads closed and ferries cancelled due to high winds. There was also a Northern Ireland weather alert as gales down trees and power lines whilst gales pound North Wales.

And showing we all have a sense of humour, Scotland's Hurricane Bawbag raises Twitter storm

We better watch out though as study links tropical cyclones to earthquakes

Accidents aplenty as snow hits Sweden

The weather has made it an expensive year as USA slammed by 12 disasters that each cost at least $1B whilst in Ohio alone, 2011 weather shattered dozens of records. And the latest NOAA report shows autumn and November both warmer than average in United States.

UK faces future of droughts if we do not cut water use, Minister warns - but some good news as global warming could boost Britain's farm crops by 10%. Assume we have enough water for them.

Computer simulations shed light on the physics of rainbows

Up in the Arctic, polar bear 'cannibalism' pictured - much to the disgust of those who refuse to accept that humans have any effect on the climate. Must be said though that polar bears survived a largely ice free Arctic (in summer) 6,000 years ago so there is no reason to suppose they cannot adapt today. Of course, that adation may then bring them into conflict with all those pesky humans who were not living there before. Ah ....

Meanwhile, Jim Hansen, never one to understate things will no doubt cause even more ire by claiming paleoclimate record points toward potential rapid climate changes

And there's more shubbery in a warming world

Is climate change altering human's 'vacation plans'?

Early Earth may have been prone to deep freezes

NASA Mars rover finds mineral vein deposited by water

7th December - Today's News: Cold Start to Summer Down Under

2011-12-07T10:50:00.002Z

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

6th December - Today's News: Alps Finally See Some Snow

2011-12-06T09:58:00.003Z

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 most likely different chemistry, atmospheric composition and solar radiation, life there would be very different to that on Earth.

5th December - Today's News: Britain Gets Some Snow

2011-12-05T09:48:00.002Z

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.

3rd December - Today's News: Winter Arrives in Britain

2011-12-03T09:41:00.004Z

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, NASA satellite confirms

And finally, we can sleep easy - the world won't end in just over 12 months time because the Mayans 'did not predict world to end in 2012'. But a few blokes selling books did.

2nd December - Today's News: A Record Warm, Dry November Across Europe

2011-12-02T09:56:00.003Z

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 levels were at 600ppm or above, the planet was too warm for an ice sheet to form.

How animals predict earthquakes

And there are fresh fears for Katla, as new Icelandic volcano eruption could have global impact

30th November - Today's News: Tornadoes as Record Mild November Comes to End

2011-11-30T09:35:00.002Z

The cold front yesterday may have only produced 1.6mm of rain here, with another double figure maximum, but elsewhere woman hurt as 'tornado' hits Greater Manchester, another tornado rips through Angelsey caravan park with another reported (but unconfirmed) at Breighton in E Yorkshire. And the Daily Mail highlight a driver caught out as floods hit Scotland following rain, gales and even a tornado.

Meanwhile, daffodils flower in mild autumn at Eden Project in Cornwall

And despite the snowstorm at the end of October, New England has also had a warm month with November expected to break temperature records in Mass.

Bad weather lashes Malta and Gozo

29th November 2011 - Heavy Rain Brings Flooding to Scotland

2011-11-29T09:39:00.004Z

Heavy rain causes flooding in Scotland - and there's plenty more to come

But down south, Anglia Water granted drought permit after dry Spring (and summer and autumn ...) - I've only had half the average November rainfall so far this month so looking certain to be my 13th consecutive dry month. More remarkably, we've still not had an air frost nor even a day with a maximum temperature below 10c. Looks like it should turn colder over the weekend and into next week, although nothing exceptional for December.

Whither now the record cold spell that was supposed to start on the 27th Nov (but then put back to the 29th when PC saw the lastest weather charts)?

A daft headline from the normally reliable Guardian: despite warm autumn, 2011 temperatures fail to reach record highs, globally. Under La Nina we wouldn't have expected them to. It'll be interesting to see what the final UK figure is though. A better piece from the Met Office showing global average temperatures continue to warm - and interesting to see how La Nina years are now warmer than El Nino years used to be.

Rare November cold snap hits southern USA

Hurricane seasons spawns 19 storms in third most active year

Water doesn't have to freeze until -48c but usually does long before then!

28th November 2011 - Today's News: 5 Missing After Storm Sinks Ship in Irish Sea

2011-11-28T09:41:00.005Z

Prince William helps rescue two crew by five missing after sinking in Irish Sea during gales at the weekend. Whilst storm force winds cut power supplies in Orkney

In Europe it's snow joke: mild weather brings chaos to start of ski season

Calgary buildings damaged in storm

Flood threat follows big wet across Victoria

Last week, three dead as deadly landslide hits town in Sicily

NASA launches most capable and robust rover to Red Planet - successfully

And an interesting development: outlook fair for amateurs as Met Office releases data - though it's not clear as yet exactly what data is being referred to here? Do they mean curret weather station reports or full model output (as we get from the American GFS)? I guess we'll find out in due course.

26th November - Today's News: Faroes Hit by Hurricane Force Winds

2011-11-26T09:57:00.003Z

In Scotland, there's snow and large waves as winter storms continue - none of which is the least unusual this time of year - as winter storm 'Berit' barrels towards Sweden and there has been massive damage as Faroe Islands battered by hurricane force winds

People rescued, cut off by rising floodwaters in northern NSW

Russia's south hit by record low temperatures

Across Europe, ski slopes starved of snow thanks to the mild, dry autumn

Whilst all the recnet attention has been on Bangkok, flood woes mount in Thailand's south

Heatwave kills 200 elephants ion Zimbabwe

Climategate II: the scientists fight back whilst in the Guardian, Leo Hickman asks help us find clues in climate email hacker's message

And OMG we are going to die: end of world speculation after new Mayan discovery!!! Of course, the Mayans didn't predict the end of the world and even if they did why would we think they were right when so many hundreds of other predictions have proven false. But it keeps the tinfoil hat bridge happy.

25th November - Today's News: Woman Dies as Storm Hits Hebrides

2011-11-25T09:37:00.005Z

Overnight a woman dies as storm-force winds batter into north and west of Scotland and there are fears a 'superwave' storm could hit Norway oil facilities today. It's quite a tight little depression, and there's another following in its wake with a warning of storm force winds and flood risks issued for Scotland this weekend.

In the US, travellers face more delays as storms continue to batter the north

Hurricane Kenneth sets record for Eastern Pacific storms being the lastest ever to form

Unusual warmth leaves Scandinavia snow-free and wondering 'where's winter'? - today should also be the start of Piers Corbyn's predicted record cold spell for Britain. Hmmm .... it reached 13.8c overnight in my garden!

In WA, rain brings reprieve but firefighters 'downbeat' over homes lost in bushfires. Elsewhere in Australia, rain drenches NSW, sparking flood rescues

A good example of how the media spin stories to suit what they want you to believe: according to the press association number of cold weather deaths falls, though as the story points out, only very slightly and there was a rise in London. But then we are told winter deaths up 38% - I'm not sure where that figure comes from but it presumably refers to the number of deaths compared with summer, as opposed to the winter average. So rather misleading.

A new study suggests that climate sensitivity to CO2 more limited than extreme projections, though it must be emphasised that a lot more work is still needed. I've linked to the press release as it makes everything much clearer than the somewhat garbled news reports I've seen. There's a useful interview with one of the co-authors of the paper here - thanks Adam!

Nuclear power 'gets little support worldwide' - though I'm pleased to see mention of increased efficiency as a means of dealing with the imminent energy crisis. Though whether those who responded have discovered the off switch yet is another matter.

Most liveable alien worlds ranked

And finally, Climategate 2.0 - the hackers (circumstantial evidence now points to there being more than one and that they are not European or American) have now released another traunche of the emails they stole 2 years ago. I think Richard Black sums it up as well as any: climate emails: storm or yawn? Definitely a yawn.

22nd November - Today's News: Mild Weather Helps British Tea Growers

2011-11-22T10:12:00.003Z

Mild weather brews up a record tea crop - in Cornwall!

Western parts of Switzerland seeing driest year in decades

Heavy rain sets in over NSW as flooding hits outback

There's been no let-up in greenhouse gas rise and there are no new climate concerns as 'ozone friendly' HFCs use grows - it's another greenhouse gas. Odd they never thought of that at the time?

Ozone from rock fracture could serve as earthquake early warning

And temperature records need to be at least 17 years long for seperating signal and noise in climate warming

21st November - Today's News: Fog Disrupts Heathrow Flights

2011-11-21T10:56:00.002Z

The annual fog disruption of flights from Heathrow continues today -

Floods hit homes and roads in Pembrokeshire overnight

Cliff crumbles, streets floods as storm hits L.A.

In NZ, helicopter rescues people caught in flooding

New low temperature recorded in North Pole - that's North Pole, Alaska

Climate change means Autumn's birds delay migration

19th November - Today's News: New IPCC Report Issued

2011-11-19T09:51:00.003Z

Extreme weather will strike as climate change takes hold, IPCC warns in a report that has already been much discussed, expecially in the blogosphere. The report itself is the IPCC SREX Summary for Policymakers - but I've not myself read it as yet so I'll not comment further.

More drought signs in England as Kennet and Avon Canal water levels lowest for 90 years whilst over in Cambridgeshire drought forces rail line closure after causing track movement

Wind driven wildfire destroys 25 homes in Reno

More accurate cyclone prediction model developed

Cassini chronicles life of Saturn's giant storm

And hypocrisy afoot as climate minister buys a castle with 16 bathrooms and a massive carbon footprint. But then, what would you expect of a politician, especially a very rich one who lives in a different world to the rest of us? Anyway, I bet Gore has an even bigger house!

18th November - Today's News: Concerns Grow Over UK Drought

2011-11-18T09:32:00.009Z

Following on from Anglia Water's request for a drought order this winter, more water companies now warn that millions of households face water rationing and hosepipe bans next year. I've been warning of this for months. After a wet start, it now looks certain that November will be our 13th consecutive month with below average rainfall in Evesham. It's also been a very mild start to November - so much so that the weather's gone quackers as ducks born born six months earlier and roses bloom in November - though the roses in my garden have often been blooming at Christmas, so nothing unusual here. And no sign yet of the much publicised cold and snow for October, or, um, November then, er, well, December .....

In contrast, over in the US tornadoes in Southeast kill 6, flatten homes whilst up in Alaska record Fairbanks cold continues as air quality warnings issued

Weather harder to predict, Environment Canada warns

A silent flood misery for 1.8m in Cambodia, Vietnam as the worst floods in a decade go largely unreported.

Charities warn that Afghan drought hit families could be cut off by extreme weather within weeks

In contrast to other parts of the world, deforestation causes cooling in northern US, Canada, study finds.

IPCC chief braced for storms of denial over extreme weather report - well, if it doesn't say what it want it to say then it must be fradulent. Right?

It's been a record long Arctic navigation season but are lemmings turning the Arctic green?

Efforts to cut sulpur emissions work, as acid pollution in rain decreases with emissions, long-term study shows

In Antarctica, the Gamburstev 'ghost mountains' mystery solved - and despite being 'young looking' they actually date back a billion years to the time of Rodinia.

'Lost' continent Gondwana sheds light on formation of world today

And my holistic or complex theory starts to gain ground as a team from Princeton conclude that massive volcanoes, meteorite impact delivered one-two death punch to dinosaurs. It's no longer seen as a simple either/or.

And further back in time, the date and rate of Earth's most extreme extinction pinpointed. The P/T extinction peaked at 252.28 mya and lasted less than 200,000 years. The anthropocene extinction - currently ongoing due to the activities of man - probably started around 50,000 years ago. So we've time yet to make it worse.

The search for extraterrestrial life moves a step forward with the discovery that Jupiter moon Europe has shallow lakes

Finally, there are plans to lift radioactive contamination controls on UK sheep farms imposed after Chernobyl.

Access to wildlife should be a right, not a privilege - I'm not sure I quite agree that but certainly it shold be encouraged and efforts made to ensure everyone has the opportunity to see not just wild life but also wild places. On which note, I hear that according to the JMT the amount of lScottosh land designated 'wild' in the sense that no sign of modern human activity can be seen has halved in the past 20 years. Mostly thanks to windfarms.

16th November - Today's News: October 2nd Warmest on Record for Global Land Surface

2011-11-16T09:53:00.006Z

October 2011 the 10th warmest on record - but for land areas it was the 2nd warmest, indicating a continuing overall warming whilst La Nina produces cooler ocean surfaces. NOAA report here

Record warm Irish temperatures fools Mother Nature that it is springtime

For the first time in a decade, Anglia Water seeks winter drought order. Whilst across the Channel too low French water tables need heavy winter rains - and frankly at present there is nothing in the long range probability models to suggest either us or the French will get it with overall a drier than average winter looking most likely. Though I've a feeling another run of warm, wet and windy winters aren't too far away.

And on the subject of lack of rain, Texas fire season roars on, with no end in sight

In contrast, for Cyprus: excessive rain causes further problems and it's cold there too.

A very interesting piece by Jonathan Amos on weather satellites and the gathering storm - we take the data gathered by satellites so much for granted now. But can we afford it? What if suddenly it wasn't there?

Concerns as UHI research warns of 'black Christmases' in Santa town - now there's a scary prospect is global warming predictions hold true: Father Christmas's sleigh will be bogged down in mud!

The storm chasers of Utah are swapping tornadoes for snowstorms

And it seems that the forthcoming IPCC report will state that temperature extremes 'virtually certain' to rise - though I understand the report specifies a lot of unknowns (whether known unknowns or unknown unknowns I couldn't say!).

Though to counter that, Russian scientists predict 100 years cooling! Only a blog report on that as it doesn't appear to have been picked up by the media. The actual report though can be read here.

It's not just long term climate that is changing though, as erratic, extreme, day-to-day weather puts climate change in new light.

And with the end of the world as we know it just over 12 months away, some good news as it's reported supervolcanoes: not a threat for 2012.

The strange rubbing boulders of Atacama have sat around for millions of years, slowly, slowly, slowly eroding each time an earthquake shakes them.

15th November - Today's News: Study Finds UK Fruit Ripening Earlier

2011-11-15T09:38:00.003Z

UK trees' fruit rippening '18 days earlier': according to a new study autumn fruit, nuts and berries is appearing earlier due to changes in our climate (this, of course, follows on from spring flowering occurring earlier as well)

Meanwhile, a scientist at the University of Kiel has said that global warming could being 50-degree days to Germany - though I'm not quite sure that's entirely been taken in context.

Round 2 of winter storm hits parts of Alaska

First winter snow falls in China

UK air pollution 'puts lives at risk'

According to the Thai PM, Bangkok floods could go into next year

In Malaysia, 28,000 personnel on standby for floods, expected this winter - as happens most years.

And Richard Black reports mixed messages on climate vulnerability

14th November - Today's News: Aerosols May Cause More Extreme Weather

2011-11-14T10:21:00.003Z

Autumn could be warmest on record - or, more likely, the second warmest on record after 2006. 18.2c in my garden yesterday was the highest temp I've recorded in November, with the offical UK max 18.1c in Hampshire. Felt a fine summer's day to me. Whilst autumn overall may not be warmest, November could well be. And, as the Sun put it Britain's hotter than Syria! No sign of the promised heavy snow and Arctic freeze so confidently promised for October or November by certain media outlets back in September!

But whilst there's no sign of anything on our hills, snow covers Cape mountaintops in SA.

In NZ, massive storm hits Rotorua

Air pollution linked to extreme weather - given that we'll never cut down on CO2 emissions then it seems the way forward to mitigate the impacts of a warming world are obvious. So dont expect any action this decade .....

12th November - Today's News: Sydney's Warmest November Night

2011-11-12T09:34:00.003Z

Sydney swelters with record night temperature highs

Alaskans weather epic Bering Sea storm

In Northern Ireland, family escapes flooding danger in Draperstown

There was flooding in the UAE after Masirah Island witnesses heavy rain for hours

Is climate scepticism a largely Anglo-Saxon phenomenon?

And some great picture here of a baby elephant and its mother pulled from lagoon where they got stuck - I do think the last one of the mother 'crawling' out looks very human ..... But the real point of posting this story is that it demonstrates so well just how mammoths could have become entombed in similar muddy lagoons (albeit rather colder ones) in Siberia - eventually to become preserved as 'mummies'.

11th November - Today's News: Big Storm Hits Alaska

2011-11-11T09:38:00.002Z

11 - 11 - 11 Remember

Snow, hurricane-force winds batter Alaska and as the huge Alaska storm passes region, leaves widespread damage

A spectacular picture here as storm front strikes Victoria whilst in Sydney, storm train chaos 'worst in a decade'.

In Portugal, it was the hottest October on record

Chance of a shower? You decide as Met Office launches new style weather forecasts

Colorado cloud-seeding programme grow - though I'd take their estimates of its effect with a large does of salt. And Iran runs cloud seeding over drying up Orumiyeh lake

Ten dead as second earthquake strikes Turkey

In the Canaries, beaches shut amid concern over volcano gas

And, Chile's volcano ash back forcing delays in air links to Chile

Sea change can forecast South America wildfires

Anti-wind farm campaigners stage conference in Ayr

How global warming could cause animals to shrink

And the wierd world of water gets a little wierder

9th November - Today's News: Alaska Braces for 'Epic' Storm

2011-11-09T09:53:00.004Z

Alaska braces for epic storm; evacuations begin - it could be one of the worst in Alaskan history. With winds up to 100mph and heavy snow, we're talking SERIOUS blizzards!

Incredible video shows tornadoes that raked Oklahoma 1 day after earthquakes rattled the state

And roofs lost in 'tornado-like storm' in Victoria whilst 'golf ball' hail thrashes Melbourne

Bermuda issues tropical storm warning as Sean approaches

Beijing in air pollution action

Pakistan facing 'unimaginable catastrophe' after second year of floods

World heading for irreversible climate change in five years, IEA warns. Well that's that then. Meanwhile there's another prediction that Arctic sea ice 'to melt by 2015'. I bet it doesn't.

In the Canaries, undersea volcano now just 70 meters from surface

As the US government confirms link between earthquakes and hydraulic fracturing, specualtion increases that this was the cause of the recent big quakes in Oklahoma

European biofuels are as carbon intensive as petrol - and contribute towards deforestation to boot.

Russian Mars probe loses its way minutes after launch - those pesky Martians are extending their influence ..... ! Meanwhile a giant asteroid passes near Earth but utterly fails to hit us. Again. But what are these stange structures they noticed?

7th November - Today's News: Several Dead as Floods Hit France & Italy

2011-11-07T09:35:00.003Z

Flood alerts in Turin as river levels rise after rain, further south, Naples braces for flooding after heavy rains, whilst in the France floods - 3 dead, 100s evacuated after the Herault regions saw one years worth of rain in four days. Worth noting that 700mm is more than twice we've seen fall in Evesham all year.

And in Thailand, floods approach Bangkok's rail system as northern provinces start cleaning up

Deadly landslide strikes western Colombia

Now officially over, the 2011 hurricane season costliest, deadliest in three years. All because of Irene and Lee.

In Britain, autumn doesn't know whether its coming or going - though I would blame that on weather, not climate change. And I very much doubt the Highland midge has ever waited until July befor emaking an appearance! April is usual though it's not till late May or June they become a nuisance. There were none about in mid October this year.

Oklahoma shaken by 5.6 magnitude earthquake, causing quite a bit of damage.

And it's been claimed wind farms 'disrupt military radar and inhibit weather tracking'

5th November - Today's News: Fog Causes Deadly Motorway Crash in Devon

2011-11-05T09:40:00.004Z

M5 shut as 'several people' die in 27-vehicle crash. From accounts it appears that the motorway surface was still wet from recent rain and that there was patchy fog in the area - sporadic dense fog banks can be very dangerous. This appears the worst British motorway pile up since March 1997 when 3 people died and 160 vehicles were involved, again in an accident caused by fog.

Earlier, flooding in Bridgewater sparks river wall collapse fear whilst in Wales, flooding hits Newport and stops Cardiff rugby match.

Warm weather melts summit snow in Cairngorms - which actually isn't at all unusual! Although they have had unusually high temperatures.

Italy floods: six killed in port city Genoa after torrential rainfall. More heavy rain is expected this weekend.

Bangkok continues to battle Thailand floods

In East Africa, floods cause havor for Somali displaced

UA scientists find evidence of Roman period megadrought in SW USA - much to the confusion of some posters on WUWT who can't quite figure out how there could have been a drought when CO2 levels were lower since they still seem to think CO2 alone controls climate. Morons!

And after complaints about the reference to funnel clouds, the BBC have amended their story and now report homes damaged by strong winds in Worcestershire.

4th November - Today's News - 11 Die as Heavy Rain Hits Oman

2011-11-04T09:34:00.004Z

Heavy rain in desert regions can be deadly. The death toll from storm in Oman rises to 11.

We missed most of the rain in England yesterday (including a terrific thunderstorm that ran up just west of here) and had nothing overnight, though many dry eastern parts saw an inch. Just up the road from me there was a report of what may have been a tornado, although, rather bizarrely, the BBC suggest that homes damaged by funnel clouds in Worcestershire (obviously a funnel cloud does not reach the ground - else it is a tornado - and cannot cause damage. And there doesn't appear to have been any sightings of a funnel cloud either. We haven't got a clue how they came up with this one!)

And more heavy rain and early snow cause havoc on Beirut

In Western Australia, record rain turns bumper harvest to ruin

There's been a November snow surprise for southerners in NZ

New England's freak snowstorm blamed for at least 22 deaths

In the Indian Ocean pollution makes powerful cyclones more likely

Despite the ongoing world recession and punative taxes aimed at reduce emissions, greenhouse gases rise by record amounts

'Hide the decline' revisited by Richard Black in a useful assessment of recent controversely surrounding the recent annoucements by the Berkeley Earth Project. Tamino's blog entry on the subject also worth reading.

Fracking tests near Blackpool 'likely cause' of tremors recorded their earlier this year. As was strongly suspected at the time.

Major berg forming in Antarctica

And at last they're starting to abandon the either/or idea and accept - as I have argued for a very long time - the more holistic view that both humans and climate contributed to extinctions of large Ice Age mammals. Hurrah!

1st November - Today's News: IPCC Say Global Warming Makes Weather Extremes Worse

2011-11-01T10:24:00.003Z

Global warming worsens weather extremes, international climate panel will say in a new report to be published later this month

The govt have announced that a cold snap alert plan 'will save lives' whilst up in Scotland trains to be prioritised in severe winter weather. Always assuming we get any.

Bangkok floods: anger grows in deluged districts whilst the neighbouring Cambodia floods bring mounting disease toll

The weekend's early snow storm leaves major power outages in US, with the trees to blame for nor'easter destruction

Doctors urge caution as fog shrouds Beijing

Dozens fo houses collapse in China quake

And some good nes as rains ease Somalia drought

31st October - Today's News: At Least 9 Killed in US Snowstorm

2011-10-31T09:37:00.003Z

As was forecast, snowstorm hits US east coast killing at least nine leaving more than 2.3 million without power as Northeast recovers from storm. The same wintry storm smacks Atlantic Canada as well.

Here in Britain, a very mild weekend in places - reaching 18.5c in my garden and with nighttime temperatures hovering for the most part around 15c

In Cornwall - parts of which have had a lot more run that us - Stithians reservoir low water level 'no great concern' despite being at only 37% of capacity. A dry winter could however cause problems not just in the SW but across much of the Midlands and East Anglian.

Thailand floods: fears ease in Bangkok as barriers hold

Underwater volcano creates a brand new Canary Island

And finally, India welcomes world's 'seven billonth baby' - chosen entirely at random of course. It's been estimated that the world human population will reach 7,000,000,000 sometime today. Way back in 2000 there were ~6.1 billion of us and in 1900 it was ~1.65 billion.

29th October - Today's News: October Snow Expected in NE USA

2011-10-29T09:39:00.003+01:00

Wintry weather hits US, both east and west and, in particular Fall storm could dump more than a foot of snow in parts of New England

US military to survey deadly Thai flooding

Now this looks interesting. Retired meteorologist works on 'world's longest weather record'
- Jim Rothwell has spent 20 years compiling a weather record for Central England back to 56BC. Be nice if in time this could be made available online.

Human caused climate change major factor in more frequent Mediterranean droughts

Another Chile volcano spews vapour and ash into air - and looks quite impressive with all the snow around

A good, informative article here on what happens when our landfills are full? Personally I'd prefer all waste to be used to produce electricity by incineration. There'd be no need for recycling then, either.

As dispute over the construction project continues, Brazil Amazon campaigners occupy Belo Morte dam

NFU Scotland backs review of daylight savings time

Good to hear hydro plans for Glen Cailliche pagan site shelved - I've not actually visited Tigh nam Bodach, must get there some day!

28th October - Today's News: At Least 9 Dead in Italian Flash Floods

2011-10-28T09:59:00.004+01:00

Rescue workers in Italy search through mud for survivors of storm that killed at least 9 - with dramatic footage of the flash floods here

And it's now reported that at least 11 have died as deadly floods hit Ghana capital Accra

Turkey earthquake death toll passes 500

Tropical storm Rina lashes Mexican coast with rain as residents evacuated

Here in Evesham it rain (lightly) for most of yesterday, producing 14.5mm and bringing the monthly rainfall total up to around 65% of average. Still looks like being the 12th consecutive month here with below normal rainfall.

Warm Halloween weather to end mild October

As the floods continue, Bangkok braced for high tide

Interesting that Scottish winter death rate lowest in 20 years last winter - despite all the cold and snow.

Glaciers in SW China feel brunt of climate change

Dog helps lightning strike Redruth mayor

The Met Office say that lack of computing power 'hindering weather forecasting' - though it doesn't seem to affect Piers Corbyn who is never wrong with his forecasts. Allegedly.

NPP weather and climate satellite launches

Land animals, ecosystems walloped after Permian die-off

Asteroid could be fledgling planet that never formed

And its that time of year again when everyone says how wonderful it is to get up and go to work and school in the dark as UK clocks change trial being considered. Yet again. The story is not quite so bad as it seems though - the proposal is only to look further into whether there might be genuine benefit in it being dark at 10am in winter and still broad daylight 4 hours after children have gone to bed in summer.

26th October - Today's News: One Third of all People at Risk from Climate Change?

2011-10-26T10:02:00.005+01:00

One third of humanity faces biggest risks from climate change - with developing nations at most risk. And prosperpous Europeans at least risk, according to a new 'league table'.

However, new research casts doubt on 'doomsday' water shortage predictions

While in Greenland, research suggests we don't need record temperatures to produce record ice melt, because glacial melt cycle could become self-amplifying

The stupidiest man in Britain? Father pushes toddler along in pushchair beneath towering waves as angler dies in flash floods

Caution urged as flooded Northern Ireland roads re-open

Water spout forms off Sussex coast

'Once in a century' events have become distressingly familiar for the Irish

Hurricane Rina grows on path to Mexico's Cancun

All of Bangkok vulnerable to floods, Thai PM Shinawatra warns

Lucky Americans as northern lights seen as far south as Alabama

Forest fires in the Mediterranean basin are becoming larger and more frequent, study finds

Scientists investigate riddle of rapidly expanding volcano Uturunco in South America. A big eruption may be possible.

Researchers identify mud volcanoes in Greenland as niche for early life

25th October - Today's News: Floods Hit Britain & Ireland as the Drought Continues

2011-10-25T09:57:00.003+01:00

A rather wet day in the west yesterday, expecially in the Dublin area where over 80mm rain fell in places. Northern Ireland floods cause transport havoc. In County Tyrone, 18 people rescued from flood waters. In County Wicklow body found in search for Garda swept away by floods whilst across Dublin flood waters recede but driving conditions difficult. Problems in the SW of England too with rivers on flood warning as storms lash Westcountry whilst floods force sewerage down Conwall's Par village street

But, 60mph winds and flooding as winter blasts back: So why are parts of the country still facing a hosepipe ban? Because some of us have had little more than half the normal rainfall so far this year - in Evesham just 10.2mm this month, about 23% of average. We had only a trace last night - not sufficent to register in my gauge.

One I missed last week: severe flooding shuts Colosseum in Rome

The season is coming to an end, but it's not over yet as Hurricane Rina forms in Caribbean

In South Africa, Jo'burg heatwave claims new record temperature for October

Two week old baby rescued alive from Turkish earthquake rubble

Apparently the public supports geo-engineering ideas, study suggests. Maybe because they don't understand the implications? Of course, there's nowt wrong with testing ideas to see if just possibly they might work.

Earthquakes generate big heat in super-small areas

Fiery volcano offers Geologists glimpse into land that time forgot

NASA telescopes help solve ancient supernova mystery

And, just in case end of the world prediction #987 plays out next month, as asteroid YU55 makes a close pass of the Earth, fallout of a giant meterorite strike revealed in new model

24th October - Today's News: Mag 7.2 Earthquake Hits Turkey; Over 200 Dead

2011-10-24T09:47:00.004+01:00

Turkey earthquake: desperate search for survivors with so far 217 confimed dead amid fears toll could rise to 1,000

As the drought continues in the Vale - only 10.2mm so far this month and not a lot on the horizon - heavy rain in Torquay closes seafront road with weather warning as flooding hits Northern Ireland

'Read for winter' campaign launches in Scotland

New tropical storm forming in rain-soaked Central America

Thailand floods: waters advance on north Bangkok area

Plate tectonics may control reversals in Earth's magnetic field

And finally it's nice to see that Piers Corbyn's warning of a North Sea storm around 21-23rd October has been proven correct as it's wet and windy in the SW, Ireland and Wales ....... And I bet there's snow in Svalbard this week too. He even managed to predict a whole 2 days beforehand that it's be a bit cooler the middle of last week. What a clever chappie!

22nd October - Today's News: British Couple Die in Benidorm Flash Floods

2011-10-22T10:28:00.003+01:00

Elderly British couple swept to their death in Benidorm flash floods

Tornado tears up Templand in Dumfries, last Monday

Thailand floods: crisis to last 'six to four weeks'

Glaciers on China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau melting fast due to global warming

New study shows no simultaneous warming of northern and southern hemispheres as a result of climate change for 20,000 years Until now.

21st Ocyober - Today's News: Berkely Earth Project Confirms AGW

2011-10-21T09:43:00.002+01:00

Not quite the result some had been expecting as global warming confirmed by 'independent' study. So far the best the snti-science denail squad have been able to come up with is that the this annoucement has been made before the relevant papers have been peer reviewed.

I'm also interested in theor suggestion that:

...the global temperature correlates more closely with the state of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index - a measure of sea surface temperature in the north Atlantic.
There are theories suggesting that the AMO index is in turn driven by fluctuations in the north Atlantic current commonly called the Gulf Stream.
The team suggests it is worth investigating whether the long-term AMO cycles, which are thought to last 65-70 years, may play a part in the temperature rise, fall and rise again seen during the 20th Century

Something to look at with regards the LIA and even full scale glaciations perhaps? Both of which seem to be centred on the North Atlantic region (and expand their influence subsequently to other parts of the world - the LIA, for example, appearing from some proxies to have started a couple of hundred years later in the S Hemisphere). What happens, I wonder, if the AMO fails in its warm phase at the same time that orbital parameters are more conduscive to milder N Hemisphere winters (more snowfall) and cooler summers (less snow melt)? Though equally we should consider that the former is an effect rather than a contributory cause. It may also have a bearing perhaps on Heinrich and D/O events? All good stuff!

Meanwhile, according to Bob Ward, Lord Lawson's Global Warming Policy Foundation is spreading errors.

Thailand floods: Bangkok braced as drainage begins

Chicago battered by 60mph winds and 25 foot waves

Flash flood in Myanmar leaves 'dozens missing'

NOAA winter outlook: drought to deepen in Texas; cold and stormy across northern US

Study points to cyclone 'clusters'

A report claims climate change could trap hundreds of millions in disaster areas

Significant ozone hole remains over Antarctica

Space weather forecasters get serious

Not quite Earth Science, but it looks like Clovis First is finally dead - Old American theory is 'speared' by incontrovertible evidence of humans in N America at least 13,000 ya

Winter 2011/12 Forecasts

2011-10-19T10:23:00.009+01:00

Time for the annual round-up of various forecasts for the coming winter in Britain. Let's see if anyone does better than they did last year!

My own thoughts are that we will see some cold and perhaps snowy weather, most likely in December and January, but that for most people it will be nowhere near as harsh as last winter. We could see more milder, stormier, conditions at times as well. In other words, a normal mix of normal weather. Though like last year I also suspect we'll see an early spring set in in February. And that's based mostly on gut feeling. Sod's Law further suggests that after so much money spent by authorities preparing in case of a repeat of last December (remember than much of last January and February were mild and largely frost free - it was not a cold winter) it will be a mild and wet winter. With complaints about why more wasn't spent on flood defences .....

So to the forecasts:

The one which has recieved most publicity so far has been that produced by a guy called James Madden - of whom I know nothing about. He runs a website called Exacta Weather. This was published on 2nd September:

As we head towards winter, I expect to see the first signs of some moderate to heavy snowfalls as early as October or November in certain parts of the UK. In terms of the meteorological winter, I expect December, January, and February to experience below average temperatures, with the heaviest snowfalls occurring within the time frame of November to January across many parts of the UK.

The most important factor within our weather forecasting calculations is solar activity and other major natural factors that it influences. Radiant energy from the sun is the primary influence on both the earth's ocean and atmosphere.

Low solar activity and ocean behaviour alter atmospheric circulation and block jet stream patterns that create enhanced moisture in terms of snowfall. The UK and Ireland is hit by prolonged periods of extreme cold and snow from the Arctic regions, as cold easterlies or north-easterlies develop. Huge swirly low pressure systems also offer the potential for widespread disruption from heavy snowfall across many parts of the UK including the South, as they clash with the predominant cold air over the UK.

Coupled with other in depth factors such as recent volcanic activity and changes to the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic drift that we consider, this does not bode well for the severity of the UK and Northern European winter of 2011-12. Frequent and prolonged cold spells with heavy dumps of snow from blizzard like conditions is likely across many parts of the UK. The areas we expect to be worse hit throughout include the vast majority of Scotland and the Scottish Highlands, Northern England, and Northern Ireland. We have particular concerns as to the huge implications that this may pose to the infrastructure of the UK and Ireland transportation systems/economy.

With an update on the 24th September:

"I expect the most frequent and heavy snowfalls to occur across many parts of the UK during NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, and JANUARY" at present. I initially expect frequent and significant snowfalls across many northern regions and Scotland throughout this winter. Any earlier snowfall is likely to be more confined to northern and western parts of the UK, although large scale low pressure systems also offer the potential for significant snowfalls to many parts of the UK.
I also expect NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, and FEBRUARY to feature largely below-average temperatures across many parts of the UK, it is likely that temperature and snowfall records will be broken within this defined time frame. I initially expect temperatures to really struggle across many northern regions, including Scotland (Western Scotland in particular), Ireland (Northern Ireland in particular), North West England, and parts of Wales.

Piers Corbyn is, as usual these days, keeping completely schtum as regards his forecast - although no doubt you can buy it off him should you wish. All we know is that whatever happens he'll claim he predicted it months in advance and that the Met Office couldn't even get it right from a a few days out. Expect severe cold and snow in Svalbard then. And a storm in the Baltic.

Over at PWS, our old friend Jonathon Powell has been quoted a few times regarding imminent ice ages and the like by the Daily Express (the world's least accurate newspaper ever). However, on his site his actual forecast looks a bit milder:

Winter 2011-12: Occasional Wintry Weather, Often Dry in South

December – often cold, chance of snow in places

The start of winter is expected to present some contrasts for much of the British Isles. There are signals for some wet and unsettled weather over many western and a number of areas to the north. There is also strong evidence during the month for some chilly but mainly settled weather, with possibly severe overnight frost, along with persistent fog in low-lying localities. It is furthermore likely that a definite wintry episode will become established, with the potential for snow especially over areas of the North and East. Within this general circulation, some parts of northern and north-eastern Britain retain the best chance of experiencing a White Christmas. Temperatures will overall be on or slightly below average for the North, on or slightly above average for the South. Precipitation is likely to approach the long-term December norm, though some southern areas in particular may reflect notably drier than average values.

January – some cold, dry South developing

The first month of 2012 looks like being characterised by a sometimes mild North, and developing dry, at times colder conditions in the South. As a result many northern regions will often experience breezy, cloudier and wet weather but also some chillier, showery interludes - some of which will be wintry in nature. The prospect of prolonged wintry activity looks however unlikely, although occasional colder cells embedded within the overall flow will provide the North, especially upland districts, with temporary snow cover. Strong winds may also be a feature for these regions. Drier conditions, with some sunshine but overnight occasionally severe frost will be more frequent in the South. Some southern and eastern areas will witness cloud or fog formation, at times persistent, giving an overall cold feel. January’s temperatures will approach the norm or exceed it in some northern and western parts. Southern and eastern areas may be drier than the average.

February – generally milder

There are indications that February over the British Isles may initially offer some of the most unsettled weather of the entire season. Contained within this fairly disturbed pattern there are hints for occasional episodes of colder, polar maritime air moving across northern parts of Britain and Ireland in particular; this will bring sleet and snow, most especially to upland areas. There is however no strong signal for any widespread period of sustained cold. Spells of rain coupled with strong to gale force winds will also feature during February. The month will also feature some drier and pleasantly sunny passages, these most likely as the month progresses and across southern regions and the South-West in particular. Temperatures overall for the month are likely to be on or above the norm, perhaps notably so for parts of the South; rainfall also looks set to reflect on or above average values.

Looks like a good summary of the sort of typical winter weather we get in Britain then. This forecast was dated 18th Oct - it may well change.

Stewart Rampling at Net-wx has not yet released his thoughts and so far Brian Gaze has only intimated (16th Oct) that:

At the moment things look finely balanced, and although I would be surprised if the winter turns out to be very mild and snowless, the chances of average or milder than average temperatures are higher than they have been for the last few years. I wouldn’t be surprised if this winter was the mildest since 2007/08, but despite this, it’s too early to discount the possibility of another cold one. If sustained cold is to come this year I suspect we’ll see a different pattern to recent winters, with more blocking over Scandinavia later in January and February. TheWeatherOutlook winter forecast will be issued in late November. On the basis of this discussion, don’t conclude it will be predicting a mild winter because how the weather evolves during the next six weeks is a very important consideration for me.

Still, somewhat different to James Madden's thoughts!

Further forecasts and relevant updates will be added in due course. But in the meantime, the most accurate news story I've read regarding the forthcoming winter can be found in the Daily Mash!

Update 21st Oct:

Accuweather have no issued a winter forecast for Europe which can be summarised in these charts:

So basically, for Britain, a little warmer than average with normal levels of precipitation. Which is a little different to the others I've seen so far.

Update 25th Oct

Another US outfit, WSI, have this to say on the coming winter:

There are numerous indications that the cold will not be as extreme as it was during the last two winters,” said WSI Chief Meteorologist Dr. Todd Crawford. “The current state of the Northern Hemispheric oceans is almost identical to that observed in October 2008, which was only a moderately cold winter. Further, we have finally emerged from the unusually long lull in solar activity that likely contributed to the extreme nature of recent winters. Lastly, the multi-year tendency towards North Atlantic atmospheric blocking has already waned a bit in 2011, relative to the previous three years. This indicates that the atmosphere is likely regressing back to the mean a bit from the recent and persistent anomalous state. So, while we do expect another cold winter across UK and Western Europe, we think that the winter will be much closer to 2008-09 than 2010-11. Further, we think that the worst of the cold across Western Europe will be in December and January, and that the back-half of winter could be significantly milderSummarising that for the UK, Nov, Dec and Jan will all be 'colder than normal'.

Summarising that for the UK, Nov, Dec & Jan will all be 'colder than normal'.

Update - 28th October

We now have a slightly more detailed forecast for the Uk from Accuweather's Alan Reppert:

Good news for residents of the United Kingdom worried about the coming winter weather. "This year's winter is not going to be nearly as cold or snowy as last year," AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.

Still, it's time to pull out your scarves and winter coats.

Reppert is forecasting that the coldest air of the season will blow into the U.K. in November and early December. By mid-December, Londoners will get a break from the cold that they experienced last year. In December 2010, London temperatures were 4.2 degrees C (7.5 degrees F) below normal. This year, temperatures will hover around normal, around 5.6 degrees C (42 degrees F).

In addition to the early bitter cold, higher elevations in England and Scotland will have above-normal snowfall in the beginning of the season. Unlike last year, there won't be snowfall in southern parts of Wales and England. In London, Reppert expects that precipitation totals will be close to normal. On average, the city gets around 140 mm (5.5 inches) of precipitation during winter.

Later in the season, a persistent high pressure will build over the region. High pressure systems typically push in dry and warmer air that brings in good weather. Temperatures will be above average. The end of winter will be dry. Not much snow will fall on the islands in January and February, even in the mountains.

Update: 1st December

Brian Gaze has now released his winter forecast on TWO, and summarises it as follows:

The TWO winter forecast covering December, January and February is now online and points towards a close to average winter, with a weak bias towards slightly colder than normal conditions. Precipitations levels are expected to be close to average over muc of the country, although perhaps drier further east. The forecast suggests some snow is again likely in most of the county, but probably not as extensive or persistent as during winter 2009/10. Wintry conditions are likely to develop at times during December, especially in the north, but the coldest spell of the winter is forecast to occur between mid-January and mid-February, with milder weather tending to become more dominant across most of the country later on. The winter forecast will remain online throughout the season so you'll be able to see how things are progressing. There’ll be an update on TWO Buzz on Thursday morning giving more insights into the winter forecast. An important point to make is that between 1992 and 2007 many winters were anomalously mild, not close to the long term average.

I think he may well prove fairly accurate on that one.

Funally, Stewart Rampling's Net-Wx winter video forecasts can be viewed here.

Key Points:

A Winter of two halves
Start of Winter mildest
End of Winter coldest
Rainfall close to average

19th October - Today's News: Storm Rips Roof From Cumbrian Nursery School

2011-10-19T09:41:00.003+01:00

Kids flee as 'tornado' rips roof from Cumbrian nursery school

Dust storm shrouds Texas city

No let-up as Thai authorities battle against flood

Snow and high winds hit parts of Scotland

And in preparation for the coming winter they've got an extra 20,000 tonnes of salt to treat Cumbria's roads, across the Pennines north east councils 'ready' for third harsh winter

Nothing new here: climate change 'grave' threat to security and health. Hasn't that always been the case? Just look at what happen in the 6th century AD

17th October - Today's News: At Least 80 Dead in Central American Landslides, Floods

2011-10-17T10:26:00.005+01:00

Central America floods and landslides leave 80 dead

It was t-shirt weather in the Highlands last Friday and down here seems to have been another very warm weekend. But now Britons set to feel chill as autumn finally arrives. 'Bout time!

Thai flooding: key business parkpark Navanokorn evacuated whilst 'obsolete' Thai radar blamed for failure to predict rain severity

Killed by the drought, dead trees will mar Texas landscape for decades

Planting trees 'boost African crop yields and food security'

Tipping points for tropical forest and savannah

New research shows how life might have survived 'snowball earth'

Animals 'shrinking' due to climate change

Global temperatures in September were eighth warmest on record - the full NOAA report is here

12th October - Today's News: Hurricane Jova hits Mexico

2011-10-12T09:28:00.003+01:00

Hurricane Jova crosses Mexico's Pacific coast

First hand reports of the Thailand floods: 'roads are now rivers' as Thailand races to defned Bangkok from floods

Really bad news for, er, somebody, as the price of peanuct butter to soar after hot weather ruined harvest in the US

According to Accuweather B.C. winter forecast to be coldest on record. We will see.

Polar mission finds thin ice floes and 'warm' water in high Arctic

Even record-setting rain isn't enough to break Texas drought - whilst here in Evesham it's so far a record breaking warm and dry October with only 3.5mm. However indications are that the second half of the month will be a lot more unsettled - cooler and wetter!

No more updates till next week as I'm off home to Moidart in search of rain, followed by the MBA AGM in Crianlarich at the weekend.

11th October - Today's News: Race on to Protect Bangkok from Floods

2011-10-11T09:35:00.003+01:00

Thailand races to defend Bangkok from floods

How our Indian summer is set to make pumpkins a little less pumped for Halloween

San Antonio keeps water flowing amid a deep drought whilst Colorada empties popular lake to pay its water bill.

Hurricane Jova closes in on western Mexico

Antarctic lake mission targets life and climate signs

Glacier lakes: growing danger zones in the Himalaya

It looks like there has been an underwater volcanic eruption near Spanish Canary island

Michael Hanlon makes a fool of himself by building a great big man of straw and asking Mini Ice-Age or global warming: Why can't they make their minds up? Does he really not realise that it's the media he works for that keep coming up with these daft predictions, not the scientists who invariably are saying something very, very different (the recent 'ice age' claims being a case in point). Shame on you Michael. Or maybe that was the point? To further mislead the public and champion the cause of anti-science? Hmmm .....

Quadruple rainbow caught on camera for first time (this is basically the same story as last weeks one about a triple rainbow, but goes into a bit better detail)

Long-lost Lake Agassiz offer clues to climate change - or rather, new research suggest that its level dropped as a consequence of the Younger Dryas cold period, rather than a sudden draining of the lake being the cause of the YD.

Giant 'kraken' lair discovered: cunning sea monster that preyed on ichyosaurs - and may have been highly intelligent. Shades of Cthulu?!!!

10th October - Today's News: Floods Drown Asia's 'Rice Bowl'

2011-10-10T10:08:00.004+01:00

Floods drown Asia's rice bowl as Thailand scrambles to prevent humanitarian disaster from floods

Hot sunny weather blankets Central, Eastern Canada

In Germany, cold front blankets Brocken in snow - must have been quite a spectre!

Ultraviolet light shone on cold winter conundrum. Or is it? Seems to the correlation is not quite so clear cut (look at the period 1760-1800 for example). And the LIA could, IMO, be better described as a period in which there was a greater frequency of cooler summers. Not cold winters. Hence the glacial increases across the whole of the N Hemisphere at that time. All in accord with declining axial tilt and something which IMO ought be continuing today. Though I accept that long term variations in UV may have been another contributory factor.

Australia's alpine parks face threat of hotter, drier climate - and no more snow!

New Zealand oil spill reaches shore as weather holds up response

Warm weather 'knocks High St sales' - it certainly did here! Normally this time of year folk are buying things for the home or Christmas; instead they were in the garden or buying ice creams and bikinis! And apparently Winter's first icy blast is on the way: frost and temperatures of -3C by the weekend. Possibly. For the Cairngorms ..... It's actually looking like another very mild week for most with temperatures finally dipping closer to the October normal over next weekend. But certainly not at all cold. The media's obsession with running these inaccurate and misleading stories is really getting a bit wearisome.

There's supersatuated water vapour in Martian atmosphere whilst Venus has an ozone layer too.

8th October - Today's News: Thai Flood Situation Worsens

2011-10-08T09:47:00.003+01:00

As Thailand battles to protect its capital, Bangkok's neighbours shoulder flood burden

Floods in Philippines could last a month

Storm knocks power out in Queensland

Snow flurries on Saturn's moon would make for perfect piste

Oh dear, the Express just can't stop themselves. Apparently now -20c to hit Britain. And yes, it's quite likely that somewhere on the Highlands will see temperatures down to -20c at some point this coming winter .... but not any time soon. Though air frosts are possible in many places "within a matter of weeks". As indeed is rain. And clouds. And Christmas decorations in the shops.

I'm surprised to hear that Europeans fear climate change more than financial turmoil - though I guess it depends on how the question is worded.

Much less of a surprise - because I've been saying it for years - is Myles Allen's opinion that Al Gore is doing a disservice to science by overplaying the link between climate change and weather. A piece well worth reading, especially if you disagree that humans are affecting the climate.

And OMG! We're all going to die! Again! News about planet-threatening events is that Earth could get hit by gamma ray bursts every 100 million years .....

7th October - Today's News: Snow Falls on Scottish Hills. No-one Surprised.

2011-10-07T10:09:00.003+01:00

Those who forecast a cold October with widespread snow will be jumping with joy because yesterday there was snow in Cairngorms, Glencoe, Glenshee and Nevis Range (and on a few other hills too). Though of course this is as unusual as a steak in Texas. And the Daily Express hits back at thise who criticised it's increasingly inaccurate and misleading stories by telling us we told you snow

Storm wreaks havoc in Nova Scotia

Australia, New Zealand in airlifts to drought-hit Tuvalu

Rain brings cheer to Fujairah, Ajman and RAK - the UAE don't exactly get a lot of the stuff!

The US, Chicago area expected to endure worst winter weather in the nation. According to Accuweather.

Heatwave brings rare moths to UK

Triple rainbows exist, photo evidence shows

Researchers report on changes in Arctic sea ice after return of research vessel Polarstern. Meanwhile researchers think they've found why climate models underestimate Arctic sea ice retreat.

Small NZ glaciers face uncertain future

3-D look at Phillipe provided clues of transition into a hurricane

South California's tectonic plates revealed in detail

First comet found with ocean-like water

What lessons from history's climate shifts? None really: apples and pears were not the same 500 years ago.

And finally, creationists can stop worrying about having monkeys for ancestors. Because it now turns out that humans are just modified fish.

5th October - Today's News: Yet Again, No Hurricane On The Way!

2011-10-05T10:12:00.005+01:00

2011 has been the year the weather went wonky (so stand by for snow in days) - or at least, expect a dusting of snow if you're on the Ben tomorrow (as forecast last Thursday). But there isn't a new hurricane to hit Britain - just a bit of normal autumn wind and rain (the Express have rather excelled themselves in their efforts to produce the most misleading, inaccurate piece of scaremongery of the year - maybe they want to be the new Weekly World News or Daily Sport? Expect them to annouce fresh evidence there was never a WWII bomber on the Moon, any day soon ... ).

Whether the wind and rain in Scotland is the severe storm that Piers Corbyn forecast for last weekend is a moot point. He too has been working overtime - in trying to find some means of arguing through interdimensional illogicality that his forecast was correct even though it couldn't have been more wrong if he's predicted torrential frog falls in Wales, a swarm of F5 tornadoes in the Wash and a meter of snow in London. All at midday on the 1st October. If I find time, I may do a full assessment of this "forecast" later.

huge waves tracked off Lewis by Lews Castle College UHI - but they are were not abnormal, and now the equpiment is in place and shown to work it'll be interesting to see what heights are recorded when we get a real storm.

And although winter is NOT expected to arrive early, Scotland gears up to face another tough winter.

Meanwhile the Met office have now issued a summary of the warm autumn weather 2011.

Thailand floods: more than 200 die, temples threatened

South Pacific water shortage hits Tokelau (and I'm predicting problems in parts of England next year if we don;t have a very wet winter - only 60% of normal rainfall here this year and October is already shaping up to be another very dry month)

Tropical storm brings downpours to southern China, raises disaster fears

Chaos on the Interstate as dust storm blinds Arizona drivers

No longer disruption air traffic and largely forgotten by most, Puyehue volcano ash still clouds life in Argentina

Ice Age carbon mystery: rising carbon dioxide levels not tied to Pacific Ocean, as had been suspected

Construction drives China's CO2 emissions - so who want to suggest a curb on building?

Europe to lead daring Sun mission

3rd October - Today's News: England & Wales Record Hghest Ever October Temperatures

2011-10-03T09:36:00.003+01:00

A scorcher of a weekend with both Saturday and Sunday's date records smashed. Here in Evesham it reached 29.0c on Saturday to make it the 2nd warmest day of the year whilst last night was the warmest of the year, dropping only to 17.3c - which would be warm were it the maximum.

Nationally, the record UK temperature for October set at 29.9c - recorded on Saturday at Gravesend. But apparently north braced for Hurricane Ophelia as south basks in record-breaking heat. Er, no. Ophelia will entirely dissipate in the Atlantic, though a depression is expected to intensify to the north of Scotland bringing wet and windy conditions later this week.

Heavy rain triggers deadly Algeria floods

Tuvalu declares emergency over water shortage

Floods slowly reced in typhoon-battered Philippines as locals ask for boats, food

In South Africa, tornado flattens Free State homes

In NZ, weather experts argue over forecast, rain radar

And in Australia, ski season closes after lack-lustre winter

Arctic ozone loss at record level

1st October - Today's News: Typhoon Nalgae Slams into Philippines

2011-10-01T09:36:00.005+01:00

Second typhoon slams Philippines whilst in Vietnam, Typhoon Nesat wreaks havoc in coastal areas. But in Macau they're confidently predicting no more typhoons this year.

In the Atlantic, Hurricane Ophelia grows to category 3 but looks unlikely to threaten America.

Another record warm day in England yesterday as September ended opn 29.2c whilst in my garden it hit 28.9c making the 2nd warmest day of the year. A lot of manmade cloud today as aircraft fly through very humid air ahead of the front now stretched over Ireland and Scotland, so not expecting it to end quite so warm, though further east there's still a slim chance the October record could be beaten as October's weather predicted to break temperature record.

The Daily Mail has some nice pictures - and when you've finished oggling the girls in skimpy bikinis, there's also a interesting piece on how Victorians enjoyed the great autumn heatwave of 1895

Autumn heatwave could help lower grey seal mortality rate whilst alsoo, the heatwave heralds vintage year for English wine (as an aside, one of the very best white wines I have ever drunk came from the Nutbourne Vineyard in Sussex - very much recommended)

Flood death toll in Cambodia rises to 148

Climate fix technical text put on hold - not everyone is keen to see even small scale testing of geoengineering ideas.

Now this isn't quite what it first seem, deforestation may boost rainfall on West African cropland - but only where the crops are grown in cleared land that is still surrounded by rain forest. It doesn't mean you can burn it all down! But it could pave the way for more sustainable food production. Perhaps.

Despite a cool summer, Alpine glacier melt continues - with 86 out of 95 monitored glaciers in Switzerland having retreated in the past year, one by 196m. Though 3 have grown. And over the course of this summer, Canadian Arctic nearly loses entire ice shelf.

30th September - Today's News: Britain Basks in Record Autumn Warmth

2011-09-30T10:36:00.005+01:00

One of the warmest days of the year in much of Britain yesterday - indeed I suspect some places may have recorded their highest temperature of 2011. In my garden it reached 28.4c making it my 3rd warmest day. The official maximum of 28.8c at Kew Gardens was the highest ever recorded on this date in Britain. RAF Finningley (now the Robin Hood airport) near Doncaster reported 29c but this was a rounded up figure. News reports telling of records smashed in weather heatwave are therefore not entirely accurate. It's also been unusually cloud free.

But despite the heat, winter is on its way. So Plymouth city council gritters on standby whilst Heathrow airport triples snow clearance fleet. And in London, rail commuters warmed of major cold weather travel disruption*. Somehow, you just know that it's going to be a largely snow-free winter ......

* Bob the anti-Crow's comments at the end of that piece are, of course, as useless as everything else he utters. He'd be quite funny if it wasn't for the fact that some idiots actually take him seriously!

Jersey desalination plant 'may be needed' in dry spell - and here in Evesham we've had our 9th dry month of the year with once again only around 60% of normal rainfall.

Asia reels under floods as Vietnam braces for tropical storm, Philippines awaits typhoon

Ophelia prompts storm watch in Bermuda - only the 4th storm to reach hurricane status this year though.

Grim predictions say 9 more years of Texas drought possible

Brazil judge halts work on Belo Monte Amazon dam. Again.

Climate change 'could hit Canada GDP'

Volcano threat sparks evacuation in Canaries

NASA space telescope finds fewer asteroids near Earth

Orbital observations of Mercury reveal floods lavas, hollows and unprecedented surface detail

28th September - Today's News: At Least 18 Dead as Typhoon Nesat Leaves Philippines

2011-09-28T09:50:00.003+01:00

Typhoon Nesat leaves 18 dead in Philippines

Down under, what happened to Spring? Brace yourself for wild weather whilst parts have seen the most rain since summer floods last year and storms force Melbourne flight suspensions.

Put autumn on hold - summer's finally set to arrive says the Independent in a surprisingly accurate write-up. They even manage to point out that this is not an Indian Summer!

Norwegian envoy tells sorry tale of flood-hit Sindh

Musical weather shows climate influence

A good piece here from Ed Douglas on how climbers have a key role to play in highlighting global warming - or, at least, the extent to which glaciers are retreating in some parts of the world.

Did Iceland's Katla volcano erupt under the ice this summer?

Scientist have discovered that Venus weather not boring after all - though no indication on how accurate the Venusian Met Office are with their forecasts.

Wind farm noise respite call in Welsh assembly petition - no worries, it it gets really hot or cold the turbines stop working anway!

27th September - Today's News: Floods as Typhoon Nesat Hits Philippines

2011-09-27T09:39:00.002+01:00

Powerful Typhoon Nesat hits Philippines

Utterly failing to see the irony, after last week's snow headlines, the Express tell us it's glorious ... hottest autumn in 25 years (and what they mean by that is that we could see the highest October temperatures in 25 years at the weekend - Britain's warmest autumn on record was 2006, which was also Europe's warmest in 500 years)

Rain hits relief operations in quake-affected Sikkim

In S Carolina at the weekend a near-record deluge floods basements, damage cars

Ice age blankets Raglan, NSW

Radical measures mooted as climate insurance

A MODRIS image of contrails and smoke over central Canada

In the Canaries, the island of El Hierro prepares for volcanic eruption

Salty water and gas tucked into Earth's interior helps unravel planetary evolution

And I think we already knew this? Climatic fluctuations drove key events in human evolution. If it wasn't for climate change, we might never have left the trees! And more recently, Asia was settled in multiple waves of migration, DNA study find. Something else I always thought was the case (and believe the same for the Americas)

26th September - Today's News: Indian Flood Situations Worsens

2011-09-26T10:01:00.003+01:00

India floods situation worsens in Orissa and Bihar whilst a downpour wreaks havoc in eastern UP

Flood concerns ease after heavy rains hit B.C. coast

Tropical depression worsens flooding in Vietnam

Evacuations as typhoon nears Philippines

Everest's ice is retreating as climate change grips the Himalaya (I've dropped the 's' from the headline as to my knowledge there is only one Himalaya)

Nitrate levels rising in northwestern Pacific

Yes It Wll Be Warm; No It Will NOT Be An Indian Summer!

2011-09-24T09:47:00.004+01:00

Well, well. Having told us a few days ago to expect snow in October, the same media outlets are now headlining the fact that we're actually in for a spell of warm, sunny weather .... Though they can't even get this right, trumpeting on about the highest autumn temperatures for 25 years. I'm sure 2006 (when 28.8c was recorded on the 21st September) wasn't THAT long ago? Of course, they're also insisting that its an indian summer on its way - which obviously it can't be since even the Scottish Highlands have barely seen a frost yet this autumn. But that's the media for you. Makes you wonder just how reliable their stories on other subjects are, doesn't it?

23rd September - Today's News: Faster Than the Speed of Light?

2011-09-23T10:01:00.004+01:00

A slightly off topic headline today as speed-of-light experiments give baffling result at Cern

16 feared dead from typhoon in Japan, but fortunately it appears the only damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant was a broken security camera

In the east Pacific, Hilary strengthens into category 4 hurricane off Mexico's coast

Scientists probe Indian Ocean for clues to worldwide weather patterns whilst new research shows that El Nino and the tropical Eastern Pacific annual cycle run to the same beat.

And after recent Arctic ice melt has been much greater than models were predicting, a new model provides successful seasonal forecast for fate of Arctic sea ice

Melting ice ends species solitude for Canadian whales

There's been a steep increase in global CO2 emissions despite reductions by industrialised nations with binding Kyot0 targets - which surprises me as much as hearing that the sun rose in the east this morning.

Whisper it quietly, lest the global coolers hear, but extreme summertime temperatures to become a regular occurence, researcher predicts

It's 'not so grim up north' for birds

Will a vast gas field turn Blackpool into Dallas of the North? Or will tapping into this precious resource cause earthquakes and poison the water in your tap? Or even both?

Offshore wind will lead to 'advancing army of pylons' - this is one problem with wind, you need lots if famrs to produce the same power as one conventional power station, and therefore lots more pylons to carry the generated electricity to the grid ...

And watch out this evening as NASA refines satellite crash time. But, can you dodge a falling satellite? And there's another bigger one due to crash to earth in November......

21st September - Today's News: Typhoon Roke Hits Japan

2011-09-21T09:46:00.002+01:00

Four dead as Typhoon Roke makes landfall in Japan - they're having a bad time of it this year.

In China, floods claim 57 lives as rain wreaks havoc with more rain forecast for flood-hit SW

Switzerland sees record September snowfall

In the US, deadly spate of tornadoes sends sales of storm shelters through the roof

And in Indonesia, farmers flee as world's deadliest volcano rumbles

Guatemala hit by four earthquakes

Lloyds of London hit by record claims for natural disasters

Traffic fumes can trigger heart attacks say researchers

NASA's WISE raises doubt about asteroid family beleived responsible for dinosaur extinction

Controversy as Times Atlas publishers apologise for 'incorrect' Greenland ice statement

And even bigger controversy after yesterday's headlines warning that Britain faces an early big freeze - Piers Corbyn hits back saying "it's baseless hype from a gaggle of wannabees" . Meanwhile, as the 'wanabees' warn of snow and PC says October will be wet and windy, the rest of us quietly note that current model output indicates that for much of the country there looks like being a warm, dry and sunny end to September continuing into the first week of October ..... Indeed the first decent spell of high pressure dominated weather since early spring! Time will till, but whilst they can't all be right, they can all be wrong!

19th September - Today's News: Earthquakes Hits Himalayan Villages

2011-09-19T09:28:00.004+01:00

Rescuers race to reach Himalayan quake villages as landslides and rain hamper search for survivors

Meanwhile, over 340 dead, 6 million affected by floods in Sindh while in Thailand, flood death toll 112 - both events, albeit not unusual for the regions during the Monsoon, largely overlooked by western media.

Nice pictures, but a ridiculous, misleading headline from the Daily Mail: Stock up on hats and scarves: Autumn draws in as forecasters warn of unsettled weather ahead - in fact, as the story itself relates, temperatures are expected to be close to average. And the longer term outlook is currently for some fine settled weather to set in for the end of the month and early October, actually offering the prospect of an 'Indian summer'

Drought remains in parts of Britain - thought bizarrely the article mentions a 'wet summer' yet most of Central England - the areas affected by drought - experienced well below average rainfall. As shown in the MetO anomaly map. The Daily Mail goes further, claiming it was a washout summer, but swathes of Britain are STILL officially in drought! Though they do then make nonsense of their headline by quoting the Met Office "over the summer the rainfall in parts of East Anglia and Central England was below average". So, er, not a washout then ....

Deep oceans can mask global warming for decade-long periods - of course, I've seen some argue that recent warming is down to the oceans releasing heat they absorbed hundreds of years ago ..... can't both be right! And then there are those who claim the oceans are indeed warming, but only because of increased volcanic activity - their rationale being that if we only discover a volcano today then it didn't exist before .....

European fish stocks changing with warming seas

And scientists demand tougher guidelines on teaching creationism in schools - I personally have no problem with it being used in relgious studies or indeed in history classes as an example of primitive belief systems. Learning how and why such beliefs were developed is a useful exercise. As is the way fossils led to the invention of monsters and global floods. But if the Biblical creation myth is presented as a valid possibility of what happened, then all other creation myths from all other cultures must equally be presented as being equally valid. And that kills that one!

17th September - Today's News: Welcome Rain Reaches Texas

2011-09-17T09:50:00.003+01:00

Texas rain: 'like manna from heaven' - it rained quite heavy here in Evesham this morning as well. Quite strange ....

Hurricane Maria hits Newfoundland with a whimper

In the US, Fall happens every year but still gets people talking - though other there most folk consider summer to end (as I do) with the autumn equinox. So it's still summer.

Cold summer blamed for low Big Butterfly Count numbers. Not been cold here, just hasn't been hot.

Landslide in western Nepal kills 7

Channel 4 appoints its first weather presenter - time will tell whether he actually gets allowed to give us a decent forecast or not.

UK 'set to miss' climate targets - though how you can make such things legally binding when everyone in the country is responsible in varying ways, beats me. Just one of the daft, daft, ideas that make a mockery of the climate debate and fuel scepticism. And even if wecut emissions to zero, so what? If as a consequence we've encouraged the buring of more rainforests in the process. And that, of course, is where we should be starting!

And a story which we will be following closely, given it's enormous ramifications, scientists in dock over L'Aquilla earthquake - can you be cahrged with manslughter is you fail to predict a natural disaster? And will weather forecasters be next?

16th September - Today's News: Warning as Hurricane Maria Appoaches Newfoundland

2011-09-16T09:41:00.005+01:00

Hurricane Maria bears down on Newfoundland

Across the Atlantic region as a whole, storm numbers somewhat deceiving - despite 14 named storms, only Irene has been significant hurricane.

I never realised this until I read it in the local paper, as it occurred the other end of the high street, but on Monday tree falls in Evesham due to high winds. Shame, as I'd have liked to have photographed it. And it looks like damage from Hurricane Katia will cost UK £100m after hig winds battered Britain.

The latest news on his year Arctic ice is that minimum cover was reached on the 9th and, accoridng to current NSIDC data, Arctic ice at 2nd lowest level since 1979 - not quite as low as previous German data suggested.

After they had such a dry spring and early summer, in East Anglia, sugar beet production starts early due to wet weather. Though reading the story it's more a case that recent, normal, rain has enabled them to start early in order to avoid the problems of frozen ground they experienced last winter. Not quite what the headline implies. Meanwhile, here it's still effectively a drought with September now looking almost certain to be the 9th month this year with below average rainfall.

Texas city makes heat record - 100 days of 100s

In India, rain fury on monsoon's last lap whilst in the Pakistan floods: two million hit bu disease in Sindh.

Also, monsoon floods kill 98 in Thailand, cause widespread damage

Well here's a surprise (not!): deforestation making Somalia famine worse, foresty expert says.

There are supposed to be high hopes for Norfolk's artificial volcano in fight against climate change - whereas I hope the experiment fails and puts an end to the nonsense. The law of unforeseen consequences will only come back to haunt us. You're doing something that causes problems, stop doing it - don't just do something else to hide it up!

And yet another reason to stop deforestation: Water evpourated from trees cool global climate

Two suns in the sunset? NASA's Kepler telescope finds planet orbiting two suns - the first to be found in a binary star system.

And a highly ironic story here as bully-boy Donald Trump vows global legal fight to halt wind farm which he says will adversely impact on his much hated super golf complex for the mega-rich ...... For once I'm on the wind farmers side! But I better money talks loudest again.

13th September - Today's News: Driver Dies As Ex-Katia Batters Britain

2011-09-13T11:00:00.000+01:00

Strong winds were perhaps more widespread across Britain yesterday (my wheely bin blew over!) but didn't affect the Highlands so much as expected, indeed as the 'eye' of the depression formed from the remnants of Katia crossed NW Scotland they had it relatively calm. Nonetheless, as storm from Hurricane Katia hits Scotland there was disruption and damage elsewhere. Hurricane Katia and full Moon combine to create giant waves* Sadly a driver killed as tree falls on to car in County Durham and this morning, Northern Ireland still being hit by Hurricane Katia whilst coastline remains on flood alert as Wales hit by 82mph winds. Needless to say we had hardly any rain in Evesham from this system and September is so far shaping up to be another very dry month with less than half the average rainfall so far.

* Jonathan Powell doesn't know what he's talking about when he says this is the worst storm to hit our shores since Lili in 1996! We get worst storms nearly every winter. Though it has been one of the stongest September storms for a long time and it's certainly the worst since, er, the 23rd May 2011.

As the Monsoon continues, floods cripple Pakistan's biggest city Karachi

Forecasters warn there's a stormy season ahead for Queensland

Fading fog? California's nurturing mists may vanish

Can scientists look at next year's climate?

Astronomers find 50 new ex0-planets - including 16 new 'super-earths'

12th September - Today's News: Arctic Sea Ice at Historic Low?

2011-09-12T09:49:00.002+01:00

It looks like Arctic ice cover hits historic low - although it may be a few days before the data is confirmed.

Rather windy here this morning - and strange with it being so warm as well. No doubt be a fair few reports of damage from ex-Katia in tomorrow's post.

On a hot streak: Seattle breaks weather record for the most consecutive Sepetember days of 80f+

Storm Nate weakens, oil contractors found in Mexico

Tornado hits Auckland

Monsoon floods bring chaos to India and Pakistan

Brazil hit by severe flooding

NASA launches mission to study Moon from crust to core

And the latest in the ever yo-yoing sea level saga: a new method of dating corals suggests sea levels much less stable than earlier believed