Cold and bright here but no frost. Looking at the weather map it is possible tht we could get snow next week. High pressure oover Shetland will bring down the cold air, then low pressure systems out in the Atlantic could bring the moisture. About a 20% chance but we will know more by Sunday.
WEATHER -WORLD
USA is experiencing extremes of weather at the same time. The South-east has hot weather with temperatures around 32C; meanwhile the Dakota’s are experiencing -50C. Blizzards are affecting much of the country with Los Angeles issuing an alert as they may get 2m of snow.
Australia has had relatively wet weather which has encouraged plant growth. So far so good, but whenthe next dry period comes there will be more than twice as much vegetation to burn in wildfires. Whether this is exacerbated by the reduction in numbers of wild herbivores I do not know. Certainly houses have been built in areas where the natural periodic fires take place.
New Zealand is still recovering from the floods caused by a hurricane which destroyed homes, roads and rail lines besides deaths.
Flooding in São Paulo state, Brazil has left 48 dead after 600mm of rain fell.
The UK faces another month of high pressure with cloudy damp and cold weather. Not good for solar or wind, although yesterday wind and solar outstripped gas with none from coal. Readings from the BT Tower show that pollution has dropped markedly since the. introduction of the ULEZ seems to be working – next up will be building emissions.
APPLE TREE
I have taken out the main branches in the middle and will cut the long thin ones rising to the stars later. I also need to cut back the bush near to it. I do not kniw how that will affect the harvest though – we will see. I may get another apricot tree to replace the one which has died (now a bird feeder support).
The greenhouse needs final clearing and cleaning so I can start planting in March.
I also need a haircut but that will have to wait until it has warmed up! Very cold this morning, fingers were numb and then tingling as they warmed up. I might have to reorder some mints that have not made it through the winter, and possibly lemon verbena?
EL NINO
The return of El Niño later this year could mean even greater climate anomalies scientists have warned. The hottest year ever recorded was 2016 – the last El Niño year.
What is means is that the likelihood of the following is exacerbated :- Flooding in the Yangtze River basin,; hotter and drier in areas abutting the Western Pacific; floods in Peru; suppressed monsoons in `India and drought in Southern Africa whilst East Africa and southern USA can get more rain. The Amazon could face drier conditions. For the UK it could mean that 2023-24 is a much colder winter, it is unlikely to have developed before the autumn at the earliest. The Met Office have predicted this summer to be hotter than the last in the UK.
RAIN
We have now had about 24 hours of what I call spoke rain. Everywhere is sodden and dark. Next week looks brighter but colder. Followed by usual winter weather of cold spells followed by wet ones!
CLIMATE
Climate change seems to be increasingly serious, it has been irrefutable since I started teaching in 1976. Deaths by climate are increasing. Records broken across the world. And Sunak takes a jet to Leeds. I will not waste my breathe on climate deniers ignorance.
The time for individual action will never disappear, but now is the time for governments and industry to act. And fast. This government is already way behind in advancing wind and solar and insulation. Why?
It is mot easy or cheap[, but the alternative is so much worse.
WEATHER -South West
Forecast for next month is more of the same with possibility of dry interludes (and colder). Flooding would seem highly probable in areas like the levels which already have a severe flood risk warning. Predictions months ago were for this weather system. It should keep energy use down. Those living by the coast the highest spring tides are due on21/1; 22/2; 23/3 and 21/4 in the next 4 months. Should high rainfall and high spring tides coincide it could lead to some major problems.
WEATHER -JANUARY 7TH
What a shitty day. Not cold, cold but windy wet and grey and feels cold! We have had a lot of rain this year! This looks to be the pattern for the next few weeks with just a few dry days. A major storm in the few weeks would cause a lot of flooding.
WARM WEATHER
Record temperatures across Europe with several countries recording the warmest January temperatures ever. Ski resorts lacking snow and temperatures above 20C in Switzerland. When will the climate deniers give up? And more importantly when will the politicians act?
With gas prices falling there is less urgency to replace fossil fuels from the poverty aspect, however the severe changes in weather patterns in the last couple of months (North America’s record low temps.) should not be ignored.
CHRISTMAS DAY 2022
Warm and wet – well 10C. North America suffering from record cold temperatures. I think I have got the analysis correct. Cold air has been brought south throughout the centre of the continent by the jet stream shifting south to the Gulf of Mexico. This is bringing very cold conditions to the Prairie states, although Manitoba has yet to declare a weather warning as -40F temps are not that unusual!! There is also low pressure system over the NE of the continent which is also bringing cold air from the Arctic, but also moisture and high winds – snow, blizzards and freezing rain and icy conditions. Low pressure in the Pacific Region is also bringing snow to Vancouver and British Columbia. Just as temps fell quickly they may do the opposite over the next few days. The following article from Bloomberg, whilst being full of hyperbole, suggests that climate change is responsible for the erratic changes in the jet stream.