2012 - The summer that never was?

[Conifers]

The fens of Norfolk are peat, so there must have been a sustained wet period for that to build up.

That's just because they're at sea level (below sea level now, with shrinkage since artificial drainage started) so the rain that fell in winter stayed put, like a huge reservoir.

We seem to have seen a shift in wind direction over the last few years, with Cornwall getting some serious frosts with slack easterlies in winter. In these situations near the east coast has been milder than the west coast, a reversal of what we would normally expect.

It's always been like that when there's easterlies in winter

[stephenprudence]

Maybe the climate overthere is heading to one with colder snowier winters and wetter cooler summers.

Very interesting...

Alexander

I'm not sure, we have definitely had cooler winters, but it will be interesting to see if Europe continues to get severe cold spells, whilst we escape here, although actually, yes UK could end up with another cold winter, but I think it's evenly balanced between whether UK area or Europe gets the relatively colder weather.

[Nigel]

Last winter with exception of 2 exceptional weeks was one of the mildest on record, so i am not sure its right to say winters are getting colder. I think its more likely related to sun activity which indicates a spell of milder winters until the next solar minimum.

[billdango]

Summer is just across the North sea as its +26c in holland and most of France today?

So near and yet so far.

billdango

Perhaps we should organise a board meetup in say great yarmouth, everything bring a paddle and we'll row the UK a bit closer

Yes, summer is defenitely here at the moment! We had 2 hot days here with 28 at wednesday and 26 C at thursday. Plenty hot sunshine!
And now some good rain. Well that rain will go to your folks in the UK.
And it will be serious rain, maybe 8 to 10 cm of that extra water!

I wander what those Olympic games will be. A kind of swimming event...

Cheers,

Alexander

The last few years proves nothing.

The weather in the UK is always cooler and wetter then the near Continent and the Winters are nearly always milder and wetter as well.

We don't get -20c in the South of Engand in Winter or +40c in summer.

Only in some winters do the temperatures drop to near that in the center or the far north of the UK but not nearly every year like in northern or Eastern Europe.

Here in Southampton the lowest we have ever had in nearly 200 years of recording was one night at -11.3 on 3/3/1923.

And the highest ever was on 28/6/ 1976 at +36c.

So looking at these records I would say that in spite of the odd weather of the last few years this is still a fairly mild Oceanic climate and will remain so for a long time to come.

And I think that the magnificent CIDPs growing in Southsea prove my point?

rgds billdango

[Alexander]

Those Phoenix canariensis_CIDP are certainly prove. That they may spread east as a symbol of warmer climates.

Alexander

[Dave Brown]

The fens of Norfolk are peat, so there must have been a sustained wet period for that to build up.

That's just because they're at sea level (below sea level now, with shrinkage since artificial drainage started) so the rain that fell in winter stayed put, like a huge reservoir.

The information I read was that the peat had built up during a cold period when the low pressures tracked further south, giving a sustained easterly flow. Here, 100 miles south, if the rain comes from the west, we don't get much. The local saying is "Rain from the east, 24 hours at least" and that tends to be true.

We seem to have seen a shift in wind direction over the last few years, with Cornwall getting some serious frosts with slack easterlies in winter. In these situations near the east coast has been milder than the west coast, a reversal of what we would normally expect.

It's always been like that when there's easterlies in winter

The plants used extensively in Cornwall suggest -7C to -9C has not been common, although we get periods of easterlies every year.

A roaring easterly will stop a radiation freeze, a slack easterly just counteracts the coastal sea breezes allowing radiation frost right on the coast. If it had always been like that then Cornwall, would not be able to grow any different to Kent, but it does.... or did.

Another major flaw is they they use ice cores, and tree rings to determine global temperature. If what we are seeing now, happened before, those assumptions made are possibly wrong. We are told the earth is warming, but our bit is cooler. If you just happen to compare a cool bit from some time in the past, to a warmer bit now, you would get very exaggerated temperature rises.

[maritimesbob]

Yikes, the long range outlook and climate models look pretty grim reading for July.

Seriously depressing, I don't think we ever really got out of winter down here. Cloudy most days, wet most days, temps low to mid teens with the occasion treat of 20c. I think our highest temperature so far has been a shoddy 21C and even then it was super windy.

Thankfully our return to the UK was only ever intended to be temporary, and as our kids are not ready for school yet leaving these wet and cold shore is just that bit easier. We have plans to settle in southwest France.

I've given up on the garden this "summer". The only thing that is happy is slugs and fungi. With the lack of sunlight, even greenhouse gardening is suffering.

[Tom2006]

It is looking very bleak. More rain and cooler temps. This week!

As for the global temp. We are still vegry warm despite how it feels at the moment.

[Dave Brown]

As for the global temp. We are still very warm despite how it feels at the moment.

Do you mean in reality is warm, in spite of the temperatures we are recording...... seems like some brain washing has occured

[Tom2006]

As for the global temp. We are still very warm despite how it feels at the moment.

Do you mean in reality is warm, in spite of the temperatures we are recording...... seems like some brain washing has occured

I'm talking about average yearly temperatures Dave. So despite what we are viewing as a terrible summer, the global and UK temperatures are still some of the warmest since records began. No brain washing here Dave!

[Rabbie]

As for the global temp. We are still very warm despite how it feels at the moment.

Do you mean in reality is warm, in spite of the temperatures we are recording...... seems like some brain washing has occured

I'm talking about average yearly temperatures Dave. So despite what we are viewing as a terrible summer, the global and UK temperatures are still some of the warmest since records began. No brain washing here Dave!

Does that average take onto consideration sea temperatures or above sea air temperatures? Two thirds of the world and all that. Continental heat waves will be gone in 14 weeks time, likely replaced with record lows if the sea temperatures are low.

[Tom2006]

I can't see the relatively lower sea temps making any difference....and there is still plenty of time for them to warm up. Don't forget the lag time, as they are often at the warmest around UK shores in Autumn. The Gulf and Jet stream seem to be the two massive impact factors on our weather at the moment, with the jet in chaos in comparison to where it "should normally" be. IF it continues to dive south as it has done all summer, we will be in for a hideous winter, if you don't like lots of cold and snow that it.

[Tom2006]

I can't see the relatively lower sea temps making any difference....and there is still plenty of time for them to warm up. Don't forget the lag time, as they are often at the warmest around UK shores in Autumn. The Gulf and Jet stream seem to be the two massive impact factors on our weather at the moment, with the jet in chaos in comparison to where it "should normally" be. IF it continues to dive south as it has done all summer, we will be in for a hideous winter, if you don't like lots of cold and snow that it.

[Nigel]

As for the global temp. We are still very warm despite how it feels at the moment.

Do you mean in reality is warm, in spite of the temperatures we are recording...... seems like some brain washing has occured

Dave, the sceptic lobby, rather like yourself didnt accept the figures for various reasons, the main one being one you forgot, heat island effect . As a city grows so does the heat island effect so the temp will show a warming trend when the thermometer is cited within a city boundary and the concrete keeps expanding.
The group, largely funded by oil companies set out to discredit the figures , however, they had to admit the figures were actually correct, and the leading scientist who was formerly anti GW had to admit that GW was real. This was last year, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... e-sceptics

[cordyman]

First week forcast in around a month, that isnt black cloud everyday. Dry and warmish, i'll take that please bob