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Today’s Weather Headlines
New Zealand Latest
Swarm of Strong Earthquakes Once Again Rattle Christchurch, New Zealand
LATEST FROM NZHERALD
Christchurch earthquake: ‘Oh, here we go again’
NZHERALD
Terrible Christmas shock for Christchurch
NZHERALD
Christchurch population faces decimation as quakes drag on
NZHERALD
US Latest
Turning Downright Balmy Across N. Plains, Colder over Northeast This Christmas
Minneapolis, MN faces only it’s 8th ‘brown Christmas’ since 1967
Northeast Belated Christmas Gift from Old Man Winter
ACCUWEATHER.COM
Christmas Eve Cold Follows Exiting Northeast Storm
ACCUWEATHER.COM
Cold Start Across West and N. Plains This Morning
El Paso, Texas On Track For First White Christmas Since 1987
Snowfall expected to continue until midnight
EL PASO TIMES
El Paso Has Tied Chicago’s Seasonal Snow So Far
ACCUWEATHER.COM
No White Christmas for places that should!
Latest Outlook for a White Christmas This Year
ACCUWEATHER.COM
One Year Ago… The Boxing Day Blizzard
JESSE FERRELL’S BLOG, ACCUWEATHER.COM
Canada Latest
Pre-Christmas snowstorm sweeps Atlantic Canada
THE WEATHER NETWORK
Elevated avalanche risk in British Columbia
THE WEATHER NETWORK
Europe Latest
Statospheric Warming Shifts Cold Core from Siberia to North Greenland Next Week, Signs of Change?
Complete Lack of High Latitude Blocking Continues to Raise Error Levels in Winter Forecast
Just to be good and clear so no accusations can get thrown at me. Yes, from Dec 15 till now, my winter forecast has been incorrect as I anticipated a building ridge over Greenland and this has still to happen and until it does, then my forecast is out!
However, coming up Christmas Day, I shall release my 3rd annual JANUARY FORECAST which will include February and March. I still anticipate that essential blocking high to develop and there are small indications showing up of large scale changes down the road which would support my ideas since summer that SEVERE COLD AND SNOW will impact a large part of Europe with focus in west. I must stress that I didn’t anticipate the WORST OF WINTER UNTIL AFTER NEW YEAR and so my anticipated -20C lows etc etc wouldn’t have occured yet anyway. I mention that because I’ve been accused of getting this element wrong!
I must state clearly that yes I still believe in the extreme lows forecasted way back in summer can still happen albeit a little later into the season than first thought.
I will take the blame when justified but I won’t accept blame for an incorrect forecast for periods of time which remain in the future.
Snow news – Skiing Weather
BBC
Africa Latest
23 dead in Tanzania flooding
CNN
THE EXTREMES OF THE DAY
TODAY’S EXTREMES HERE AT MY HOUSE
HIGH: 42
LOW: 36
Thanks for reading.
-Mark
>Hi Mark
I wouldn't be disheartened by the lack of blocking and accusations that you are wrong. I curse the Met Office for their nonsense, not you. The Transport minister here in Scotland is buying into their nonsense, warning of snow on motorway signs when it is unlikely to snow.
It's really unlikely that we could get this extreme blocking again causing a prolonged cold spell in the UK. The last few years have been impressive in the UK 2009, 2010, and 2011 for general cold and snow. I don't expect this winter to produce the same pattern, just more the general low pressure systems giving us the rainy windy pattern, and the odd bit of high pressure bringing clear skies and a frost. These dominant north westerlies have surprised me though, from memory I don't remember seeing this type of prolonged pattern before. It's fair to say that the climate is still "disrupted" from the stuff that we saw late 90s and right way through 2000 to 2008.
I read an interesting paper today suggesting that global cooling shall prevail until 2060. So perhaps colder winters are going to be more likely in the UK. The jury is out on this one.
In terms of cold and snow, this winter has failed us so far in the UK. The odd day of frost, the odd smattering of snow soon to be washed away by lukewarm rains.Maybe January will bring us something more radical, however, I doubt it. As Feb and March approaches, the sun strengthens and the likelyhood of lasting snow abates. Summer is closing in.
Keep up the good work.
Jamie Jones,
Senior Forecaster,
Douglas Weather Forecasting Solutions 4U
Urban, Town of Taiga
>Hi Mark
I am a big fan of your blog and have learnt so much since reading it. I admire your enthusiasm for the weather. It looks like a tough thing to get right all the time!
Happy Christmas Mark and keep up the great work!
>Thanks for the comments Jan and reading my blog and hope you continue to enjoy it! Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year.
>Dear Mark, I'm reading your weather blog everyday. I hoped that your forecast would come true, but as far as I understand, weather forecasting is not so easy as some people think. Sometimes it's reviewing and investigating what happened in comparison what was forecasted, and learn from it. That's how we all progress in life. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to your next forecasts.
Kind regards, Jan from the Netherlands