December 2010: Second coldest since 1659

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Some people probably know I have some issues with the Met Office and their forecasting, especially their tendancy to propulgate the global warming agenda.

However, I have to admit that I have been impressed with the accuracy of their medium-long range forecasts over the last month or so, and it has been a very difficult period to predict for forecasters.

Their credibility has been damaged over recent years for predictions such as 2009/10 being a milder than average winter, and the previous summer ‘a barbeque summer’, fairly at times, unfairly at other times, but I do feel they are making progress towards being credible once again with independent forecasters from the chatter I read online.

One of their forecasters that I do have quite a bit of time for is Paul Hudson, the only one of their forecasters that I have met personally (my claim to fame, go James!), and he is doing quite an interesting blog on the bbc which I receommend to anyone else with a reasonable interest.

His latest post advises that December 2010 was the second coldest since 1659 which may not surprise you given how bloody cold it was!

Quite some achievement, especially given that globally, 2010 as a whole was one of the hottest years ever.

I don’t think January or February will be as cold as December, and will perhaps be very mild some of the time…but yet I expect plenty more snow too.  And maybe, just maybe, we will get an early spring come March…I’m unconvinced but I am favouring this outcome at the moment.

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