The UK Met Office forecast last Autumn “the coming winter suggests it is, once again, likely to be milder than average.” We have now passed the 2/3 mark of the meteorological winter, and it is time for another report card to send home. Yesterday’s press release was titled “Wintry start to February” which stated “So far, the UK winter has been the coldest for over a decade” and “Met Office forecasters expect the cold theme to the weather to continue well into next week with the chance of further snow.”

The UK is expecting the heaviest snow in about 20 years tomorrow. “Snow and freezing weather threaten to shut down Britain Arctic blizzards are set to cause a national shutdown on Monday as forecasters warn of the most widespread snowfall for almost 20 years.” “Now is the time you'd expect to see the daffodils coming out but we're not expecting them for two or three weeks at best if it warms up.”

So why is this important? Climate is not weather, after all. The Met Office is one of the most vocal advocates of human induced global warming, and they have gotten into a consistent pattern of warm seasonal forecasts which seemingly fall in line with that belief system. Is it possible that their forecasts are unduly influenced by preconceived notions about the climate? It is worth remembering that London had it’s first October snow in 70 years this past autumn.

Or perhaps they know exactly what they are doing, and are just having a several year run of extremely bad luck with their long term forecasting. (See more at icecap.us)

Icecap Note: As of this morning London had 4.7 inches of snow with much more on the way. Up to 10 inches has fallen in parts of the UK. Snow was halting air travel in other European cities such as Paris and Madrid. Recall when it was cold early, the UKMO promised a warm January. When extreme cold and snow fell in January, Britons were reassured the warmth would come in February. Now they are experiencing more arctic cold and what may be an historic snowstorm, a throwback to the days of Dickens in the early 1800s (the Dalton Minimum - hmmm). My grade for both the UKMO and US CPC this winter is an “F”.

(see more at icecap.us)