I just posted in another forum that we are not the only ones experiencing this warmth - all of the major European cities reporting temperatures into low to mid teens (Paris, Berlin, London and Amsterdam) etc. Also look across to the eastern seaboard in N. America -Washington DC could break all time records for high temperatures: with tomorrow 2nd January forecast to reach a balmy +19 or 20c - pushing 68 - 70'F:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/washington/20006/daily-weather-forecast/327659?day=2 

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This from Dave B in the Media thread -

 

A short article about increased frequency of lightning in the high arctic https://www.theguardian....-rise-scientists-worried

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For information only............

This is interesting, especially in the suspected relationship between lightning, cosmic rays and climate.

see -https://www.nature.com/articles/132712c0 

Abstract

IN order to explain the curious behaviour of lightning flashes the possibility should be kept in mind of a connexion between a lightning discharge and the cosmic rays. When penetrating particles from cosmic rays move through the atmosphere—in this case through electrically loaded clouds—they are ionising the air, making conducting paths for the lightning. The twisted or irregular shapes of lightning flashes may find a natural explanation, if we think of a discharge path following the variable network of ion-tracks, such as are assumed to be present in the air at any moment, caused by nuclear disintegration of atoms and other processes in conjunction with the cosmic rays, causing emission of protons, neutrons and negative or positive electrons.

 

see also - 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10712-018-9469-z 

Abstract

The entirety of the Earth’s climate system is continuously bombarded by cosmic rays and exhibits about 2000 thunderstorms active at any time of the day all over the globe. Any linkage among these vast systems should have global consequences. Numerous studies done in the past deal with partial links between some selected aspects of this grand linkage. Results of these studies vary from weakly to strongly significant and are not yet complete enough to justify the physical mechanism proposed to explain such links. This review is aimed at presenting the current understanding, based on the past studies on the link between cosmic ray, lightning and climate. The deficiencies in some proposed links are pointed out. Impacts of cosmic rays on engineering systems and the possible effects of cosmic rays on human health are also briefly discussed. Also enumerated are some problems for future work which may help in developing the grand linkage among these three vast systems.

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In India, lightning strikes this year have increased by 35% and in some states 100%.

Pakistan too?

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Talking of Pakistan, I see frrom the BBC website that mountainous regions in the north of the country have had exceptionally heavy snow in recent days, which has led to some deaths.

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Deaths amongst motorists trying to get to a hill top village exceeds 23 - according to reports

 

see - Pakistan snow deaths

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And I read some fatalities were people running vehicle engines to keep warm in the falling snow. A lesson if you are stuck,  make sure the exhaust pipe is clear of snow. My Dad sometimes mentioned this tip. From the time some people in a car died in '63 in Dorset and got asphyxiated I think.

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See this report of rare and superb iridescent clouds

here -

Rare and superb iridescent clouds

 

Edit: There are a few other weather rarities on offer here too.

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I thought there might have been a comment or two about the photo of the superb iridescent clouds?

They were the best I've seen by far.

 

 

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From a Tweet:

The city of Bahia Blanca recorded a minimum of 29.2C (by far the highest on records) and a maximum of 43.6C.

Tomorrow the heat will be extreme and historic in Buenos Aires and Uruguay.

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A historic record - on this day in 1362, De Grote Mandrenke, the 'Great Man-drowning', which was a North Sea flood, drowned somewhere between 25,000 and 100,000 people in Holland. It followed on a great windstorm in Britain lasting 2 or 3 days, destroying the spires of Salisbury, Winchester and Norwich cathedrals, and the flood itself washing away the east coast ports of Ravenser Odd (at Spurn Head) and most of Dunwich in Suffolk.

https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/6-of-the-most-catastrophic-weather-events-in-british-history/

By a curious coincidence, on the same day, St Marcellus' day, in 1219 there was an equally disastrous flood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_tides_of_the_North_Sea

 

 

 

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Not sure how unusual this is for January but I think last night Lapland and Ayia Napa were pretty much the same temperature at one stage

 

Quote:

Snowstorm brings much of Turkey and Greece to a halt

The extreme weather caused major disruption to the Greek captial Athens, and forced the closure of Istanbul airport. It is the second year in a row of unusually heavy snowfall.

Large parts of Greece and Turkey were covered in a blanket of snow Monday.

It is an unusual occurrence for the southern Mediterranean countries, but the second time that it has happened in two years.

The rare snowstorm — called "Elpida" or "Hope" in Greek — brought the Greek capital Athens to a standstill.

Overnight temperatures fell to -14 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Schools and vaccination centers were forced to close.

Snow also brought down the roof of one of the buildings at Istanbul's major air traffic hub, grounding flights to and from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The Greek government declared a holiday for parts of the country, including the capital, to keep people from going outside.

"We ask citizens to avoid leaving their homes. It will be a difficult night," Climate Change and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides said.

"The height of the snow is unprecedented in some areas," he added.

Hundreds of drivers in the city were stuck in their cars for hours with rescue workers braving the cold to free the stranded motorists.

 

and later....

Extreme weather in the southern Mediterranean

Neighboring Albania also closed all elementary and high schools for three days due to the freezing temperatures.

Snow fell across Turkey before reaching the northern region of Syria, home to thousands of refugees in makeshift camps, unprepared for the levels of cold the storm brought.

 

see - https://www.dw.com/en/snowstorm-brings-much-of-turkey-and-greece-to-a-halt/a-60542602 

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Amazing footage from Istanbul.

https://www.facebook.com/1377757209114043/posts/3335940729962338/?d=n 

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Thought of sharing this with you! Real weather happening in over the eastern coast of America or Canada - if this weather forecast isn't of interest then what is!?

https://www.accuweather.com/en/videos/rkeKamX9?jwsource=cl

Meanwhile heavy snow will come to an end tonight over Greece/Greek Islands and coastal areas of NW Turkey but rain will turn to snow in Israel - so expect snow in Jerusalem tomorrow night into Thursday. 

Up to 20cms forecast so it seems! WOW!

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-braces-for-heavy-snow-strong-winds-as-winter-storm-blows-in/

How ironic when we South of UK are going to see a high of +13 or +14c in London on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. 

 

 

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Numerous Argentinian stations broke their all-time hottest temperature on record on January 11, 13, and 14, 2022. As of January 14, the hottest temperature in Argentina reported during this week's heat wave by the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional was 45 degrees Celsius (113°F) at Rivadavia on January 12

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/01/australia-ties-southern-hemispheres-all-time-heat-record-of-123f-epic-heat-cooks-argentina/

 

 

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Possibly Miami could be colder than London on Saturday...One to watch!

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This from Accuweather - 

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1486030603711561730/Imzb6ywk?format=jpg&name=small 

A lake in New Hampshire - never seen the like of this before.

Quote:

He said on Facebook, "I knew we were skating on something crazy that morning. I was thinking to myself, 'Why is the ice striped?' At that moment, I realized the drone was hanging out in the car so I skated back to get it. When I sent it up I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’ll always be thankful I had my drone that day even though it annoyed my buddies when I launched it. Of course later that night they all were like 'dude can you send me those pics?'"

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, an environmental physiologist at the University of Manitoba affectionately known as "Professor Popsicle" previously spoke with AccuWeather about how to endure cold weather.  Giesbrecht knows the reason for the rings, and says on his website that the weight of snow on ice can cause an initial crack that then radiates outward.

"The rings probably form one at a time … they appear to be a result of water flowing up through the most recently formed ring crack, and radially outward until the weight of the snow breaks the black ice layer. By then there enough weight has built up to crack the ice at the edge of the newly saturated ring. The new crack allows the water to flow up and repeat the process," Dr. Giesbrecht wrote.

Ramsdell told AccuWeather via Facebook Messenger: "I'll never see anything like that again in my life -- that’s for sure. I’ve never met anyone who has. It was only like this for a day. Next day snow ruined it. Lucky I had my drone!"

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What an interesting weather forecast for the USA - I love how the presenter compares it with Mac & Cheese - What an interesting, exciting and enthusiastic forecast with passion and good energy compared to our forecasts/ers.



Why aren't UK weather forecasters presenting the weather this enthusiastic and passionate or exciting!?

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I think the climate here is very boring nowadays compare to the 80's I remember they get excited to forecast snow and heatwaves.   We had more variety of weather that time.

Good old Dan Corbett - Makes the weather so interesting as ever - I admire how enthusiastic he is, especially how he explains in detail everything and then describes the Polar vortex describing it as he quotes "It was once a big solid thing but nower days it's looking like a nibbled piece of Swiss cheese because you have got less sea ice in places and notice N Atlantic you see surges of warmer air coming into Siberia and with lumps of blue crossing the Arctic in what is called cross polar flow it looks ragged and if anything more moth eaten:

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Back to the Nor Easter, this looks like a fantastic enthusiastic forecast AccuWeather presenter for Eyewitness news - Looks like some places (east of long Island) could easily get 2ft of powdery snow:
It's so informative as well - pause this video at 03:10 he says/shows in the AccuWeather "FLUFF FACTOR":

WETTER SNOW 32'F - 1" inch of liquid produces 10" of snow
DRIER SNOW 19'F - 1" inch of liquid produces 15" of snow

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Beijing Olympics the first to use entirely artificial snow

https://news.sky.com/story/climate-change-future-of-winter-olympics-and-snow-sports-on-thin-ice-report-warns-12525693#:~:text=The%20Beijing%20Olympics%2C%20which%20start,to%20cover%20the%20ski%20slopes.

and from the article 

Of the 21 venues used for the Winter Games since the French resort of Chamonix hosted the first in 1924, researchers estimate that, by 2050, only 10 will have the "climate suitability" and natural snowfall levels to host an event.

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Whilst the UK as ever misses out on the cold and snow/ or anything noteworthy to discuss- The cold air goes back to E and SE Europe and cold air continues into Scandinavia and this is after those area's have just had snow - Greece and Turkey, Cyprus and Israel (Jerusalem) etc to name a few.

Cold air is well and truly locked into the eastern 2/3rds of USA and this could perhaps be one of the coldest & snowiest spell eastern states has had in many years with a nor easter on the way with snow forecast as far south as South Carolina, to DC, to Philadelphia, to Baltimore, to NYC to Long island to Rhode Island to Boston, MA New Hampshire and then Maine - What is this some 1000 miles of snow and powdery snow and some 12" of it or more falling in very densely populated areas? Well I never!? Just to put this into perspective - that's like an area of snow covering Madrid to London or London to Rome! Think about that!

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It does make me think that the less extreme the weather, the more the population are interested in it! Just imagine if all of the forum members were living in the eastern US! This forum would be brimming with excitement. Or would it, if they get regular snowstorms every year? But I realise that this is a bit of a beast even by their standards. 

Over here we get excited at the prospect (or even the small possibility) of a couple of inches of snow in the winter, a few claps of thunder or temperatures above 25C in the summer!

 

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Yes, all eyes on the American east coast.



I'm seeing the term 'historic' being used a lot regarding this storm. Don't know about that, but some big weather for that part of the world regardless.

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