UK basks in warmest February day on record

[♥ Lily ♥]

UK basks in warmest February day on record

25th February 2019


The sun is out in Folkestone, Kent

The UK is experiencing its warmest February day on record, with the Met Office reporting a temperature of 20.6C (69.08F) at Trawsgoed, Ceredigion.

It is the first time a temperature of over 20C has been recorded in winter.

It breaks the UK's record for February, set when the temperature reached 19.7C in Greenwich in 1998.

A new English record has also been set with temperatures rising to 20.1C in Hampton Water Works, in south-west London.


It is the second day running the Welsh record has been broken.

On Sunday, temperatures reached 19.1C, breaking the record of 18.6C (65.48F) set 29 years ago in the south Wales village of Velindre.

The BBC Weather Centre says Tuesday's weather conditions are likely to be very similar.

It says to expect a largely sunny, but chilly, start with frost in places. The rest of the day will become increasingly warm with lengthy spells of sunshine, threatening February temperature records once again.

The warmest areas are likely to be around the London area and across north and west Wales again.

Why is it so warm?

By Nick Miller, BBC Weather

It's hard to believe that a year ago Britain was about to endure the worst of the so-called Beast from the East, with widespread snow and sub-zero temperatures.

Fast forward 12 months and this record February warmth shows just how varied the UK weather can be.

The reason temperatures have been so high is the direction our air is coming from.

High pressure parked to the south east of the British Isles has been dragging warm air from Africa and the Canary Islands our way.

Temperatures are further boosted by something known as the foehn effect, when air warms as it flows down the lee side of mountains.

All of this combined with the sunshine has produced something quite remarkable for February.

Caroline Lucas, the former leader of the Green Party, suggested the warm weather is linked to climate change.

She said: "I like spending an afternoon in the sunshine as much as anyone, but it's impossible to shake the feeling that this isn't right."

Tom Burke, of the independent climate change think tank E3G, said extreme warm weather events were exactly what climate change experts said would happen if people continued to put carbon into the atmosphere.

He said: "Temperatures are twice what they would normally be at this time of year.

"Imagine if this was the summer and the temperature was twice what it would normally be, and you really begin to get an idea of how serious this problem could be."

Does climate change have a role?

By David Shukman, BBC science editor

With new records for temperature being set, and everyone seemingly dazzled by the unexpected heat, the obvious question is whether climate change has a role?

The usual answer is that no single heatwave, storm or flood can be directly connected to global warming, and that's what the Met Office is saying now.

"We've had the warmest day of winter on record," says spokesman Grahame Madge, "and it does fit a pattern of warming.

"But it would be simplistic to link this to climate change until a study has been carried out."

Previous research has shown how the odds of particular weather events - like last summer's heatwave - have been made more likely because of the increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases heating up the atmosphere.

And the projections for future global warming are clear that the kind of weather that feels strange now will appear normal in the decades ahead, as the underlying global average temperature rises.

Met Office analysis of temperatures shows that British winters have become slightly milder over the past half century, a trend that's set to continue.

Where were the warm weather hot spots?

The record UK temperature for a February day was broken in five different locations on Monday:

• Trawsgoed, Dyfed 20.6C
  
• Northolt, west London 20.4C
  
• Gogerddan, Dyfed 20.1C
  
• Bala, Gwynedd 20.0C
  
• Wisley, Surrey 19.9C

Lewis Parfitt captured this snow covered pond in Christ Church park in Suffolk a year ago


It was a totally different scene at the pond this February


Pauline Daniels took this image during the "Beast from the East" in Suffolk in February 2018


This year Pauline captured clear blue skies and sunshine


Last year, when Renée Lloyd took this image, the streets outside the Jamaican High Commission in London were covered in snow


Renée thinks the Jamaican flag looks better when it's bathed in sunshine against a bright blue sky

Darren Tansley, a mammal ecologist at Essex Wildlife Trust, said the unseasonably warm weather could have a detrimental effect on hibernating species, such as dormice, hedgehogs and bats.

He said: "They could be coming out of hibernation too early, which means they're active at a time when really they should be reserving their body fat to get over the slack food period."

He also said these species could be looking for food that was not abundant at this time of year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47360952

[♥ Lily ♥]

UK beats winter temperature record again

26/02/19


Dorset in February: A surfer gets ready to catch some morning waves at Boscombe beach

The UK has broken the record for its warmest winter day for the second consecutive day, with a temperature of 21.2°C in Kew Gardens, London.

Monday was the first time temperatures of over 20C had been reported in winter, breaking a record that had stood since 1998.

It means parts of Britain have been hotter than destinations such as Ibiza.

Last February, temperatures in the UK plunged as low as -11.7C at South Farnborough, Hampshire.

Temperatures broke the previous day's record of 20.6C in two other places, the Met Office said.

Porthmadog in north-west Wales hit 20.8C while temperatures of 20.7C were reported in Teddington, south-west London.

In Scotland, the temperature reached 18.3C on 21 February in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, breaking a record of 17.9C which had stood for more than 120 years.

In Northern Ireland, temperatures reached 15.6C in Castlederg, County Tyrone. The February record of 17.8C was recorded in 1998.

Meanwhile, firefighters have warned the warm weather could lead to a greater risk of outdoor fires.

The warning, from East Sussex Fire Service, came after two large fires broke out in Ashdown Forest - the East Sussex forest made famous by AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh novels.

'Wetter weather ahead'

The BBC Weather Centre said it was likely to be one of the warmest Februaries since records began in 1878.

Sunny, warm conditions are expected to last into Wednesday, when maximum temperatures at Kew Gardens and Porthmadog are forecast to be slightly cooler at 19C and 17C respectively.

On Thursday, a high pressure system is expected to break down as wetter, windier weather moves in across Wales and into England.



Dr Friedericke Otto, acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University, said people were right to ask themselves whether the record temperatures were being driven by climate change.

"I am very confident to say that there's an element of climate change in these warm temperatures," she said.

"But climate change alone is not causing it. You have to have the right weather systems too."

BBC science editor David Shukman said scientists such as those at the Met Office were usually reluctant to link individual heatwaves, storms or floods directly to climate change without a specific study to prove it.

But he said research had shown that events like last summer's heatwave were made more likely by the rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.


What February looks like in Devon: Soaking up the rays near Woolacombe


Many Londoners headed to parks, like here among the daffodils in St. James's

The unusually high temperatures have prompted hedgehogs to come out of hibernation, butterflies to emerge and migrating birds such as swallows and house martins to arrive more than a month early.

The RSPB said birds, insects and other wildlife could face "a real crisis" if the weather turns colder, as forecasts predict.

Trees such as field maples and European larches have also been budding early, according to the Woodland Trust.


The sea near Dungeness, Kent, sparkled in the sunshine as a sailing boat went by


The scene at Brighton beach on Monday afternoon


Inverleith Park in Edinburgh was bathed in light in the early morning

The warm weather is in stark contrast to February 2018, when the so-called "Beast from the East" brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow, with 21cm recorded at Copley, Durham, on the last day of the month.

Then, high pressure moving north into Scandinavia drew cold air towards the UK from Siberia.

This week's conditions come instead from the tropical Atlantic and parts of north Africa.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47374936

[♥ Lily ♥]

Fool's spring: England enjoys sunshine in February

26 February 2019


St Ives in Cornwall was bathed in spring sunshine with the sea looking incredibly blue

England has been basking in more warm weather with many spotting early signs of spring around the country.

The mercury topped 20C in several areas on Monday with Tuesday predicted to see more sunshine.

In Northolt, west London, 20.4C (68.4F) was recorded, the previous winter record was 19.7C (67.5F) at Greenwich, east London, in 1998.

The warmth follows February 2018's Beast from the East, which brought heavy snowfall across the country.


In Eastbourne the crocuses are out bringing a splash of colour to this park


The sky was a brilliant blue in Telford, in Shropshire


In Paignton the weather was perfect for sea kayaking with this picture taken from the water

Luke Miall, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said cooler temperatures expected from Wednesday onwards will be "still above average" for February.

Heavy showers are possible on Thursday while Friday, the first day of meteorological spring, is expected to be mostly dry before a wet weekend.


The weather in Stevenage was perfect for getting out into the garden or heading down to the allotment


In London the early sunshine created a heat haze around the cityscape


It wasn't just people enjoying the spring sunshine with this cat taking in the view in Shropshire


The clear skies were captured by this weather camera in Somerset

On Twitter many people are warning England is currently experiencing a "fool's spring" when warm weather precedes a further cold snap before spring properly gets under way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47370137

[♥ Lily ♥]

Hedgehogs to swimsuits: How a warm winter affects us all

26/02/19


Horticulturalist Claire Rady admires the flowering Daphne at Wisley, Surrey

Flip-flops, lawn-mowing and dripping ice creams. It's winter but not as we know it.

For the first time, the UK has been basking in temperatures above 20C in winter as forecasters say Tuesday is another record-breaking day.

The warm spell may have drawn people out into parks and streets to soak up the sun but it's causing concern for some.

Nature in crisis?

Wildlife charities fear that if the weather turns cold again, it could lead to a crisis in nature.

Hibernating hedgehogs, reptiles and insects are being roused by the warm temperatures and coming out but they could struggle to find food if cold weather forces worms and slugs to disappear out of reach.

The RSPB says it has received reports of birds attempting to nest and breed, including reports of ducklings spotted across the country, butterflies emerging, and even migrant birds like swallows and house martins appearing back in the UK much earlier than they should.

Gemma Hogg, from the charity, said early nesting and breeding were not necessarily a bad thing as it might allow some birds to have an extra brood before the main breeding season.

But if the weather changes back to more normal conditions, the birds may get caught out and struggle to find enough food for themselves and their young, she said.

How to help wildlife survive a cold snap

• Put out energy-rich foods like meal worms and fat balls for birds
  
  
• Make sure there is fresh water for drinking and bathing
  
  
• Provide nest boxes
  
  
• In the long-term, plant pollen-rich flowers
  
  
• Avoid cutting back hedges, ivy growth or other vegetation where birds may be starting to build nests
  
  
• If you see a hedgehog, think about putting out a small amount of fish-free dog food for them and retaining a wild corner where they can nest

Source: Suffolk Wildlife Trust and RSPB

Meanwhile, on the UK's farms, the warm weather has meant farmers have been able to get out on the land in the sunshine to drill and plant, says the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

It's in stark contrast to the same time last year when the country was about to endure the worst of the Beast from the East, which brought widespread snow, sub-zero temperatures and frozen fields.

Now it seems to be business as usual, says the NFU, adding that the animals should be unaffected by slightly higher temperatures. They can find some shade and farmers can leave out extra water.

Early-blooming flowers



At Wisley Gardens in Surrey, hordes of visitors are enjoying the 200,000 crocuses that currently blanket the lawns. It's a dazzling display that chief horticulturalist Guy Barter can enjoy from his office window.

He said record-breaking temperatures, which peaked on Monday at 19.9C, have brought flowers out earlier than usual, including the first glimmers of magnolias and flowers on pear and plum trees.

In North Yorkshire at Harlow Carr, curator Paul Cook says the yew trees are in full flower, plenty of early rhododendrons are flowering and the quality and amount of flowers is outstanding.

The warm weather has also brought out the visitors - the Royal Horticultural Society say it's looking like record February visitor numbers across all their gardens, with RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex up 62% on last year.

"Enjoyable though it is, we would rather seasons did what they were supposed to do," says Guy Barter, as he recalls taking a photo of one of Wisley's water fountains last year that had turned to a block of ice.



His advice to amateur gardeners:

• Don't let this weather go to your head and rush out to plant tender plants - keep an eye on the calendar
  
  
• Move pots into a conservatory, greenhouse or closer to the house as night temperatures are still very cold
  
  
• Get ready to mow the lawn (normally he would advise putting mowers away from November to March)
  
  
• Move houseplants away from sunny windowsills to stop them getting cooked

In the shops



What a difference a year can make. This time last year, sledges were out in the supermarkets. Now we're seeing stores beginning to put out their spring clothing ranges.

Last week, Asda saw sales of swimwear by its clothing brand, George, were up 19%, sunglasses up 27% and shorts up 150% year-on-year.

At Sainsbury's, rose wine, a drink typically enjoyed on a summer's day, and ice creams were flying off the shelves. On Monday, ice cream sales were up 370% on the previous year.

Anne Alexandre, of the British Retail Consortium, said that while unseasonal temperatures can make planning more challenging, the warm weather would have had a positive effect on sales, particularly as it coincided with half-term school holidays when children's footwear and furniture usually sell well.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47370918

[♥ Lily ♥]

Last year we had an extremely long summer heatwave with tree bark falling off so many trees and very little rainfall.... followed by an Indian Summer throughout the Autumn... a mild Winter... and now a Fool's Spring in February.

I've been dressing lightly in silk camisoles which I bought last year during the heatwave (silk helps to keep the skin cool,) and only wearing a light cardi instead of a coat outside. I've been covering myself in lots of sunblock lotions, wearing sunglasses outside and switching my fans on in my home.

[♥ Lily ♥]

Large wild fires have broken out across the UK, including Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, Yorkshire in northern England, and Sussex in south-east England.

One witness has described the scene as 'apocalpytic.'

https://www.theapricity.com/forum/sh...41#post5836341

The temperatures are predicted to cool down a bit from tomorrow. https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2643743

[lonewolfcypriot]

wow it is hot in London. feels like it is summer already. I don't know but I think it might be global warming.