Weather in the general media (Newspaper features etc)

[shedhead]

Best thing met office get the blame for the tosh.

Clearly they are not prepared to bend over and think of England tho.... http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/whats-in-store-this-winter-responding-to-the-headlines/

[Chris K]

They roll it out most years when sales are low....

This is by far the best HAHAHAHA

[Ian Brown]

Irresponsible journalism from the Express, and likely to turn out wholly inaccurate anyway.

[UV-RAY]

Irresponsible journalism from the Express, and likely to turn out wholly inaccurate anyway.

No mention of the MW though.

[crimsonp]

i have to be honest but i think it's all a case of "fore warned is fore armed!" and as we all here should know by now that what a mod shows today may not be what it shows tomorrow........

[Froze were the Days]

They roll it out most years when sales are low....

Hahahahahaha!! comedy gold, goes to prove what a pathetic rag it is! - infact funnier than Viz, and as mentioned always Jonothan Powell at the heart of it.

[Robbie Garrett]

Funny thing is the MetOffice did brief the government that, as energy prices went up. Models now showing of interest. ....

[Coast]

Soggy weather prompts bumper crop of Christmas trees

Disappointing summer weather has produced one of the best Christmas tree crops for decades, but the festive cheer doesn't extend to holly and mistletoe which are in short supply.

The UK suffered its wettest summer in 100 years with flooding and torrential rain ruining many crops. But Christmas trees thrived under the conditions because the wet weather helped to make their foliage greener and more glossy. Harry Brightwell, secretary of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA), said: "It has been a challenging year for farmers and a lot of fruit and vegetables have suffered, but Christmas trees appear to be one of the few crops that have benefited.

"Growers across the country are reporting their trees are extra lush and full of moisture which helps them emit that lovely Christmas fragrance which only comes from a fresh tree. "Many are saying it is their best crop in the last 10 years – but they are now hoping for some drier weather so they can get their tractors into the fields to harvest them." British Christmas tree farmers will also benefit from a severe frost that hit southern Europe in the spring, which damaged the new buds of the Christmas trees.

This could reduce the amount of Christmas trees being imported from Europe but will increase the number of British Christmas trees sold.

But those hoping for romance under the mistletoe at Christmas may be disappointed as poor weather has damaged supplies of holly and mistletoe. Bitter winds and driving rain meant bees sheltered in their hives and there were few other insects to pollinate blossom on holly bushes and other berry-bearing shrubs. The few plants which did produce berries this autumn have already been stripped bare by huge flocks of blackbirds, thrushes, redwings and fieldfares. Prices of the berries are expected to rise substantially as a result.

An RSPB spokesman said: "We're only in mid-November and already many berry-producing shrubs and trees have been completely stripped. "Wild birds are now being forced to come into our gardens and parks in ever-increasing numbers to find food. "Because it's been such a poor crop of berries and other food such as beech tree mast, they will rely on our garden feeders more than ever this winter."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/9675342/Soggy-weather-prompts-bumper-crop-of-Christmas-trees.html#

[Summer Sun]

Half of Britain's Christmas tree stock is hit by virulent disease which turns needles brown and leaves trunk bare

• Mystery condition could be caused by record wet weather or herbicides stripping needles of wax protection, experts say

Britain’s Christmas trees are under attack from an aggressively spreading disease that is sweeping through farms and hitting up to 50 per cent of their crops.

The condition, called 'current season needle necrosis', is killing the Nordmann fir and making hundreds of thousands of the UK's most popular Christmas tree completely unsaleable.

This disease attacks in the build-up to the festive period, turning its needles yellow and then later brown before they just drop off completely.Experts are still baffled by why current season needle necrosis is becoming so virulent, with Britain's record warm and wet summers and also the use of herbicides which may be stripping off protective wax on fir needles being blamed.

http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz2CD9VVZlC

Edited November 14, 2012 by Gavin.

[garbagebags]

Im almost certain I read this last year also?

[The PIT]

So we've got a bumper stock of diseased Cristmas trees. Followed by sub zero and iceburgs. You couldn't make it up ahh they have done.

[crimsonp]

a bumper crop of christmas trees eh? i bet they will still cost an arm and a leg!!!

[Summer Sun]

a bumper crop of christmas trees eh? i bet they will still cost an arm and a leg!!!

B&Q have then on sale already there around £20 for the smallest size

A BLEAK YEAR FOR KISSERS

DON’T expect many kisses under the mistletoe this Christmas – the miserable summer has led to a washout crop.Driving rain and cold forced bees to hide in their hives, leaving many mistletoe flowers unpollinated when they bloomed.

Sellers are warning of rocketing prices for mistletoe and holly, although they still expect people to buy, describing holly as a “necessary and affordable indulgence†at Christmas.

The berry shortage has also meant hard times for Britain’s wildlife which have been left scratching around an almost empty larder.

The RSPB said: “We’re only in mid-November and already many berry-producing shrubs and trees have been completely stripped.

“Birds will rely on our garden feeders more than ever.â€

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/358241/A-bleak-year-for-kissers

[Great Plum]

People buy holly? Surely you can. Just get it from your nearby wood?

[Coast]

Bad weather lifts fears for UK growers in 2013 too

The continued poor farming weather in the UK poses an increasing risk of landing growers with a second difficult season, delaying sowings, hampering emergence of what has been planted and lowering yield hopes.

The return of wet and dull weather – the south east of England went eight days without seeing the sun last month – has left growers, whose 2012 wheat crop was the worst in a generation, well behind on autumn seedings for the 2013 harvest. Farmers, traders and analysts that Agrimoney.com spoke to estimated that winter wheat sowings were, on average, 60% complete, compared with 85-90% usually by now.

Delays are particularly severe on heavier land, typically in more westerly areas, where some growers have not managed any plantings. "They can still plant until January. But they are already past the time of optimum yields. There is a yield penalty for every day they delay," a UK grain trader told Agrimoney.com. "You might be looking at 3.5 tonnes per acre now, compared with 4 tonnes per acre a month ago, and 3 tonnes per acre might be the best you could expect planting in January."

'Struggling like hell'

However, even growers which have managed to get crop into the ground have seen emergence delayed, besides damage from the slugs encouraged by the wet weather. One farmer in Gloucestershire, "where the land is supposed to be light", said that, besides knowing farmers "who have not planted a grain of wheat, what is planted, including my own, is being ravaged by slugs".

The farmer, a member of an international farmers group, dismissed as "tosh" estimates by Strategie Grains on Wednesday that the European Union looked placed for a sharp revival in output next year, despite slow sowings in the UK and some other countries, notably France, too. "Most crops that have been drilled are struggling like hell. I would say around 40% of wheat has been drilled here and surrounding areas, and most of that looks very poor. "Speak to any farmer, here in England, France, Germany and they will all tell you the same thing."

Rapeseed risk

Observations, on emergence and crop damage, were even worse for rapeseed than winter wheat. Rory Deverell at FCStone's Dublin office flagged market talk that the UK rapeseed crop was "under threat" of a 50% loss in 2013 if weather follows up the poor autumn growing conditions with a cold winter, which weakly developed plants would be in a poor state to survive. At merchant Gleadell, managing director David Sheppard said that this appeared an overly gloomy outlook, given that rapeseed is "remarkably resilient, and can end up producing a crop even when it looks all but lost".

http://www.agrimoney.com/news/bad-weather-lifts-fears-for-uk-growers-in-2013-too--5221.html

[Paul]

The Express headline tomorrow is a cracker - coldest winter in 100 years on the way apparently.....

[Methuselah]

Oh dear. I hope they haven't listed you as one of their 'experts' again...

[Great Plum]

The Express headline tomorrow is a cracker - coldest winter in 100 years on the way apparently.....

Must be true then!

[J10]

The Express headline tomorrow is a cracker - coldest winter in 100 years on the way apparently.....

off down to the shop, to buy shorts then.

[Paul]

Who knows, they took a quote from the homepage and credited it to 'BBC forecaster Michael Fish' the other day!!!

[Bristawl Si]

The Express headline tomorrow is a cracker - coldest winter in 100 years on the way apparently.....

Oh well - stock up on t-shirts and shorts then! Edited November 16, 2012 by Bristle boy

[124alex]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/358717/Coldest-winter-in-100-years-on-way and they make an apperance again!

[Summer Sun]

COLDEST WINTER IN 100 YEARS ON WAY

BRITAIN will grind to a halt within weeks as the most savage freeze for a century begins.

Temperatures will fall as low as minus 20C in rural areas, forecasters warned last night, while heavy snow and “potentially dangerous†blizzards will close roads and cripple rail networks.

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “We are looking at some of the coldest and snowiest conditions in at least 100 years. This is most likely to occur in the December to January period with the potential for widespread major snowfall across the country.

“Parts of the North, Scotland and eastern England are likely to experience a run of well below average temperatures, which will include some potentially dangerous blizzard conditions at times.â€

He warned the South faces a bout of “unusually heavy snowfall†in December.

Leon Brown, meteorologist for The Weather Channel, said snow could arrive as early as next weekend, with temperatures falling to minus 5C in the North. “There is a 30 per cent risk of some snow over lower levels in Scotland on Friday.†But before the big freeze arrives the problem will be torrential rain and strong winds gusting up to 80mph. The Met Office last night issued severe weather warnings for heavy rain in parts of the North-west on Monday and Tuesday.

Forecaster Dan Williams said: “Low pressure is going to bring rain and some strong gusts to parts of the country on Sunday night and into Monday. It is going to be a very unsettled week after that with bursts of rain and strong gusts throughout. Apart from Sunday, the weather will be very changeable so that is when to make the most of it.â€

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, warned: “The ground is already saturated from the wet summer, so flooding is a definite risk next week.†He said the worst of the big freeze would hit in January and February when winter delivers a sting in the tail.

“We are looking at January and early February for winter to really bare its teeth. Extreme low temperatures in rural areas, especially in the North where minus 20C is not unlikely, with the possibility of significant snow events.†Britain’s “roller coaster†November has so far seen freezing temperatures followed by almost spring-like conditions. Temperatures rose by 22C in just 24 hours as milder weather triggered heavy rain in Scotland and the North. Temperatures topped 61F (16C) in England, while parts of Scotland enjoyed their warmest November day since 2001. Just a day earlier Aboyne in Aberdeenshire shivered in minus 6.1C.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/358717/Coldest-winter-in-100-years-on-way

[Liam J]

I'm sick of seeing this headline year in year out.... Perhaps one year it'll prove true if they keep repeating the same garbage over and over each November.

Edited November 17, 2012 by Liam J

[Methuselah]

Wouldn't a winter even colder than 62-63 be the coldest for far-longer than 100yrs?