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Today, the United Kingdom's Met Office reported, "Temperatures from the Met Office have revealed that the UK has had the coldest start to winter in over 30 years. The UK average temperature for the first third of December has been only 1.7 °C compared to the long-term average of 4.7 °C."
It should be noted that the cold start is a product of the upper-air pattern that has prevailed so far this month. The upper air pattern is similar to some very cold ones in the past.
Upper-Air Patterns for Cold Decembers (1948-2007):
Upper-Air Pattern, December 1-9, 2008:
Notice the similarities: Below normal heights in western Europe and eastern North America; Above normal heights in western North America
Temperature Anomalies during Cold Decembers (1948-2007):
Temperature Anomalies December 1-9, 2008:
Notice the cold anomalies in eastern North America and western Europe and warm anomalies in western North America.
It should be noted that none of the patterns are exactly alike. However, they have important similarities in the general placement of ridges (above normal height anomalies) and troughs (below normal height anomalies) across North America and western Europe. In short, the cold start in the UK is a product of the pattern that has prevailed so far this month. It has nothing to do with climate change, which is a long-term climatic evolution.
It should be noted that the cold start is a product of the upper-air pattern that has prevailed so far this month. The upper air pattern is similar to some very cold ones in the past.
Upper-Air Patterns for Cold Decembers (1948-2007):
Upper-Air Pattern, December 1-9, 2008:
Notice the similarities: Below normal heights in western Europe and eastern North America; Above normal heights in western North America
Temperature Anomalies during Cold Decembers (1948-2007):
Temperature Anomalies December 1-9, 2008:
Notice the cold anomalies in eastern North America and western Europe and warm anomalies in western North America.
It should be noted that none of the patterns are exactly alike. However, they have important similarities in the general placement of ridges (above normal height anomalies) and troughs (below normal height anomalies) across North America and western Europe. In short, the cold start in the UK is a product of the pattern that has prevailed so far this month. It has nothing to do with climate change, which is a long-term climatic evolution.
