The Times feature, 'Weather Eye' discussed the warm November weather in Britain this year, as December threatened to follow in the same vein. It does not specifically mention global warming but no doubt the weather will be used to push the meme in other quarters – and all that rain in Cumbria and Scotland etc. The latter is due to shifting jet streams and these are inclined to behave wildly during bouts of solar wind activity – as Piers Corbyn is inclined to say whenever he gets the chance (see www.weatheraction.com).
There are still lots of wasps around and bees can also be seen going in and out of hives – and wild nests in the roots of trees (if you are observant enough). Bees have been active even on days with a blowing wind and a chill factor in the air – so what is going on? Daffodils are in bloom in some protected locations and various other flowers are blooming out of season. Strawberry plants have been in flower and fruiting for the last couple of months – all reminiscent of the situation in the late 1990s when the global warming doomsayings took hold. Like in 1998 it may be that a connection exists with the El NIno event of 2015 – but many people are saying that was a bit of a damp squib. However strawberry plants were in flower and fruiting last autumn/early winter as I can remember eating a few. 2015 began with a cool spring and August was cool and wet – and rain has been a feature since. In Scotland a third hatching of the biting midge has made autumn hill walking a trifle unpleasant – but rain has dominated November in the northern half of the country. Is it an accident we have seen some big earth facing coronal holes on the face of the Sun? Is Corbyn right in blaming the vagaries of the jet stream twists and slithery slippings around the earth as the fault – instigated by solar activity?