Alioth's Journal: Local warming

Whatever your views on global warming, the change in the local climate in these parts over the past few years has been quite spectacular.

They are forecasting 21 celcius in Liverpool tomorrow (70 deg. F). for April 13th. In the 80s, that was the sort of temperature you'd expect in Liverpool in July/August. The old nursery rhyme goes on about 'April showers'. We've not had more than trace amounts of rain all month so far. The Met.Office is forecasting that this summer is likely to be at least as warm or warmer than last summer's record breaking heat. In the 80s, if the temperature broke 80 deg. F in Britain in July, the newspapers would print a front page headline with "80" in massive writing on the front page. Now we're disappointed if the temperature doesn't get into the 90s in the south of England in the hottest part of the summer, and merely getting into the low 80s is considered a cool, poor summer (although in the Isle of Man, with our temperatures moderated by the Irish Sea, the low to mid 80s is entirely typical for the hottest part of the summer, with the 70s being more normal for the rest of summer, which is just another reason why it's so much nicer to be here - because our summer weather is pretty good).

My washingtonia filifera (California Desert fan palm, more used to growing at around 30 degrees north latitude, not 52 degrees north latitude) is enjoying the sunshine and exceptionally warm spring - it's grown 4cm (almost 2 inches) in the last two weeks. It's growing faster than the native plants! (Although it does have an advantage, not being decidious, it already has significant surface area to do lots of photosynthesis as soon as the days get longer, whereas my apple tree still has to get done with the job of growing new leaves before it can grow in size - it grew nearly 2 feet last year, although it is juvenile, basically a big stick with a couple of smaller sticks coming off it).

Also, it seems that the Rose of Sharon (hibiscus) which I had left for dead since it defoliated completely last August isn't actually dead after all - it seems to have small buds, so perhaps it was just sulking because of the root disturbance from being planted a few weeks earlier.

Since 2001

[Philip K Dickhead]

or so,

I have been mistaking London in June, for Rome.

People sitting at sunny, sidewalk tables, outside cafe's on the Queensway. Music - floating out of open windows in the Portobello road.

Sunbathers among the hijabed asians around Speaker's Corner.

Who'da thought?

Meanwhile, in the southeast United States...

[BandwidthHog]

After a fairly mild winter, it’s been unseasonably cold here lately. My last few skates have been done with long sleeves and multiple layers, which is rather odd for April. It finally warmed up today though, and the sunshine seems to have baked off the remains of last night’s rain.

Sometimes I just wish Al Gore would make up his damn mind!

Re:

[Alioth]

Perhaps we got your spring :-)