January

The question everyone is asking (apart from 'how the hell did Trump get to be president?) is what's happening to the weather? Is anything happening to the weather? We often get snow here in January, but I also think that quite often we don't. Is a mild January that exceptional? Or do we just remember the cold snowy ones? Without doubt the climate is changing and the world is warming up, 2016 being the warmest year on record. But the confusion arises when we confuse climate with weather and what we should really be asking is "what effect is a warmer climate having on our weather" because it doesn't necessarily mean warmer, drier weather for everyone. Our weather naturally varies from year to year and the trend of a warmer climate will impact on that. But I am no nearer knowing how, or when. So, January has been generally mild, misty and dark, but I bet it's not the first time that has happened.

A day thay is typical of this January, dark, misty and still. This is the lower end of the Coppermines Valley, Coniston, showing the ravine of Church Beck.