15th January - Today's News: Too Much snow Closes Ski Centre

Still snow cover here, though it's gone from the roads in town. Bit of rain this morning with more to come, along with slightly warmer temperature, over the weekend but I daresay a few patches will remain into next week even at this low level. Outlook for the rest of the month is for a return to more 'normal' January weather - not especially warm and often a bit wet and windy with always a little risk of rain falling as snow at times, though unlikely to settle at low levels. Maybe a slight frost during the drier, calmer interludes. Varied, but not especially interesting.

Not that everyone agrees, snow and ice to last until April, forecasters warn - which is an unusual story for the Telegraph who usually leave the wild predictions of PWS to the Daily Express. Furthermore, PWS only say that there could be a cold start to April - which by my reckoning is two and a half months away - and make no mention of it being cold and snowy right through until then. So a very misleading headline all round. Not the first time in recent days the Telegraph have spun a story in this way. I'm waiting for them to blame the cold spell on Batboy ......

So, anyway, now it's over, the Met Office ask: The big chill - how did we do? - not bad overall, they say (and I'm inclined to agree) - just don't mention the long range forecast! The MetO's Chief Exec, John Hirst, also has a piece in today's Times, hitting back at those disingenuous (and at times somewhat childish) people who delight in attacking the MetO at every opportunity: storm of criticism obscures our good record.

However, not yet all over in the Highlands where too much snow closes ski centre - and I think strong winds and more snow will mean little ski-ing tomorrow either.

Warmer weather has now also returned to Florida, but not before their 8-day freezing streak breaks record

Problems continue in Venezuela, Chavez suspends power cuts in Caracas, but they continue elsewhere as the folly of being too reliant on hydro power when a serious drought hits continues to bite home.

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