18th October - Today's News: Los Angeles Sees First Rain Since 5th May

It's raining in Los Angeles and people are losing their minds - the city's last measureable rainfall was on the 5th May, 165 days ago.  Though apparently this is not unusual.

Typhoon Haima rapidly intensifies, Philippines in danger whilst Typhoon Sarika to unleash torrential rain in China, Vietnam following deadly flooding

In Alaska, Juneau sees snow before Fairbanks for first time in decades

In pictures: Italy's first snowfall of the season which fell on Sunday.   Here, the Cairngorms were also white this morning, displaying the first laying snow of the season in the UK.

Outrage (but no real surpise) as the Scottish Parliament shows utter contempt for wild land with plans for 22-turbine wind farm near Altnaharra approved

Earth on track for its warmest year on record after hottest September in 136 years (but only by the tiniest fraction)

And some somewhat misleading headlines across the media today suggesting that the Met Office can now predict winter weather one year in advance.   No, they can't.  But they do claim an increased success rate in predicting the state of the North Atlantic Oscillation for any given winter, one year in advance, which in turn gives an indication of what weather may predominate through the winter.  The actual news release more accurately states Met Office research increases skill in predicting winter outlook.  Whether the media are just thick, or have deliberately misinterpreted it in order to provide an excuse to falsely mock the MetO in future, I couldn't possibly say .....