It's going to feel like winter, at last
A robin sits on a snow covered brach in Glasgow, Scotland.
It will begin to feel like winter this weekend, with the mercury set to drop to 14 degrees Celsius during the day on Saturday, and seven degrees at night, according to the MIA Met Office.
Of course, that will not really be extraordinary for this time of year - the norm for the middle of December is 17 degrees during the day and 11 degrees at night.
What is extraordinary is the current temperature, at 22.8 degrees when the norm for the first part of December is 18.
The temperature will drop as a cold front moves south from Northern Italy.
The mercury will drop 16 degrees tomorrow, and it might feel colder because it will be windy. It will be cloudy with chances of rain on both Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, mainland Europe remains in the grip of extreme cold weather.
Heavy snowfall closed Germany's busiest airport in Frankfurt for four hours overnight and caused major delays in rail travel this morning.
Of nearly 1,400 flights scheduled for Frankfurt today, 200 have been cancelled so far -- 114 arrivals and 86 departures.
However normality is slowly being restored.
Yesterday, heavy snow briefly shut Charles de Gaulle-Roissy airport in Paris and paralysed the bus network. The operators of the Eiffel Tower had to close the landmark tourist attraction.
Motorists were warned that all motorways in the Paris region had become impassable and truckers were ordered to pull off the highways and wait until conditions improved.
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Pule' Carmel
Dec 11th 2010, 19:47
That is a nice robin.Now looking at that robin,and knowing that one eye can see throughout an angle of a little more than 180 degrees,then one can work out that that robin will have a little black spot right on his rear,but I do not think that it would worry it losing about 5 degrees of the full 360 degree vision. Nature is remarkable in every way. It is such a pity that we interfere with it. More than 50 years ago my colleague went to Canada and he went out in the snow just for the fun of it, in a pair of shorts, andwithout wearing any headgear to cover his ears, not realising that the dryness of the air had different effects from the heavy humidity in Malta. An experienced local, approached my colleague saying, " I believe you are new here, may I suggest that you will go and get some ear protective headgear, for if you do not, your ear lobes will freeze solid and there is a possibility that they will snap off as they would become so brittle. When he told me this story I simply said, " I hope you changed your shorts!"
Rick Steele
Dec 11th 2010, 09:25
Another white Christmas here in Norway expecfted as usual. Your low temp 18c ours -18c. Everything is white and the sun is shining. Trains on time, still building houses, still working on roads. When it reaches -30 or so I'll put a jacket on. :-)
Brian J Camilleri
Dec 10th 2010, 11:13
Lots of climate experts here!!
Karl Consiglio
Dec 9th 2010, 23:21
For it to feel like winter its got to snow. Nice photo
Adrian Wirth
Dec 9th 2010, 19:42
Had two Robins in my garden today.
Sadly also knew of a trapped Robin kept in a cage in a basement garage in Marsaxlokk said to have lived ten years or more since trapping. I believe this was no exception.
Chris Galea
Dec 9th 2010, 16:22
@ Maria Vella
I can see that you're a gullable brainwashed victim of the anti hunting lobby ! No my dear... robins are NOT shot,and were never shot.
GiovDeMartino
Dec 9th 2010, 17:42
They are trapped...and die two days later.
R. Azzopardi
Dec 10th 2010, 12:14
Mr. Demartino,
I used to trap robins when i was a child and a teenager (it's a practice I condemn today because i prefer to watch them in their natural habitat). 9 out of every 10 robins i caught lived. A handful lived for more than 8 years. Once they get used to humans, they're exceptionally tame. I had a couple in my aviary which owuld land on my shoulder for a second or two when i walked into the aviary. Other domestic birds (canaries, finches and so on) would never get close. One particular robin took a fancy to my mother. He would puff his chest out and sing loudly whenever she got close. The bottom line is, contrary to popular belief, if cared for properly, robins survive in captivity. I do not wish to encourage anyone to trap them though. It's something i did when i was young and foolish.
Joseph Galea
Dec 9th 2010, 15:56
Everything is relative!
At 14 degrees C here people feel it's very cold! In Canada one used to be be quite pleased when, in winter, the temperaure climbed to a mild 3 or 4 degrees. I still remember a scene on TV where meat workers took a break from the -40C weather outside by going into the meat freezer, into which they were loading meat. It was only around -18C there.
Angelo Xerri
Dec 9th 2010, 23:39
Joseph, I am in Ontario Canada right now, this week was the biggest snow storm London Ontario ever got in the city's history. It was over a meter and a half of snow everything was closed schools, banks it was a shut down, this morning the temp. was -- 25C and nothing was moving, except our bird feeder it was very busy all day with many beautiful birds visiting, finches, cardinals, blue jays, siskins and many more, it was enjoyable. No bird trappers over here. I olso have a bird feeder in Malta.
Edward Darmanin
Dec 9th 2010, 15:21
@ Eric Camilleri - best comment I've read in a long time! Thanks for the good laugh.
One thing that confuses me is, we're in Malta, what does a snowy scene have anything to do with our mild 14 degrees 'big freeze'? I must have looked like that Robin trying to figure it out!
Antoine Grima
Dec 9th 2010, 15:15
And by the middle of next week it will be 20c again.What winter ?????????
Maria Vella
Dec 9th 2010, 14:58
A trulu wonderful picture! sure not taken in Malta, not only beacuse of the snowy weather, but I think that the poor bird would not have remained alive to pose for the picture. It woul dbe either shot or trapped
Andrew Gatt
Dec 10th 2010, 09:53
You pathetic, biased, blinkered extremist. Just HAD to shove in your 10 cents worth of crap, didn't you?
R. Azzopardi
Dec 10th 2010, 12:18
Ms. Vella,
Go out into the countryside on a regular basis and you're bound to see plenty of robins (and other birds if you know how to spot them).
Gladys Camilleri
Dec 10th 2010, 14:57
Silly, stupid and provoking comment. Have you nothing intelligent to say?
Andrew Paris
Dec 10th 2010, 16:53
@ Maria Vella
Ha-ha. Seems people cannot take a little tounge and check on your comment.
Relax people. Happy holidays.
L Camilleri
Dec 9th 2010, 14:47
GLOBAL WARNING
Alex Ellul
Dec 9th 2010, 14:33
@Jeremy J Camilleri
GLobal warming might induce an ice age...you really need to do some reading.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jeremy, can you pull the other one please? So what caused the great ice age that ended not more than 15,000 years ago? And what caused the Younger Dryass north hemisphere glaciation andthe most recent Little Ice Age that we are still coming out of?
We are currently in what is called the Halocene interglacial, and we should really make hay while the sun is shining; because solar scientists are telling us that we are into another little ice age, if not the end of the holocene optimum, and into another 300,000 years of gloaciation. Bring over that fur coat please.
You recommended to whoever to do some reading, well I done a little bit more than some reading and here it is: anthropogenic global warming theory was, at best, the greatest scientific mistake of modern times.
And if you are the last man out of the dicussion room, do not forget to switch off the light.
Tony Gatt
Dec 9th 2010, 16:43
When the sun uses up all its hydrogen and becomes a red giant the earth will be burnt to a crisp.
Now that's what I would call global warming!
Alex Ellul
Dec 9th 2010, 13:43
The Big Freeze:
We may not be effected much by the extreme-cold that has gripped the northern-hemisphere (it's not only Europe, but all over the northern-hemisphere, even in Cancun-Mexico, where the current COP-16 Climate-Change-meeting is being held is much colder than it should be), but according to one of the best weather-forecasters in the world, WeatherAction, owned by astrophysicist Piers Corbyn, this winter will be the coldest in a 100 years. http://www.weatheraction.com/docs/WANews10No37.pdf
>>Winter Dec to Feb inclusive in Britain andEurope will be exceptionally cold and snowy –like hell frozen over at times - with much ofEngland,Germany,Benelux and Northern-France suffering one of the coldest winters for100years. It is expected that two of the three monthsDec, Jan & Feb are likely to be in the three coldestfor a 100 years (eg using Central England Temperatures).There will be some milder periods in which WestRussia may also be briefly milder. Ireland, especially
West Ireland will have some mild periods when therest of Europe remains bitterly cold.The timing of the most severe and milder spells anddetails of festivals such as Christmas andNew Year periods will be available to subscribers.......
G Potter
Dec 9th 2010, 13:21
And it is a huge 1 celcius here in Luton UK
Neville Cassar
Dec 9th 2010, 13:21
" And they call this global warming? "
Nope... its climate change now.... you know... just making sure they can keep the bluff going longer...
RMangion
Dec 9th 2010, 14:32
Neville,
I would not calling it a bluff, actually a study found that we are due for an ice age or a mini ice age. Global warming could be just delaying its onset
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090903-arctic-warming-ice-age.html
Although global warming could also lead to colder temperatures
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0130-11.htm
Charles Casha
Dec 9th 2010, 14:46
Bluff? Then why is the Antarctic ice melting so fast? Global warming is based on the average warming of the whole earth, and not of Europe alone, which is but a small part of the whole planet surface. No bluff there mate.
Alex Ellul
Dec 9th 2010, 16:24
Charles Casha
Bluff? Then why is the Antarctic ice melting so fast?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Should you check scientific facts, you will find that Antarctica is NOT 'melting so fast'. In fact this year, antarctica has registered the highest sea ice cover ever recorded by satellite, while the tempreatures are quite low, even lower than average. The trouble with you is that you read glbal warmist propaganda saying that "itcould be that" or "the chances are" or such like weasel words and your mind extrapolates that into a "fact" and then you come into this room and quote what you have been led to believe by such weasel words. I am providing you with a link that shows the past 10 years sea ice covers for both poles, arctic and antarctic. This is science. What you wrote is pseudo-science or anti-science.
http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de:8084/amsr/amsre.html
While this one shows you the increasing number of scientists proclaiming themselves as skeptical on man-made global warming:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/12/08/shredding-the-climate-consensus-myth-more-than-1000-international-scientists-dissent-over-man-made-global-warming-claims-challenge-un-ipcc-gore/
d castillo
Dec 10th 2010, 06:29
the absolute truth is that the world has been going through warming and freezing periods since the dawn of time, and will continue doing in eternum. it has nothing to do with mankind, just the earth doing what the earth does.
watch this documentary and it will open your minds, or at least raise some interesting questions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Global_Warming_Swindle
C.Pace
Dec 9th 2010, 13:20
I love the picture =)
Carmel Saliba
Dec 9th 2010, 13:15
An 80 year old man told me last Monday (6 December) that until 15th December we will not have rain over our islands. This, he said, according to the moon changes. I wait to see I his observations/predictions are true or not.
R. Azzopardi
Dec 10th 2010, 12:16
Take heed! He'll probably be right. I remember an old fisherman telling me back in 1992 that winds do not die down in summer until an anticyclone passes over the mediterranean in mid-June. If I recall correctly he has been proven right time and time again.
edward bartolo
Dec 9th 2010, 13:03
It's the typical Maltese weather. In fact there is an old Maltese proverb that goes:
Sal-Milied la bard u l-anqas ksieh.
n.caruana
Dec 9th 2010, 12:58
yeppp... Global warming is the rapid change of weather not only the heating up of the planet! as you can see going from 22.8 degrees to a sudden 14 is quite a rapid change. ;)
Tommy Lee
Dec 9th 2010, 12:58
Malta never sees a winter. When it is minus 15 and snow covered then you will have a winter. 15 degrees is summer in most of Scotland and England.
C A Camilleri
Dec 9th 2010, 14:27
You are right here Tommy Lee but I never felt so cold anywhere else than in Maltese houses.
Alex Ellul
Dec 9th 2010, 18:15
CA Camilleri: Tha's because we don't have to spend €3000 a month on gas or oil to heat our houses. We do not design our houses for the cold but for the summer heat. Go check how our forefathers built their houses: Thick walls and internal yards surrounded by the building itself, so as to keep the place in the shade as much as possible, but today we don't use thick walls anymore, we use thick heads, and the complain of global warming or freezing due to global warming. LOL. I have tried to inject CO2 gas in the oven, to try to simulate global warming and the freezing eeffect of global warming, but could neither cook the food faster nor make ice in some of its corners. Those who can believe such tripe as global warming=semi-global freezing can believe in anything including flying pigs and fairy tales.
Daniel Agius
Dec 9th 2010, 12:52
Now they are calling it Climate Change instead of global warming :)
J Oatmon
Dec 9th 2010, 12:40
The scientists insist we are suffering global warming, but then again this has happened many times in the past before us humans were around.
Other scientists believe it is more to do with our orbit around the sun, if this is correct, then there is not much we can do about it.
Have you noticed that scientists no longer talk about the 'hole in the ozone layer' and it being a big threat to us - why is this- well it seems to have healed itself with no valid scientific explanation!
w.scicluna
Dec 9th 2010, 12:32
And they call this global warming?
Eric Camilleri
Dec 9th 2010, 12:42
Even the Robin looks puzzled :-)
André Xuereb
Dec 9th 2010, 12:46
No, actually it's the media that refers to it as "global warming." It's proper name is "man-made climate change." One effect of man-made climate change may be the slowing down of the Gulf stream, leading to a cooling of Northern Europe. This may seem somewhat paradoxical, because the slowing down Gulf stream itself may be caused by the heating of certain parts of the Atlantic.
C Ellul
Dec 9th 2010, 12:48
It is global confusion
Jeremy J Camilleri
Dec 9th 2010, 12:49
GLobal warming might induce an ice age...you really need to do some reading..
Erik Jötunn
Dec 9th 2010, 12:50
"What is extraordinary is the current temperature, at 22.8 degrees when the norm for the first part of December is 18."
J.Tonna
Dec 9th 2010, 12:51
Why not call it global warning??
Martin Galea De Giovanni
Dec 9th 2010, 13:01
... please re-read the article: "What is extraordinary is the current temperature, at 22.8 degrees when the norm for the first part of December is 18."
L Attard Bezzina
Dec 9th 2010, 13:03
Do you realise that climate change has different effects all over the planet?
Yes, the average temperature this month has been much higher than the norm. But essentially, climate change will raise the GLOBAL AVERAGE, not necessarily particular places. Some places will become much hotter, some colder, our storms much more vicious, our droughts much more long lasting. Our rains heavier, our winds stronger, and for the very, very lucky few, the weather will actually become more, not less stable (UK is a good example of this). The point is that it's changing, and the consequences, especially for the developing and coastal world, will be devastating.
Jan Willem van Avendonk
Dec 9th 2010, 13:05
Get your facts right , Global warming is a term no longer used, not it is CLIMATE CHANGE!
Kenneth Cassar
Dec 9th 2010, 13:06
Those who don't understand how "global warming" works, don't call it global warming. Global warming is (in a few words) the increasingly rising temperature (not constant, but during periods) melting the ice at the poles and rising the sea levels (among other things).
DrinC
Dec 9th 2010, 13:21
You are so right, global warming is a load of bull...
A.Vassallo
Dec 9th 2010, 13:23
Global warming is a generic term...Better know as extreme climate change...not necessary higher temperatures everywhere...just climate change
Joe Grima Brussels
Dec 9th 2010, 13:29
My friend, if you REALLY want to taste what 'global warming' is, come over to BRRRussels! We had 8c BELOW ZERO last week. We are reduced to drink iced tea all the time!
William Attard McCarthy
Dec 9th 2010, 13:32
Actually, Mr. Scicluna, Arctic conditions are the direct effect of global warming...
Peter Korsten
Dec 9th 2010, 13:33
It's warmer than the norm, isn't it? The cold weather in the north is caused by Arctic winds, although you will find plenty of people who claim that the snow is the definite proof that there's no global warming, despite the ice cap in the Arctic getting smaller and smaller, and 2010 being the warmest year on record for the first 10 months.
G Darmanin
Dec 9th 2010, 13:49
http://www.reportingclimatescience.com/news-stories/article/global-warming-shares-blame-for-europes-cold-weather-says-climate-scientist.html
M.Curmi
Dec 9th 2010, 13:51
YES...believe it or not: extreme wintry conditions are caused by the global warming.....
Albert Cocker
Dec 9th 2010, 13:52
I think it is a side effect of it, I remember reading it somewhere, something to do with global winds and northern hemispheres. This stuff is not easy to grasp, you have to do your research well to understand.
Zepp Pace
Dec 9th 2010, 13:56
w.ejja come on... U want to say the past weeks haven't been warm, or HOT at all?? today it feels like a good September day! I could see many short sleeves in Valletta, and look at the sky.. not one cloud... Some fresh weather at last! U hardly realise its December!
S. Mangion
Dec 9th 2010, 14:11
Yes, this is it !!
Mean temperature is on the increase everywhere in Europe/world during a calendar year.
Global warming brings about this volatility in weather, and we are witnesses of this effect, since we are to be enjoying colder weather instead of this extension to summer time.
Peter Ross
Dec 10th 2010, 14:27
The ozone hole scam was perpetrated by Du Pont, the producers of that same refrigerant gas that was supposed to have damaged theozone layer. The 'hole' had been known to exist since 1950's, but was 'discovered' in the eighties by scientists who were in Du Pont's pay packet. It worked like this: Du Pont had the patent for the CFC's, but patents have a lifetime. So, Du Pont had other types of regrigerant gases under the counter ready for when the old CFC's would be banned to "save the ozone layer". Now Du Pont is making billions out of these new refrigerants.
The difference is thatthe old refrigerants were purcahsed at about $1 per kg while the new ones cost about $10 per Kg. Now, the ozone hole is closing and we are all safe.
Next was the global warming scam which aimed to turn carbon into a currency, control energy and therefore politics globally, but now failed and nearly done over with. Next on the line is Ocean Acidification. Watch out for this scam.