Tales of Home [5]

Norc wrote:IT SNOWED IN TROMSØ! big difference blue!!!!

If we take London as our reference point and define a white Christmas as one where there is snow lying on the ground (as opposed to the usual bookies' definition of a flake of snow falling on Christmas Day, whether or not it lies) then there were only four during the 20th century: 1927, 1938, 1970, and 1981 (a year which the bookies wouldn’t have counted because it didn't actually snow on 25th Dec - but there was snow on the ground).

There happened to be snow every Christmas of the first eight years of Charles Dickens' life, which probably explains why white Christmases are a consistent feature of his stories. His snowy childhood has its origins in the colder climate of the period 1550-1850 when Britain was in the grip of a 'Little Ice Age'. Winters were particularly persistent and severe - 1813-14 was the last winter that a 'frost fair' was held on the frozen River Thames in London. Before the change of calendar in 1752, which effectively brought Christmas day back by 12 days, snow was even more likely as Christmas comes at the beginning of the season for snow. Wintry weather is more likely in January.

Our last white Christmas was in 2010 when there was snow on the ground at 83% of stations - the highest amount ever recorded - but snow or sleet also fell at 19% of stations.

Climate change has brought higher average temperatures over land and sea (which reduces the chances of a white Christmas) but the natural variability of the weather will not stop cold, snowy winters happening in the future.