The recent warming cycle started (arguably) in 1988 and more or less had run its course by the early 2000s. In the last 10 years temps have been approximately level, despite CO2 levels continuing to increase annually.
In my little corner of the world we have had 5 poor summers in a row now. By poor, I mean few sunny, warm periods (more than 2 or 3 days) in the summer months of June, July August. This year temps have rarely risen above 21c (70f in old money) and we have had lots of cloud and rain with many days maxing out at 15 or 16c and some days having a max of 13c or 14c, although we do get this a couple of days most summers. I joke that we have days in July as cool as mild Boxing Days where I have recorded maxes of 13c! (I really should move to the South of England shouldn't I.
)Meanwhile we have had 3 cool winters on the trot, with winter 2009/10 going right thru to May and a very late spring, confirmed by gardners in National Trust Parks. And of course the unforgetable December 2010 which was the coldest in Ireland since records began. I recorded -16c in my back garden on 3 or 4 nights and recall very clearly seeing a temperature of -12c at 1300 GMT in my car in Hillsborough, a few days before Christmas. We had snow on the trees (picture postcard style) for many days as the temp never rose above 0c even in the sunshine.
Just wanted to lay these thoughts out, as it doesn't seem to tally with rising global temps in my tiny corner of our planet.
PS. With the solar cycle so low at the moment, I guess there is a good chance of having a colder than average winter this year, or at least some very significant cold periods. Time will tell.
