"Big Freeze" and "Arctic conditions" - it seems to me that there's a certain inevitability about the way such phrases appear among some sections of the media when we are about to experience not unfamiliar winter weather conditions in er... winter. However this time it has indeed been bitterly cold for some and the temperature did plummet to around -12ºC at South Newington, Oxfordshire on Friday night, which is similar to what was experienced at Narvik in northern Norway. Not so bad round here, though admittedly the recent chill quickly found its way to my fingers and has contrasted with the mild temperatures of the preceeding weeks, which have seen early blooms (as highlighted in a recent blog), much warbling among the confused birds, and that humming-bird hawk-moth that stopped Frank in his tracks. Nevertheless, it's hardly on a par with what they've endured in Murmansk airport where I believe it dropped to a bone-shattering -33ºC at the weekend.
Still, it's always interesting to come across the various examples of seasonal phenomena as well as the unseasonal, and such a sight presented itself at Lodmoor when I was there last Friday afternoon. In the tidal sluice channel where the reserve's water outlet disappears under Preston Road, the rise and fall of the tide must have coincided with the frost to leave this spectacular array of icicles dangling over the drain. No doubt they're gone now, but if you're passing that way next time the polar conditions are upon us, take a peep over the railings to see if they're hanging around again.
Great photo in the 'warm South'!