Winter blows in

Has winter arrived?

The answer depends on your view; the Farmer's Almanac says there are two options.

As you wish:

You can chose the meteorological first day of winter, the 1st December

or for this year the option of the 22nd - the date that marks the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year on which the sun seems to stands still in the sky as its path stops before changing direction and again stretching our hours of day light,

This year winter has arrived with a freeze and sub zero temperatures that delivered clear blue sky and feathery white hoar frost to create Christmas card vistas. Sadly this is now replaced by heavy rain and driving winds as storms Elin & Fergus roll over us from the Atlantic with their friendly names masking their threats and challenging delivery of high winds and heavy, rain which probes roofs and illustrates leaking gutters and frailties with dribbles of water running down internal walls and emerging patches of damp - a problem I now have first hand knowledge of as my 200 year old property admits its frailties'

Once again the rapid progress of these storms and extreme swing in conditions that can deliver all four seasons in a single day offer confirmation that England has "weather" not "Climate"'

What else does winter bring? Quite.

The beach is now a quite place, a place for reflection and solitude, a place inhabited by dog walkers wrapped against the elements and beach comers searching for what the storm stirred sea has brought to land , for people looking at the clay cliffs of the bay and wondering what shape they will be in after the beatings of the sea and undercut of winter rains.

In the town its streets are now empty and gift and shops nonessential to the locals largely closed as their owners hibernate and wait for the return of the day trippers and families on their annual holidays - like tortoises occasionally peaking out from their sleep on sunny weekends and to service Christmas & New Year visitors.

But from the 23rd of December the days will start to lengthen - we still have the tribulations of winter to face and questions to ask and await natures answer; will January and February bring colder days? Yes. Will we see snow? Recent years make this debatable at sea level but move 6 miles inland onto the high ground of the Wolds and the answer will doubtless be yes, but its time will be counted at best in days and the number on the fingers of your hands. Much easier to answer is the question; will we see rain? That is a resounding Yes - a product of global warming or simply just our weather?

You choose.

But, spring will soon return and with it the cycle will reverse. The migratory birds will return from their warmer climates, the geese will depart for the warming north, the puffins and other sea birds will again return from their time at sea to crowd the cliffs and our resident Gulls will again adjust to changes in their food sources – inland refuge sites losing attraction as the fried fish supply returns.

Prsonally, regarless of its negatives, I quite like winter by the sea.