>>From 53 degrees North Latitude . . . Today the forecast is for the temperature to reach plus 13 C (56 F). The snow is almost gone and will likely disappear today. There are leaf buds on the trees. It has been warming since mid February. Forty years ago it was much colder at this time of year and signs of winter were around into May. The winters are just as intense, but they have been getting shorter for quite a while. They start late and end early. As an example, this winter we had a wind chill of minus 50 celcius. Okay - Jake. It's your turn to issue some reassurring weather words about cycles in the climate from the icy fields of California. :)
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>>P.S. - http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03151002/H1N1_Swine_MN_IL_IA.html
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>FWIW, our winter has been the coldest since 1996.

And ours! Even the last 2 weeks have been bitterly cold (well .. to us). We've rarely had -ve temps of say -8 in Hampshire, in the south, like last week. Only the last few days have I been able to "cast a clout" or two. Actually worn my long-johns more often than ever before (mind you, that could be cos I'm getting older and feeling the cold more :-)