Caught in the crosshairs by the cool blob

It's not been the ending to Christmas most would have wished for. As northern England recovers from the devastating effects of Storm Eva (perhaps mopping sodden houses for the second or third time in a month) the weather seems the only topic of conversation.

But it is not just the UK experiencing remarkable weather. From unseasonably warm temperatures across Europe and the eastern US, to highly unusual tornadoes ripping across the central US, wildfires and fierce summer heat in Australia and extreme flooding in South America, the world's weather is very much out of kilter. Many are pointing the finger at the strong El Nino conditions in the Pacific Ocean, but that weather system can't explain it all.