There could be no more dreaming of a white Christmas

MET Office analysts predict that snow could be a thing of the past because of climate change. No more white Christmases, snowmen or sledging. No more waking up to a visually delightful winter wonderland, only to watch it disintegrate into mucky sludge as the day progresses.

How long before winters become so balmy that the turkey is cooked on the barbecue? Chaps would enjoy a cold beer in the garden as they tended the festive grill while ladies enjoyed a white wine.

(Have you noticed how blokes are always in charge of the barbie?)

The weather might get hot enough for vineyards on the hillsides of the Holme Valley, see spa days return to Slaithwaite (yes, there really was once a spa there), and introduce water skiing down the Colne Valley canal.

The projections, both those of the Met Office and my own, may sound fanciful but remain a possibility unless we get a grip on climate change, which has taken a bit of a back seat as the world copes with Covid-19.

More than 70 world leaders took part in a virtual climate change conference at the weekend, organised by the UK, France and the UN. British minister Alok Sharma said progress had been made but not enough. World leaders were failing to show the necessary levels of ambition. Science has taken the first steps to getting the pandemic under control with vaccines developed faster than anyone predicted. Just goes to show what this human race can achieve when faced with a world disaster.

Let’s hope we can harness pollution and world leaders and save the planet, too. I like waking up to a winter wonderland, even though it does turn to slush, and every child loves making a snowman.