Weird weather around the world sees in 2012 | John Vidal | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Thousands of people in Austria, France and Germany were on Thursday still digging themselves out of some of the heaviest snowfalls seen in 30–50 years. After Europe's driest and warmest autumn for nearly 150 years, a massive storm dumped nearly 18ft of snow in two days this week, cutting off ski resorts and villages and leaving people and animals stranded. The summit of the 9,718ft Zugspitze mountain in Germany which had only 7.5 inches of snow a few weeks ago, now has 150 inches.

However, Arctic sea ice has not fully reformed after last year's massive melt when it reached its second lowest extent ever recorded. It is now at its third lowest December extent recorded since records began 30 years ago, averaging 12.38m square kilometres (4.78 million square miles).

More worryingly from a climate perspective, is data that shows its volume is now at it lowest ever recorded level at the start of a year. According to the US government-funded Polar Science Centre at the University of Washington, the volume on 31 December was around 12,230 km3 – a massive 47% lower than the maximum in 1979, and 37% below the mean as depicted on this chart.

UP shivers in biting cold, 10 dead

Lucknow: Intense cold prevailing in Uttar Pradesh claimed 10 more lives in the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

Heavy Snow in Chicago Grounds Flights, May Affect Commutes

Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Blowing and drifting snow in Chicago forced the cancellation of at least 460 flights and may tie up commuters.

Glacier National Park visits drop by 15 percent in 2011

The Daily Inter Lake reports the park's peak summer season got off to a slow start because of cold weather from early April
through June that delayed snowmelt and the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road's July 13 opening at Logan Pass was
the latest on record.

Union chief: Congress controlled by 'climate change deniers' - The Hill's E2-Wire

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Thursday that climate change deniers call the shots in Congress. 

“[I]t is clear that as long as Congress is effectively controlled by climate change deniers, all of us — investors, companies, workers and the broader public — must take action ourselves,” Trumka said.