Smoke above

Well, the clash of the titans didn't produce much in the way of surprises, and we're still in danger of being blanketed by too much hot air and dust by the continuing emissions from that hotbed of calderic excitation, the national press.

Meanwhile, with the entire country a lot quieter, it's worth remembering that the last time there was a shut down of air space on a similar scale - 9/11 - global temperatures showed a slight but nonetheless measurable rise which was, apparently, all to do with the lack of jet emissions, which play a part in reflecting sunlight at high altitudes.

It's been an odd few months, in weather terms, and the trend towards these repeated spells of high pressure could mean a massive heat wave in June and July, and that would not be nice, except for Fan manufacturers and air con salesmen. Staying cool, of course, is far harder than warming up;  it's easy to slip on another pullover, or have a nice cuppa, but cooling down is a more difficult process, without resorting to cold showers and baths. 

Whatever the weather, and whether we like it or not, the political temperature's bound to rise before May and the British people, in their joint wisdom, choose the government they believe will create the least mayhem for the future. Let's hope they get it right.