Nature confused by mild Christmas in UK where daffodils are blooming

The department stores and shopping streets are beautifully lit and decorated, but Christmas is not exactly in the air in Britain, where unexpectedly mild temperatures are causing some daffodils to bloom and some ice rinks to suspend operations.

Forecasters at the government’s Met Office say temperatures are expected to remain “exceptionally mild” in the run-up to Christmas.

The prediction is that the mercury will approach 16C over the weekend — several degrees higher than what is normal at this time of year.

Forecasters at Metcheck reckon there is a “good chance” temperatures could break the December record of 18.3C on Saturday.

The mild weather is having an impact on plant life cycles.

At the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, senior horticulturalist Ray Townsend said plants that normally flower in early spring are making an early appearance.

“I have been here nearly 42 years and I have never seen this kind of flowering in December before,” he said, citing the early arrival of daffodils, irises, snowdrops, and others.

The weather forecast more or less dashes hopes of a white Christmas — and the warmish weather is causing problems for ski areas in Scotland and for the popular ice skating rinks in southern England and Wales.

Alan Abretti, director of Cousins Entertainment, says the spring-like conditions have dampened the appetite for ice skating.

Abretti said most of the ice rinks are functional, but skaters have been put off by the several inches of water collected on the surface.