[Steve]

Steve asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi Chris,

Great Show, so glad to have you back.

Please can I ask, with all this snow that the UK has been having, has this been blown over from somewhere that should have had it like the Arctic circle?

Does anyone know how it is at the poles at the moment, compared to how it used to be this time of year?

Keep up the good work and happy new year.

Regards

Steve, Snowy Great Yarmouth

What do you think?

[yor_on]

It has to do with 'humidity' and winds, and ocean currents. The more humidity or water in the air, the more snow. And you're partly correct. Let us assume that fewer lakes freeze in an area due to a warmer weather locally, that will mean more humidity in the air, then winds transport it and it might fall out as snow at your place, but there are all kind of factors playing in, like global warming making all oceans warmer, therefore also increasing the humidity over them,and their streams as well as a warmer air can contain more water etc.