OUR climate is changing. However, this is nothing new. It is a natural, ongoing and centuries-old process.

We’ve experienced prolonged cold periods such as the Little Ice Age and also times when the climate has significantly warmed.

A similar transition to a warmer period appears to be underway now.

Prolonged periods of drought, cold and warming down through the centuries are well documented.

For example, from 1538 until 1541, it was an extremely warm period not only across our shores but the rest of Europe too.

Summer 1540 was probably the hottest ever in Europe.

Weather records show, it only rained six times in London between February and September that year.

Lakes and rivers dried up and crops failed because of no rainfall and the intense heat.

In the spring and summer of 1541 it was also very dry. But it was all change the following year when a much wetter and cooler period set in.

In fact, this heralded the onset of severe winters and long-term cooling. If the current warming trend continues, we can probably look forward to more unpredictable and extreme weather in the years ahead with more prolonged periods of heat and cold. Remember there is a difference between weather and climate. Weather is day-to-day atmospheric conditions and climate is long-term.

l By Romsey Advertiser weather columnist Andy Simmonds