Wet, wintry, wild: Meteorologists and climate scientists meet to discuss weird British weather

LONDON – Come rain, wind or sunshine, the weather has long been one of Britain's main topics of conversation. Now it has also become a mystery.

Meteorologists and climate scientists are meeting Tuesday to discuss why this country has recently experienced icy winters, washed-out summers and the coldest spring in half a century.

Scientist Stephen Belcher, who's chairing the workshop, says its goal is to look at whether the weird weather is the result of "a run of natural variability," or the product of human-driven climate change.

He says one theory is a link between declining Arctic sea ice and the European climate, but it is unclear how important that factor might be.

The one-day meeting is intended to identify avenues for further study.