The Met Office has issued a news release on the reasons for the cold March, together with a more detailed technical explanation for climate and weather geeks. While Lord Hunt's "cold caused by melting Arctic" line is repeated, other possible causes are explained in full as is the existence of precedents for this kind of weather. A balanced briefing from the Met Office? Whatever next?
Whilst the cold March 2013 weather is certainly unusual, it is not unprecedented or outside the expected natural variability of our climate. There is particularly heightened interest in the role of the Arctic on the UK's weather, given rapid changes in Arctic sea ice, and on the likely changes we may observe given future decline. It is worth re-emphasising, however, that while changes in the Arctic are consistent with predisposing the climate system to cold weather in northern Europe, this is only one possible driver among several potential factors which could account for the cold March weather. What we have still to understand is the degree to which our changing climate may alter the likelihood and intensity of extreme events. With the rapidly changing Arctic, this is now high on the research agenda.