A very hard frost on Tuesday night (-4.5C) left the tree covered with
frost. Lovely Christmas Card views around the estate, especially around
the outside of the local park with the sun light causing a beautiful
glistening effect all round. The temperature struggled up above freezing
by midday, but only for a short time.

Taking the dog out at 3 o'clock yesterday, a rather strange sight was
evident on the footpaths leading to the park. Some of the trees had
obviously started to thaw in the sunlight and above zero temperature,
and the ground under each of them was covered with little rectangles of
ice, about a quarter by an eight of an inch in size. Never seen anything
like it before. Obviously the ice must have fallen off the branches in
strips, rather than dripping off, and shattered on landing on the still
frozen ground. Weird!

And they are all still there tonight. Today's maximum, 0.0C.

jim, Northampton