THE COLD temperatures of winter could be a thing of the past, according to experts in Dundee.

Milder and wetter weather seen throughout Tayside in December and last month have followed a nationwide trend of a warmer winter which has led some to predict the disappearance of winter in Scotland.

Dundee University’s Botanic Garden curator Alisdair Hood said he has noticed significant differences in wintry weather over the last few years.

“Winter these days does not seem to start until January, but that is just my gut feeling and is not based on anything scientific,” he said.

“However you just have to look at the temperature outside today to see how warm it is for this time of year. At the moment it is 13 degrees, which is staggering.

“As far as I can see there has been a very slight shift in plants flowering early but it is really only by a few days.

“What I have noticed this year is the jump between freezing temperatures one day and then quite warm temperatures the next day. I would have expected long periods of cold at this time of year.”

Mr Hood also believes the growing winter temperature could lead to an increasing number of garden bugs.

He continued, “The rise in temperature is not a healthy thing, as it is not killing off pests and diseases that the winter frost and temperatures usually fight.”

Met Office figures confirmed the temperatures in Scotland have been higher than expected for this time of year.

Last month’s average mean temperature was 3.5C, which is 1.4C above what is normal for the first month of the year.

December’s mean temperature was 3.2C, which is 0.4C above average.

Dr Adrian Newton, of the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie, said, “I would not put it as far as saying that winter no longer exists, but the changes do reflect the trend of milder temperatures, less frosts and longer growing seasons.

“I would not class the changes as good or bad. Things always change and respond and will create new opportunities. We will have to adapt to these changes.”

Met Office forecaster Helen Chiver said, “Obviously you have to look at these things over hundreds of years, not just two, but these changes do seem to reflect what we would expect from the effects of climate change.”