By Philip Eden

The 'Ice Saints' appear to be sleeping on the job this year. In old country weather lore St Mamertus, St Pancras and St Servatius, whose feast days fall on May 11, 12 and 13 respectively, were known as the Ice Saints because they were associated with a su dden deterioration in the weather which habitually occurred around mid-month. This regular cold snap was certainly evident during the 20th century, with almost 60 years out of 100 experiencing a sharp reversal in the normal warming trend between May 10 an d 20. The fickle British climate rarely produces a 'singularity' as reliable as that, so it is no surprise that it should have become enshrined in ancient lore.

The Ice Saints do not work their magic every year, but rarely can the weather have been as far removed from the traditional north wind, night frosts and wintry showers as it has this year. The recent heatwave brought temperatures as high as 28°C at Ri ckmansworth (Hertfordshire) and 24°C as far north as Aviemore (Inverness-shire). These are the highest mid-May temperatures since 1992, although coincidentally it was almost as warm on the same dates in 2000. and 1998. The temperature has now dropped in all parts of the UK, but the signs are that this will not be one of those years when the frosty nights come a few days late as temperatures are expected to climb again towards the weekend.

Even for those of us who dislike hot weather, a warm spell in May is usually welcomed. It banishes memories of the winter just past, it brings on the garden nicely, and it helps dry out cricket-grounds and muddy lanes. Sometimes we get a fully-fledged hea twave: the earliest date in the year to reach 30°C was May 12, in 1945. Sometimes it never happens, and in 1972 for instance the temperature failed to reach 21°C anywhere in the UK during the entire month of May.