Once again the weather forecasters have got it wrong, and although a blizzard did indeed engulf New York this week, it wasn’t the Perfect Storm Americans were warned about.

Yes it snowed, but the three feet of the white stuff predicted was conspicuous by its absence, making all the precautions, like banning traffic from the roads and closing down the entire subway network, seem a trifle ridiculous.

I expect the city’s many homeless people were glad of the extra handouts of hot food and blankets, even if they were annoyed to find the subway stations locked so they couldn’t make for their usual sleeping places underground.

The ‘non-news’ story made me wonder about two things: first, is it better for the weathermen to get it wrong, and warn us about a potential disaster which doesn’t happen, or get it wrong and assure us everything will be fine, only to then admit later that they mis-read the warning signs of the floods/snowfall/ hurricanes we’ve just endured?

Secondly, people here sometimes complain that we are living in a ‘nanny state’: how would we react to a radio broadcast from someone like council leader Jane Scott, or police commissioner Angus Macpherson (the nearest we have to a Mayor, at present) telling us we would be committing a criminal offence punishable by an on-the-spot fine if we took our cars off the drive for the next 24 hours?

The civil liberties lobby would have a field day, complaining that our hard won freedom to drive on roads whatever the weather, and with complete disregard for commonsense, was being infringed.

As someone who learned to drive in the Frozen North (well, Lancashire) it does annoy me that so many drivers carry on blasting down snowy roads at 30mph, with no lights on and not having bothered to clear their windows so they can see clearly, and are then amazed when they hit an icy patch and slide into the vehicle in front/nearest tree or lamp-post – and that’s a best-case scenario.

We certainly do seem to be having some peculiar weather at the moment, with mini-tornadoes rattling the roofs, torrential downpours sluicing out of dark skies and bright sunshine and fluffy white clouds making us feel as if spring is on the way – all in one day.

It’s confusing the plants too, with furry buds busily swelling on magnolia trees (I predict a display of brown soggy petals when the next hard frost hits) and pets starting to cast winter fur.

Apparently, snow is forecast for England this weekend, but never fear: I went out and bought a sledge when the last fall was predicted a few weeks ago, which practically guarantees that we will not have enough snow to slide a teatray, let along a proper sled, on until at least next Christmas.