2013/2014 Winter - Should we be getting ready for 'snowmageddon'?

[johnworf]

According to this article, based on past winters and other factors, this winter could be a very chilly one.

I don't understand half of the things used to predict why this may be but I'm wondering if I should start making sure we're ready for it, should it come?

Just heard the forecast on BBC1 and Thursday is all change with a NW cold wind and drop in temp.to about 12 degrees but can feel much colder due to the wind. Oh, well heating on then, padded jackets and gloves walking the dog. So long as the humidity goes away and doesn't appear as damp cold

It certainly looks that way. A shame, I was hoping it would last one more week as I've got a bit of a nice weekend planned next week.

Had to wait until lunch time for the sun to appear today. Got a bit of difficult pruning bushes done in the afternoon. The pruning I can do, it's the bending down that hurts now. Still got lots to do though. The Phlox have to be cut down to the ground - sigh, ooh, ouch. And all my climbing roses when my neck and shoulders ache. Oh, to be just 5 years younger.

Beautiful warm day here (Leicester) and 21.8C.
I'm liking the wintry views in Iceland atm, as they've had some snow overnight.

It's been very mild here in the NW. Just looked at the met office and it looks like the temps are about to dip and the wind is getting up.

Just a thought OYBBK, how far in front can the weather people accurately forecast?

It's very dependent on the weather conditions johnworf - if its a big high pressure system then I'd be happy at forecasts up to 5 days in advance. If its a little low pressure then even the day before can get the position and depth wrong. Id generally reckon about 3 days is a good guide.

Making the most of the warmth that is clinging on down here. up on some Scottish hills snow looks likely later.

Temp dropped here overnight. Having been 16C on Tuesday night, woke up this morning and it's 9C, a bit windy. Feeling like Autumn.

Surely the temps up until today have been higher than average for the time of year? Or are they........?

Feels like autumn has finally arrived though. Hate this kind of weather...it's not cold enough to kill off lurgy bugs.

They have been - the CET (central england temperature) average for October is 10.4C. So far the CET has been approx 15C (see the netweather tracker )

still 15C down here, so I'm taking the opportunity to wash all our duvets and vacuum the mattresses and what not and then I can put the winter duvets on tonight.

Have had my winter duvet on since the end of the heatwave. We had 6.9 last night and now 7.3. 18 in the sitting room.
Yesterday managed a bit more pruning of the climbing roses. Don't mind it cool, but hope it does not rain during dog walks.

Brrrrr. 6c this morning. Autumn is such a funny season isn't it, it pretends to be summer then BAM it feels like winter.
Temps should start to climb back to normal Oct temperatures over the next few days.

A windy day today, especially down the east coast where the met office have some yellow warnings in places.

What's the normal range for average October temps?

met office say for England the average max is 13.9c and the average min is 6.9c

The question, as always, is what to wear for the dog walks.
Wore leather gloves this morning, but my jacket hood was not snug enough to shield sides of neck from the cold wind. My lungs loved the refreshing cool wind, though. Almost felt like a spring chicken again
Definitely a northerly wind and quite strong away from the trees and hedges.

Just looked at last years lowest night temps in Oct.
13.2 , 9 , 11, 5, 11, 8, 3. max on the 7th was 15 out.
6.5 8.6 11, 2.4 < missed 3 nights>
15th oct was 2.9, but rest of the week was 10-11.
4th week 12-13, then 27th was 0.8
Rest of Oct was around 3.
Top day temp on 23 Sept was 13. I put the heating on last year on 24th September.

Cold, windy and damp here (Leicester) so doesn't feel the 12.1C that my weather station says it is.
I'm still fighting the urge to put the heating on

9 degrees minimum in the nigh. Poured with rain at 7am for a minute. Sun was out at 9.30, then emerged from dance hall at 12pm with it raining. Of course gardener had rung last night to say he was coming today at 4.30 as forecast said it would be dry today and raining all weekend[confused.
Perhaps little dog can wear her pink raincoat that arrived today from Hong Kong

We've reached the 'dizzy' heights of 13.6C here and the wind's got up ~ just had a gust of 14mph.
Saturday night and Sunday looks awful with wind and rain forecast, wouldn't be surprised if a weather warning comes along from the metoffice soon. autumn's here.

For dog walking for the last 3 days, I've worn my Northface winter waterproof coat. The wind's been so cold that I've not even sweated slightly.......The dogs don't do clothes as they're Labs

Power cut this morning? No, something in my house tripped the main switch on my trip switch. Got the lights back on but the sockets kept going off. Just managed to make 2 cups of tea inbetween.
Tried switching off the likely culprits to no avail. phoned my insurance and got cut off on the phone - no, don't have an ipod/mobile.
Kept trying again and for now it has been on for a whole 12 minutes. Most likely the rain got to a socket and it's now stopped dripping, but still no idea which one and all het up. Fridge/freezer back on, thank goodness.

Nightmare! I hope you can work out which bit is tripping it.

OK...OYBBK, remember the original Daily Fail article re 'Snowmageddon'? Now the Daily Express are at it.

Is there any truth in this or they just going into headless chicken mode?

Just read that myself! Should I run out & buy snow boots for everyone?