So all of these newspaper reports about a very cold winter..

[atticusclaw2]

Can they actually tell at all yet? Are we not still too far off for there to be any accurate predictions? If we are due a lot of snow I'd like to know since we get snowed in with the slightest bit!

They say similiar every year. We get what we get.

I know I suppose the question was more long the lines of how far ahead can they predict? Ive just been on an MSE forum where they're talking about a very cold winter.

Every year I get excited by reports of snow; every year it just seems damp and dull!

may answer your question a little.

Nathan Rao (Daily Express) hasn't produced an accurate forecast yet, as far as I'm aware. Every year he promises apocalyptic weather, not seen it yet. Apparently this year is going to be as bad as 62/63 and yet all other weather sites are saying it's looking mild. I remember 62/63 it wasn't apocalyptic, at least not for a five year old!

We didn't have a winter last year. I cleared my car windscreen 3 times the whole winter.
There were wasps in January.

Totally bizarre.

The solar activity is too highto get a really cold winter. It's low, but not as low as 2008/9. Activity is on the downward slope though so they will get close form now on. We will get a repeat of 2008/9 in around 2022.

There are many inputs into our weather, solar input is just one factor. I don't have time to pull facts and figures together but 1946/47 was very cold in the UK yet was at a near solar maximum.