As always a very well put together piece
I always read your met threads even when not up there and if not bang on your never far off
Keep it up dude

Thanks for the great information and thread OP, not all of your information sank in all the way here but I get the gist of your post.
I did see you on the other thread by " Don't tread on me", and your thinking to start a thread on this very topic and I thank you for your efforts here.

I am not sure how cold it gets there in Scotland but here in Canada its can get a bit chilly.
I believe for this year, anyways no matter what befalls us here now we have escaped almost 50% of the bad winter weather we are used to.

Last year it was snow and snow and cold and cold and wind and wind from the 1'st of November till into April, so I figure we already have happily dodged almost 2.5 months of misery.

I started reading this thread this morning and it did prompt me to go out to the garage and gas up the snowblower and give it a run.

Here in Ontario once we hit the March 1'st date the sun is much higher and what snow we get can and usually does melt fairly fast (compared to January and February) so I think we are half out of the woods here.

I will add this just for reference, I am 52 years old born and lived here all my life and this so called winter is a new one for me.

Thanks again for the heads up and the very good information.
S&F
Regards, Iwinder

A few hours afterI read this, it starts snowing pretty heavily here in Northern Virginia

@OP Great post well done and thanks for all the effort from sunny Devon.
This is actually my first comment outside of the introductions page and I think it only right to say this is the kind of content that drew me to this site. My opion is the weather isnt normal at the moment here in the UK and that causes me concerne. Its 2012 and its time to be taking precautions (I have) Expect the unexpected and be prepared for the worst,with all the hype or whatever around 2012 Now is the Opertune Moment.

uggh!!!
well that dont help us here in california!!
Will we see rain at all this winter???

Worth pointing out that I have had quite a few people comment to me on how cold it is, when the temp has been above average, but a little below what we've gotten used to down here so far this mild winter.

A spell of perfectly normal weather would seem bitterly cold in comparison with current weather.

Anyway, would be nice to see some snow ago - last time here was 22nd December 2010 ......

great thread and great Avatar fellow clan member, Hold Fast!

The last thread I saw like this with conclusive colourful graphs and statistics etc predicted that a HUGE storm would be hitting England a few weeks before Christmas and nothing came of it, so I'll reserve judgement until the snow either comes or doesn't.

Well, while I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable or to suffer, my selfish side has to say: about time! I can has a rain? PLEASE?

I don't think your reputation should be too tarnished by offering a friendly warning about a potential. You never said this would definitely happen.

A new iceage perhaps...
its time ?

I had a feeling months ago that this winter would be very mild, and now that it is, I can only say that I LOVE that! HATE cold and winter!

I had to laugh when I read this:

What I’m about to present to you may very well put my reputation on the line with regards to weather forecasting and preparedness

No offense, btw. It's just that I don't think of predicting weather to be something to build a reputation on...that is until they get that weather manipulation device working.

Nice OP but ummm....... Doesn't it get cold every year at this time. Now if you were claiming ice burgs and glaciers or 110f day were in-store then I would panic.

well done jrmcleod, always impressed with your forecasting posts and love the methodical approach to your presentation of the issue. S+F.

wasn't any snow on christmas and know the snow is just in the way, so bah...

Here is to hoping OP is WRONG

Here in the midwest, us ice fishing lovers have been going bonkers not having ice. We know it will be just another couple of weeks. YIPPIE YIPPIE !!!

Got the clam airing out as I type.