Steve C

Yes, most of southern UK sat in a nice col. However days 7,8,9 and 10 evolve into an Azores ridge pushing in. I guess that doesn't matter though, as day 6 is bound to be 'reliable' and thereafter inevitably FI.

Except it happened. I didn't just make this up. Also note my italics. I knew of some people who 'came out' who didn't fit my 'stereotype'

I could go through the whole winter, if I wore thick clothes and maybe gloves, for the very coldest times, without putting the heating on and not really suffer. However, I like to walk about indoors in a fairly comfortable fashion - relatively lightly clothed. A little heating in my house for a couple of hours in the evening and an hour in the morning, currently.

I find the concept of a homosexual gene passing from generation to generation quite bizarre... Having said that, there could be something genetically spontaneous, that could occur in a person's make up. I knew even as a young child that certain children (boys) had a femininity about them (the voice that some gay males have) In later life, these children became gay men, so maybe there is something in it?

Thanks for the update. Looking at the timing of the New Moon, I'm thinking the highest tides will be between Monday and Wednesday. Hopefully any storms and the highest tides will be a bit out of synch. Fingers crossed.

Picture from near here yesterday. It is obviously of no artistic merit and I couldn't take one from another angle, without likely issues, as there was a school behind me and it was near closing time. I also don't live there and know no-one who does. I took it because of the small tree in the foreground.

I hope not, Eastenders seems to me to be a never ending cycle of 'downs', with 'ups' very few and far between.

But very smelly?

Several thunderstorms during the night. Lots of close lightning - less than one second between lightning and thunder - meant a very disturbed sleep and an ongoing power cut too. Isle of Wight.

Several cloud to ground strokes and very loud thunder here. Crab and Lobster Inn, Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

Thanks for that - for some reason I hadn't spotted it. I don't like the sound of a 'significant wind event' tbh. Looking at the latest parallel GFS run though, we could be facing something in a couple of weeks.

I'd love to be in Lewes tonight! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29921797

When is the Netweather Winter Forecast coming out, or is a bit too early still?

Interesting reading the contemporary reports from the Times. An interesting footnote there too - a report on the event that would become known as the 'St Valentine's Day Massacre'

6.5C here, with heavy rain. Pretty foul day in my book.

I remember the quality of the forecasts through the last winter... Hence I read the postings with a shovel full of salt.

Hmmm I see the parallel GFS model (and the old one too) is showing a possible gale next Friday. Personally I hope this doesn't come off; I'm due to be on a ferry.

Don't think you'll find it yet.

It's hardly winter in October though NTLST and it's hardly 'hot' either. Go out for a lunchtime walk and enjoy today. This weather will be a memory in a few days. 22C has never been recorded in the UK in November, so it's about as warm as it can get now.

And 2009/10 was colder than 1981/82, but the gist of what he says remains. A negative OPI is still something we want to see. I think he's just saying don't place too much reliance one one indicator.

The 100 year thing irritates me. Are they saying colder than the winter of '63, in which case you'd have to go back to 1740 for a colder one in the UK, or just more lazy / sensationalist journalism?

I have a bit / (or a lot) more idea than you might think. I've seen things at very close hand.

Yes, I used to go for lunchtime walks, where I worked, near a large shooting estate. Every day you'd see buzzards wheeling and it was a pleasant sight, because more than 15 years ago buzzards were a vanishingly rare sight where I live and work, due to historical persecution. Then suddenly they were no more. This wasn't at a time of migration either. Descendants of Anglo-Norman leeches, still leeching.

I disagree with this. Warm and sunny weather is always welcome with me, whatever time of year - it's extremely rare in Winter; I remember a day or two in February 2013, before the March cold set in, but the fact I remember it, shows its rarity. Yesterday was hugely preferable to today in my book. Having said that, I am missing the crisp and calm Autumn mornings, which can be great for photographs and have been annoyingly scarce so far this season. I also do like proper snow (not sleet or half an inch of disruption)

Any timescale? I prefer using the site here, as my never more than basic French skills are not much more than merci, bonjour!, or au revoir! now.