Does the possibility of a cold winter this year worry you?

[Pixel]

Let's face it... it's easier to keep warm than make it cooler at home.

Charity shops are full of lovely warm clothing right now - stock up on vintage hand knitted jumpers/blankets et al. 

Check the pockets for cash tho (-:

[winterfreak]

Usually, like any other year, I’d be gunning for a 1979,1987 or 1991 redux but I hope this year we avoid it as it’ll be misery for some. Odds are favourable for a mild winter anyway because, as we know, about a 1000 things have to fall in place just right to get proper cold here. Would settle for a mild winter of above average rainfall. We’ll see….

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Bring it on. I've 3000lts of oil on order, a coal bunker that's overflowing and a log store full enough for two winters. 

Colder the better

[winterfreak]

On 17/08/2022 at 07:45, Turnedoutniceagain said:

Bring it on. I've 3000lts of oil on order, a coal bunker that's overflowing and a log store full enough for two winters. 

Colder the better

I’ve got about two ton of logs ready for winter. Aiming to keep the gas CH off and just wrap up warmer as well. Completely relagged the loft this spring  to 300mm so I’ve got us in the best starting position. Going to top up food stores too. Currently could feed the five of us for a month or 6 weeks at a push even if it was the proverbial rice and beans. Planning to add to it as much as possible. Got a 10 square m home veg patch too that I completed this year but sadly was very late starting it off so really next year is when it’ll come into its own. Hedgerow foraging is something I’m big into so will be lots of jams and jellies from that, chestnuts and apples too hopefully. Trying to be much less reliant on others as far as possible. Grew up in the sticks on the North Downs in the 70s/80s and mum and dad taught us well. Fingers crossed  

Edited August 18, 2022 by winterfreak
Additional info

[Sunny76]

34 minutes ago, winterfreak said:

I’ve got about two ton of logs ready for winter. Aiming to keep the gas CH off and just wrap up warmer as well. Completely relagged the loft this spring  to 300mm so I’ve got us in the best starting position. Going to top up food stores too. Currently could feed the five of us for a month or 6 weeks at a push even if it was the proverbial rice and beans. Planning to add to it as much as possible. Got a 10 square m home veg patch too that I completed this year but sadly was very late starting it off so really next year is when it’ll come into its own. Hedgerow foraging is something I’m big into so will be lots of jams and jellies from that, chestnuts and apples too hopefully. Trying to be much less reliant on others as far as possible. Grew up in the sticks on the North Downs in the 70s/80s and mum and dad taught us well. Fingers crossed  

Good luck.

Unfortunately, we live in a studio flat, so no garden for growing anything or being self sufficient.

One thing we plan to do though, is eat just one meal a day starting from September 1st. No breakfast, which is easy since we started IF back in June, and usually manage until 12-1pm before we eat anything.

Could easily get to 7pm in the evening before our first meal, and probably stick to it until March or April next year.

[winterfreak]

4 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

Good luck.

Unfortunately, we live in a studio flat, so no garden for growing anything or being self sufficient.

One thing we plan to do though, is eat just one meal a day starting from September 1st. No breakfast, which is easy since we started IF back in June, and usually manage until 12-1pm before we eat anything.

Could easily get to 7pm in the evening before our first meal, and probably stick to it until March or April next year.

We’re really lucky I know. Terrible you’re put in that situation though sunny 

Edited August 18, 2022 by winterfreak

[Weatherman_93]

As a family of three is a mid terraced house we have always been low uses of both gas/electric. My bill doubled in April but is still low compared to other eye watering amounts other people are paying. With the £400 being added to our accounts this will probably cover my usage for both winter 22 and 23. I have invested in a bladeless fan heater as this will cost less to run than having the central heating on. I'm more favoured for a mild winter!

[cheeky_monkey]

On 18/08/2022 at 07:05, Sunny76 said:

Good luck.

Unfortunately, we live in a studio flat, so no garden for growing anything or being self sufficient.

One thing we plan to do though, is eat just one meal a day starting from September 1st. No breakfast, which is easy since we started IF back in June, and usually manage until 12-1pm before we eat anything.

Could easily get to 7pm in the evening before our first meal, and probably stick to it until March or April next year.

i only ever eat one meal a day..have done for years..i never eaten breakfast even as a child as i always feel a bit nauseous in the morning..i will have a latte at around 9am and an oat bar or something like that..i dont eat lunch (lunch is for wimps) and have a proper meal around 6pm 

[Bradley in Kent]

For the sake of the vulnerable and farmers, I'd happily take a mild and wet winter which previously I've wished against. 

[damianslaw]

It will be sod's law we endure a cold winter... apart from 73-74 winter when we last had an energy crisis, cold winters have coincided with times of economic woe and disncontent.. 78-79 'winter of discontent, strikes etc', 81-82 record unemployment, high inflation, 90-91 not as severe but was in the depths of housing market crash and recession, 08-09 through to 10-11 credit crash.. mmm more than a strong correlation!

Edited August 20, 2022 by damianslaw

[Dancerwithwings]

Bring it on, that’s what I say

[Weather Enthusiast91]

I would really like a 2020/21 style winter as it had a good mix of everything. I appreciate that the energy bills will be sky high for many of us, but at the same time I am not going to let the greedy energy companies influence my weather preferences and spoil my enjoyment. The energy usage in my house during winter is fairly low compared to some other households, as we don't have the heating on as often and only two rooms get heated. But otherwise, I can find other ways to warm up. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Weather Enthusiast91

[PiscesStar]

On 17/08/2022 at 06:32, winterfreak said:

Usually, like any other year, I’d be gunning for a 1979,1987 or 1991 redux but I hope this year we avoid it as it’ll be misery for some. Odds are favourable for a mild winter anyway because, as we know, about a 1000 things have to fall in place just right to get proper cold here. Would settle for a mild winter of above average rainfall. We’ll see….

We will probably end up with a bone chillingly cold one now..  

[PiscesStar]

On 08/08/2022 at 14:15, Team Squirrel said:

Yes, because it will be my first winter living in a new house, having moved from a small flat, so I already have no idea how much it will cost exactly to heat it, I can only estimate. We've bought additional sherpa blankets and hot water bottles just in case.

I usually love a cold winter but I'm worried about money this year.

My partner and I rent a small flat and even that gets cold. Not looking forward to it at all 

[Emz by the Thames]

1 hour ago, PiscesStar said:

My partner and I rent a small flat and even that gets cold. Not looking forward to it at all 

My house purchase has fallen through so I too will be in a small rented flat.  People are always really surprised to hear that it still costs quite a lot to heat a small flat because the heaters aren't particularly economical. Also lack of central heating leads to warm and cold spots in the flat which leads to condensation and mould issues, especially as  small flats with more than 1 person living there tend to be more humid due to 2 people cooking, showering and breathing in a small space, especially if you've no extraction or external door leading to the outside. I dread winter here, even though we have a dehumidifer on, if it gets about 70% percent, the whole flat starts to smell of mushroom soup...that's the mould growing. I feel for the guy upstairs though - even more this he only turns his immersion heater on 3 days a week so her can shower - the rest of the time he does the dishes and his daily ablutions by boiling the kettle alone - he's reall going to suffer this winter.

[Sunny76]

7 hours ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

I would really like a 2020/21 style winter as it had a good mix of everything. I appreciate that the energy bills will be sky high for many of us, but at the same time I am not going to let the greedy energy companies influence my weather preferences and spoil my enjoyment. The energy usage in my house during winter is fairly low compared to some other households, as we don't have the heating on as often and only two rooms get heated. But otherwise, I can find other ways to warm up. 

Yes 20/21 was a decent winter compared to recent years, and like you say had a bit of everything.

It also had quite a few clear crisp days in December and around Christmas time. We also had a bit of snow in January.

 

[simshady]

13 hours ago, PiscesStar said:

We will probably end up with a bone chillingly cold one now..  

Hopefully!

[carinthian]

On 20/08/2022 at 16:09, damianslaw said:

It will be sod's law we endure a cold winter... apart from 73-74 winter when we last had an energy crisis, cold winters have coincided with times of economic woe and disncontent.. 78-79 'winter of discontent, strikes etc', 81-82 record unemployment, high inflation, 90-91 not as severe but was in the depths of housing market crash and recession, 08-09 through to 10-11 credit crash.. mmm more than a strong correlation!

Yes, based on those past economic woes in Blighty, odds on that the frosts will be cruel this coming winter of discontent. Gas supplies already rationed over here. I am going to try a winter season without under floor heating. Hopefully , will save a Euro or two. Luckily my home is made mostly of timber and well insulated. Thermo -stat already set to lowest comfort value. More worryingly, my local village has recently invested in a new state of the art snow plough, perhaps they know more of whats to come ?

 C

[ItNeverSnowsInWindsor]

I think we’re well due a cold winter!

It’s been more than 9 years since we’ve had more than a few inches of snowfall here in Windsor!!

[Stewart M]

I usially look forward to seeing snow and cold in winter but this year, with circumstances being what they are re energy prices I think it's in almost all our interests if it's a mild one this time.

Edited August 29, 2022 by Stewart M

[ItNeverSnowsInWindsor]

It’s up to the government to sort the energy caps out.

[sunny_vale]

It is really concerning. It seems like they throw out a wild new figure every day. £6000 energy bills (can't remember exactly where I read this, hopefully was an extreme estimate)  would put even comfortable earners in a tricky financial situation. If the government actually taxed the right people maybe we could fund ourselves through the next couple of years. Somehow I don't see that happening with this lot though . . .

I really really do want to see some snow this winter, even if it's just for a day. The rest can be a mix of mild/sunny and frosty. Either way our building is constantly heated (yes, even in 40c heat) so we have no choice BUT to pay for constant hot water usage. We won't have to put on the under floor heating luckily for that reason but it's going to rocket regardless. 

[jonboy]

I'm worried for the simple reason that I don't think this government understands the problem let alone how to deal with its effects but also all we hear about is the cost and its impacts. How about this government admits the root cause (let's not just blame the war in Ukraine) but the lack of planning allowing the oil and gas producers to hold the world to ransom they could turn on the taps and produce more oil and gas in the short term but for us in the UK we are in trouble as this government decommissioned much of our storage capacity especially for gas.

My fear is that many businesses will go bust because the public won't spend because there money is going to line the pockets of the oil and gas companies but equally they won't be able to afford the increased energy costs that aren't capped without passing on that cost which will make many goods unaffordable which stokes inflation ( expect 20% inflation by the end of 2023 if this government does nothing about business costs) and if it is a harsh winter expect civil unrest. The poll tax riots will seem like a party in the park!!!!

[Durham Weather]

Can we not just have a boring, average and non-extreme winter for once? It seems like every month at the moment needs to break records. Just my thoughts.

[MP-R]

17 minutes ago, Durham Weather said:

Can we not just have a boring, average and non-extreme winter for once? It seems like every month at the moment needs to break records. Just my thoughts.

Most winters are these days so that shouldn’t be too difficult lol.