If you look at the current, above-average sea-surface temperature anomalies in the direction from which an easterly would come, you can see why it wouldn't necessarily produce noteable cold in the UK, even if it did arrive.
http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sst_anom_new.gif
If an easterly were to persist, then that would eventually change, but for the foreseeable period, I can see why forecasters wouldn't shout "cold", even if they did expect the easterly to emerge.
Originally Posted by: some faraway beach