What do people reckon for next winter

On the bright side it cannot be any worse than last winter

I think it will be a much better winter than last year with frequent cold and snow - just a hunch

Any thoughts - scientific or gut feeling welcome

The metoffice base their forecast among other things on the atlantic SSTs, it gives an idea of what the NAO is likely to be come the winter. Ofc if the NAO is negative then cold and snow is almost axiomatic (if the AO follows suit).

Current SSTs

http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/sst/anomaly/2014/anomnight.8.11.2014.gif

This time last year

http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/sst/anomaly/2013/anomnight.9.12.2013.gif

What we are looking for is a tripole pattern, i.e Warm in the south, Cold in the mids, Warm in the north. Last year there was no real sign of this pattern at all. This year there is a tiny patch of cold in the mids, and there is warmth in the north. But no warmth in the south. From this alone, an average or mild winter is implied.

Have to agree with the City fan, there is no reliable way to do this kind of forecast - you may as well get the seaweed out and hang it on the wall. On the otherhand if we want to talk about what we hope might happen, then that's a different story. On that basis I'd like some good cold spells to try to limit the garden pests for next summer!

Cold .. Frost and fog,, Cold coming off the Atlantic  will make it snow more than the past 4 years. May have more Siberian winds from the east to contend with.. 

Like wise WI , was indeed woeful

Woeful perhaps, but just look at how my energy bills compared to the previous winter (in white)!

http://modeles.meteociel.fr/modeles/cfs/runs/2014081112/run3/cfsnh-0-2982.png?12

http://modeles.meteociel.fr/modeles/cfs/runs/2014081112/run3/cfsnh-0-3132.png?12

http://modeles.meteociel.fr/modeles/cfs/runs/2014081112/run3/cfsnh-2-4134.png?12

JFF

Irrelevant for me as my two log burners do the job for pence .

But understand what you are saying

If Dec 14 is snowier than Dec 10, then it'd be amazing!!!

Did you put the colours in with Photoshop, just to cheer yourself up?

long as winter was better than last year, I.E colder, ice some snow, and NE, E, winds then HAPPY DAYS,

I recorded colder temps last Autumn than the following Winter - that just shows how rubbish Winter was! hopefully this Winter will be better but we have no control over it so just a case of waiting and hoping. Still a long while off meteorologically.

Do you want an early sneak peek at my Winter 14/15 forecast:?

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You'll find out at the end of November.

According to the non-solar SLATless antipodean forecasting system:-

Very mild start.   December may well be snow and frost free in most parts.    Ski resorts worried.   Year ends warmest on record.

However a spell of quite cold and snowy weather setting in around end of Jan or first half of Feb 2015 - which could even produce some record lows in one of two spots and/or significant snow falls in places that rarely see much snow.

Overall though, a milder than average winter - despite the late cold snap.

I can safely say this winter will see frost 'early and late'. In fact I'd bet my house on it.

As for a considered forecast regarding this winter I think I'll hold fire until I see if the Greenland ice cap melts by the end of September.

Not here, it wouldn't. Dec 10 was disappointing here compared to Dec 09 which was a snowfest.