Actually the number of participants has been fairly static over the past few years. I introduced a rule change in 2013 to allow up to 2 missed predictions. Without that the numbers would have dropped off a bit. As it is they have stabilised at just over 50 in the last couple of years. The figures below represent those remaining in the competition at the end of the year. Obviously the numbers are much higher at the start of the year but fall away a bit as people who tend to only post in the winter miss predictions later in the year.

2009: 13

2010: 25

2011: 43

2012: 51

2013: 57 (rule change came in)

2014: 53

2015: 53

Always good to have new people taking part in the competition. Still time to join in for January and even if you miss this month you can still join next month given the current rules allow up to two missed predictions.

4.9 please!!

Some Figures to be getting on with ...

Met  Office Hadley               4.2c.        Anomaly        0.6c.     Provisional to 1st. .....

Metcheck                            5.42c.       Anomaly         1.26c.

Netweather                         5.01c.       Anomaly         0.82c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather       4.4c.         Anomaly        -0.5c.

Clevedon Weather                8.2c.         Anomaly         1.8c.

Mount Sorrel                        4.8c.         Anomaly         0.6c.

Peasedown St John               5.8c.         Anomaly         0.1c.       

I'm surprised but as you say, not all those who begin stay to the finish.  Nevertheless, having over 50 finishers is pretty impressive and shows how popular the CET competition is.  I have to smile at the thought of us pulling our hair out in the 2010/11 winter. 

HT, I've just posted this on the December thread but it's perhaps best requested here.

Would it be possible to have an archive of the CET competitions? 

I'd find it useful to look back on these threads as I often wonder how previous months performed, especially the ones that throw up record breakers like December did and I'd also like to see how I performed in previous months.  Apart from that, some of our members take the time and effort to post some very useful stats. 

So it would be nice if we could keep them all because it's a shame when these threads drop off the radar and disappear for ever and I'm sure other members would agree.

Thanks in advance and anticipation! 

Here are the predictions for January

Met Office Hadley               5.2c.       Anomaly      1.6c.

Metcheck                           6.38c.     Anomaly      2.23c.

Netweather                        7.02c.     Anomaly      2.83c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather      6.6c.      Anomaly       1.7c.

Clevedon   Weather            8.7c.      Anomaly       2.3c.

Mount    Sorrel                   6.3c.      Anomaly       2.1c.

Peasedown St John             7.7c.      Anomaly       2.0c.

Weston Weather                 7.6c.      Anomaly       1.7c.  

 NO UPDATE FROM HADLEY YET......

  Metcheck                       6.33c.      Anomaly       2.20c.

  Netweather                    7.18c.      Anomaly       2.99c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather      6.8c.        Anomaly        1.9c.

 Clevedon   Weather           8.6c.        Anomaly         2.2c.

  Mount   Sorrel                  6.1c.        Anomaly         1.9c.

 Peasedown  St  John          7.5c.        Anomaly         1.8c.

AGAIN NO UPDATE FROM HADLEY YET....

Metcheck                           6.49c.     Anomaly      2.33c.

Netweather                        7.18c.     Anomaly      2.99c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather      6.8c.       Anomaly      1.9c.

Clevedon  Weather              8.5c.      Anomaly       2.1c

Mount   Sorrel                     6.3c.      Anomaly       2.1c.

Peasedown  St   John           7.5c.      Anomaly       1.8c.

 What a late update...

Met Office Hadley      6.0c.   Anomaly  2.5c...  

It's starting to look like the cold will arrive at least a week ahead of what I had envisioned. Glad to be at the lower end of the table on this occasion, though things are far from set in stone yet!

 Met Office Hadley            6.2c.      Anomaly        2.7c.   Provisional  To  5th.

 Metcheck                        6.42c.    Anomaly       2.27c.

 Netweather                     7.24c.    Anomaly       3.05c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather    7.0.       Anomaly       2.1c.

Clevedon Weather            8.4c.     Anomaly        2.0c.

Mount   Sorrel                  6.4c.     Anomaly        2.2c

Peasedown  St John          7.4c.     Anomaly        1.7c.

This could turn into a very interesting Month indeed 

Thanks for your response, GW 

Some absolutely huge monthly swings there, yet none in the 20th/21st Centuries

I'd also say the prospect of a cold January has increased a tad since your post 

Nothing's coming up on my screen GW; do I have to press something?

No the charts should be visible when you load the page. I can see them on both PC and iPad

Thanks- got 'em.

Another mild day expected tomorrow which will keep the CET above 6C. It is amazing just how cool it has felt this week despite temperatures still being well above average. Just shows how ridiculous the temperatures were in December.

After tomorrow we begin a slide into much cooler conditions, potentially very cold. Current output suggests the CET could easily get down to 4C by the 20th if it verifies and it could be much colder than that. But we are unlikely to see a really low CET this month unless it gets exceptionally cold because the first week has been very mild. But after last month I wouldn't rule anything out.

Met Office Hadley             6.3c.         Anomaly      2.8c.    Provisional to  6th.

Met check                        6.37c.       Anomaly       2.22c.

Netweather                       7.08c.      Anomaly       2.89c.

Met  Office  Hadley       6.3c.           Anomaly           2.8c.   Provisional  to   7th.

Metcheck                     6.05c.         Anomaly           1.89c.

Netweather                  6.96c.         Anomaly           2.77c.    

Met Office Hadley            6.2c.          Anomaly        2.7c.     Provisional  to  8th.

Metcheck                        6.03c.         Anomaly         1.88c.

Netweather                      6.76c.        Anomaly         2.57c.

Cheadle Hulme Weather    6.6c.          Anomaly         3.2c.

Clevedon Weather            8.1c.          Anomaly         1.7c.

Mount Sorrel                   5.9c.           Anomaly         1.7c.

Peasedown St John         7.0c.            Anomaly         1.3c.      

Good- currently my prediction looks like being far closer than December's- but then, it would be hard not to.

More than the first week of January out of the way and the CET still over 6C.

...and, thankfully, still under 7C