A reminder of the interesting blog piece back in July by George Monbiot of The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jun/15/daily-express-weather-forecast-jonathan-powell

By the way, this article is freely available and in the public domain.

Just looking through the comments below today's Express nonsense .......

"If the Met Office says it will be a 6 month winter, it will probably be mild and wet. Never trust anything they say they rarely get it right."

and

"Still awaiting the huge blizzards that were forecast last week ??

Wonder if they are awaiting their bonus payments at the Met office ???"

One of my colleagues told me this morning that we're going to have the hardest winter since 1947.... I immediately correctly guessed its the was Daily Express and was very dismissive.... she was a bit put out - genuinely believing the story - and subsequently felt somewhat guilty.  

The Express has been running these weather panic stories for years now, with the stories becoming more extreme and exaggerated, so it clearly sells papers!   I'm hoping they're going to go so far and so ridiculous that even the weather-illiterate Express readers will see the c**p for what it is.....

Just adjusted in a bit.

UK Outlook for Thursday 28 Nov 2013 to Saturday 7 Dec 2013:

Starting mainly dry and fine in the south, with variable amounts of cloud and a risk of frost and fog. Strong winds and rain continuing in the northwest on Thursday will spread further southeast through Friday. Thereafter, a good deal of dry and settled weather is likely at first, especially in the south and west, with some sunny/clear spells but also the risk of nighttime frosts and fog. More unsettled conditions are likely to move across Scotland, with stronger winds, rain and hill snow. Wetter and windy periods are expected to transfer southwards affecting most parts by early December. There is a low risk that some colder conditions may spread across the UK for a time as we move into December, but temperatures are most likely near normal.

UK Outlook for Sunday 8 Dec 2013 to Sunday 22 Dec 2013:

Latest indications show that high pressure is likely to remain close to the southwest of the UK, for a time, and may continue to give more settled periods of weather across southern parts into mid December. Otherwise a return to more normal conditions for early winter is most likely. This will lead to the wettest and windiest conditions across the north of the UK, and the best of the drier and brighter conditions further south. There are indications that temperatures may remain a little below average for the time of year.

Issued at: 0400 on Sat 23 Nov 2013

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Looks like quite benign and settled weather for us southerners over the next month - at least it will stay cold and frosty, thus making it more seasonal! :-)

Certainly a change as they had been suggesting temps would be slightly above average

Hi all.

Here are my updated thoughts for the weather in Kent for the week ahead (25th November - 2nd December) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dHuKLuON64

Good stuff Steve , apart form the crap about muggy mild SWlies

I thought that would go down like a red balloon with some.  Plenty of time yet mate. 

....a red balloon?

How is that heavier than a lead balloon? :)

  Goodness knows where that came from Russ. It had been a long long tiring day. 

:D  weve all been there :)

UK Outlook for Saturday 30 Nov 2013 to Monday 9 Dec 2013:

Through the weekend, many places will be dry with variable cloud and sunny spells by day, and frost patches by night. However, a few blustery showers are likely for some coastal areas exposed to the north on Saturday. Into next week, it will turn generally cloudier, southern Britain staying mainly dry, but more changeable weather in the north. These more unsettled conditions may then spread south around mid-week. Rather cold in the south at first next week, but turning milder from the north with temperatures rising nearer normal. Later in this period, there is a chance that colder conditions may return south across the UK, with more wintry weather for some, and a risk of gales, especially towards the north.

Updated: 1124 on Mon 25 Nov 2013

UK Outlook for Tuesday 10 Dec 2013 to Tuesday 24 Dec 2013:

There are indications that temperatures are likely to remain below average for the time of year, but otherwise fairly normal conditions for early winter are most likely, with the wetter and windier weather tending to be towards the north and west of the UK, and the best of the drier and brighter conditions further south and east.

Updated: 1158 on Mon 25 Nov 2013

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"Wintry weather for some" in a couple of weeks' time?

Not too bad from the Met boys and girls

sounds like they're expecting a block to our east or south east.

You have to be f*****g kidding me

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/444385/Long-range-UK-weather-forecast-warns-snow-storms-and-Arctic-winds-could-last-SIX-months

Aye, but that was published on Friday.  

This is funny

The shock warning comes with the UK already shivering in an unseasonably early big freeze with temperatures plummeting to -5C and heavy snow sparking chaos in parts of the UK.

No great surprise!! -Meanwhile here is the (VAGUE) BBC Monthly Outlook:

The last paragrapgh is funny - "Wintry showers over Scottish High ground" - What about English High ground!? I wonder if Scotland does become an Independant country as to whether or the weather forecasters will cover Scotland!??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2635167#outlook

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Monday 25 November        Published at 10:00    

Monthly Outlook

Summary

A month of two halves

With November drawing to a close it is clear that this transition month can be split into two halves. The first half has been dominated by wet and windy conditions and very few dry days; in contrast the second half has, so far, been controlled by high pressure and settled conditions, with most days being dry. This has the knock-on effect that frost has gone from initially being fairly uncommon to being a nightly event. This past week has also seen the transition into much colder conditions pushing down from the north. This has not only sent thermometers plummeting down to -8 overnight in Highland Scotland on Friday 22nd November, but also some snow showers elsewhere.

Monday 25 November—Sunday  1 December

High pressure firmly in charge

November looks set to bow out in less than dramatic style with high pressure in charge of the conditions over the vast majority of the UK. The weather over the coming week looks set to stay mostly dry, albeit rather cloudy. This high pressure is associated with some lower temperatures than would ordinarily be expected at this time of year, meaning that frosts will become part of the nightly routine over the coming week. There may be a slight reprieve in the low temperatures midweek as some milder air penetrates the UK. However, it doesn't look likely that this will stick around with the mercury expected to dip back down by the end of the week.

Monday  2 December—Sunday  8 December

All change

It currently looks like through the start of December the high pressure area that has been sitting over western parts of the UK will slowly drift to the southwest away from the UK giving us a gradual return to more unsettled conditions. Wetter and windier conditions will be seen in northern parts of the UK first and these will gradually migrate their way south during the course of the week, however, there is some uncertainty currently as to how long this migration will take.

Monday  9 December—Sunday 22 December

A little bit of everything

As we move through December the weather looks set to give us a healthy mix of conditions. Spells of rain will be interspersed with brighter and drier periods. Temperatures at, or slightly below, the seasonal norm, therefore frosts will be a risk by night alongside some wintry showers over Scottish high ground.

The Met Office must be so frustrated by this sort of thing. Read the comments and people are saying things like "Well if that's what the Met Office are predicting then I'll get the BBQ out". People see a weather story and assume it is the Met Office.

Mr Rao even shoehorned in a quote from the Met Office at the end, saying it would be settled and HP dominated with the risk of frost and fog for the next few days... but oh no that means minimum temperatures will be a bit below average!