Yeah, you heard it first at Bertie, before Christmas; I've told everyone we know, so even the postman knew before you lot, and I don't care what a boosy I look if it's wrong, because like the song, I've spread a little happiness as I go by. If it works out right, I might try again next year.

As I have mentioned before, it is absolutely pointless trying to compare this winter with past winters, 1997-98 has been conjured up as a comparison ,  this winter is nothing like 1997-98. This winter is unique and unprecedented, mildest December ever by a margin and the charts are now hinting of the potential of the most significant cold spell possibly since March 2013. 

Trying to compare this winter with past ones is pointless. 

Just surreal how awful this winter is. An unspeakably terrible and revolting start to the year that rivals 1996. Utterly repugnant dark sunless gloom day in day out with almost continuous drizzle and wind from the grotesque SE direction

Tomorrow should take us to a full sunless week for the first time since March 2005 but even that vile sunless spell seems almost palatable compared to the putrid 2016 so far. As far as vile spells go this one takes top spot without doubt. Sickeningly awful and depressing

The word is putrick.

If the models have it right and the thoughts of some forecasters are proved to be correct, this thread may well become largely redundant soon!

Richard, for the sake of your sanity, I really do hope you get some cold in Aberdeen next week. 

I've been hinting at work that it's looking more seasonal next week but I haven't made an issue of it.  I keep telling my sister that it's still looking pretty wintry but it could change!  I think that about covers my back!

Pewter, putrid and sick.

Chosen in November from a range; the weather at the time needed a word Caz! But I think it was voted in as 100% by a poll response of about 3!

From what I can gather in the model thread, it's not turning cold after all next week!  I guess winter really is over   

After a fun day watching all the model output threads (here and the other place) my one thought was that there will a steady drip feed of panicky, negative comments, and talk of down-grades etc etc from now on. 

And lo it has come to pass...

It happens every time, but the message must surely be - get the cold in first and worry about the detail later...

Now back to watching people stress and worrying about the weather in 10 days time (and to be clear I don't mean any of the poor people who have flooded or are worried that they might). 

Whilst I'd love a month-long cold spell, I'd be happy with 7-10 days.

As long as it bloody snows!!!

My big fear in any of these situations is that the majority of the country is covered in snow, whilst it manages to miss MBY. Even in 2010, it felt like the whole of the UK was plastered in fluffy snow, but here in the NW of England we were destined for a green Xmas. Thankfully, it did snow (and how!) on the 17th December, staying deep'n'crisp'n'even until comfortably past Xmas Day itself. But I do remember vividly the annoyance, fear & sense of inevitability I felt during that December, when I *should* have been just enjoying it.

If this cold spell comes off, I do hope we get snow early on  

To be honest my IMBY location is generally poor for seeing much snow, although more recent winters have perhaps changed that  perception a bit. But even in the really good snow spells for me (Warminster) - Feb 2009, Jan 2010, Dec 2010 and Jan 2013 - have seen much of the UK have far more snow and for longer. I don't begrudge others their snow - if I did it would be time to move. 

I've reached the stage now where I don't expect several inches of lying snow for more than a day, or night-time minima below -5c, any more than I expect an overhead thunderstorm or a  tornado ....

If they happen, great.  But if they don't, well, I never enter the lottery so why feel disappointed when I don't win it?

Basically, anything more than -3c at night and a dusting of snow one morning, before then end of Feb, will be a massive bonus.

I'm not that altruistic   

I sympathise.  Weve has a lot of flooding in SE Kent but as its not commuter belt and not completely London-centrised here, it gets ignored.

Come on, Saint; all good things come to those who wait. We had our biggun on 1st December in '10 which was lovely but then I had to go to the in-laws for a white Christmas. You had a Wenceslas-style Christmas!

same old story! 

it is in a way. Rain turning to snow here and may help a little with keeping the rivers lower than they would be if it was just rain.

Sometimes - and probably lately due to an age thing - but I do ask myself on why I get all eager and excited about the prospect of cold and snow when all it does is make for more expensive heating costs and disruptions before turning to a messy slush within hours what with me living in a built up area. I guess I just like seeing it come down from the sky and settling as a fresh virgin cover completely changing the landscape temporarily before it all gets mashed up. Taking into account that the last time I got to see an actual snow cover was March 2013, so it would make a change from the usual frequent gale and rain. Speaking of which, it would be so nice if I can actually go for more than two days without experiencing that "in your face" southerly gale - and that's in the summer!
   Thinking about it, I miss the old days when anything beyond 48 hours was considered to be FI. Now we're spoilt by being able to easily access charts and outputs for two weeks (and even beyond). Over-information can be just as tiring as lack of it, especially when dealing with it on an amateur level.
  Perhaps I should pursue a less stressful hobby, like drawing . . . Oh, wait . . .  Still, it is being a fine start to the day this morning with the sun coming out. It is decent enough whenever that does happen in the winter, I just try not to miss it by blinking too much.

Just having a decent cold spell would be nice......But soon will turn to average again... Average now being wind and rain. .....

Indeed what a crock of sh***!! 

That sums up my thoughts.

I was putting the bins out last night and had gone out in just t-shirt & joggers. Give the plethora of different receptacles for different items, I have to make 3 trips from the side of the house to the pavement. At the end I was shivering and thinking, "It's about 6 degrees now...and you want minus 6 degrees? You sure??"

Like you, I find the act of snow falling gently (or not so gently!) and the landscape becoming covered in a thick white blanket magical.

I also love the sense of the break from normality, with chaos reigning for a short while.

I'd love a really mammoth snow event, one that totally paralises the country for days on end (a sort of post-Yellowstone eruption event scenario, but ending after a week or two). I know we've got plenty of food in! And the thought of BBQ'ing in the garage is amusing. But I suspect I'd probably hate it & live in panic whilst it's taking place. Still... it'd be nice to experience that once-in-a-lifetime event.