With the exception of high ground in the north of England, mountain areas of Wales, Ireland and of course Scotland, if you like snow or at least cold and frost, forget it!

We are on course for one of the mildest if not the mildest December in recorded history. Short of a miracle (possibly in the form of a sudden stratospheric warming) in January or February, we are looking at a very mild winter with almost relentless wind and rain bringing further floods and misery to those already affected.

Personally, not only do I feel very sorry for these people but I also hate mild winters full stop. Some have suggested this could be known as the year without a winter and make the grim 13/14 look like a picnic. Any cold spells will be short lived with double figures returning quickly so forget the winter tyres I guess.

I would love it if it turned out to be utter nonsense and we got lots of snow or at least cold (leave Cumbria out of the snow!) but I'm afraid there are no signs at all of it. I just hope the people in the flood risk areas are ok.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-35041425 LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I keep holding out for a good sprinkling of snow but our winters are getting warmer.

Thinking of Cumbria, I was wondering if the rain that fell would usually have arrived as snow but instead came as rain.

Probably not - if it had fallen as snow it would have had to melt sometime, with equally catastrophic consequences.
I think the only answer is to stop draining the moorland, reverse the drainage that has already been put in place, and stop burning the heather for grouse shooting. Let the trees and the peat start soaking the rain up again. When out walking I'm often shocked at the way once near-impenetrable bogs have dried out, and of course once they are dry the water just runs off the surface instead of soaking in. Building higher river banks just moves the problem somewhere else, and brings a false sense of security and a more dramatic flood scenario if the banks are breached or overtopped. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
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FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
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Interesting to hear theories like that. I certainly have no experience of the area but as an arm chair observer I always like to know a bit more than just the report on the telebox.

Past master wrote:

Probably not - if it had fallen as snow it would have had to melt sometime, with equally catastrophic consequences.
I think the only answer is to stop draining the moorland, reverse the drainage that has already been put in place, and stop burning the heather for grouse shooting. Let the trees and the peat start soaking the rain up again. When out walking I'm often shocked at the way once near-impenetrable bogs have dried out, and of course once they are dry the water just runs off the surface instead of soaking in. Building higher river banks just moves the problem somewhere else, and brings a false sense of security and a more dramatic flood scenario if the banks are breached or overtopped.

Grouse shooting in Cumbria? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Past master wrote:

- if it had fallen as snow it would have had to melt sometime, with equally catastrophic consequences.

Sorry, I don't agree with that.
The heavy rain that fell on Cumbria was over a short 24hr period or so.
The land, rivers and streams therefore had to 'cope' with this sudden downfall and put it somewhere.
Hence the results we see in the media!
If however it fell as snow, then it will gradually melt away, anything from hours, days, weeks and even months.
Therefore the land, rivers and streams can cope with the same amount over a far longer period, resulting in no/far less damage.

Eg
You have 10 pints of lager on a night, you get legless.
You have 10 pints of lager spread over a week, you're absolutely fine.

 FL2 now gone and have a couple of items left for sale:-

Brodit active iPhone holder + Brodit dash clip,
Bluetooth Music Streaming Module.

Whats the betting theres hose pipe ban this summer then?

The winter of 62/63 had a really mild December. Some forecasters think that weather events repeat themselves so maybe the mild December is a sign of a really bad winter?? All we can do is wait and see! Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
Gone MY2010 Freelander 2 Manual TD4.e S, Alaska White.

Sod the 4x4's we all need to buy one of these:

stevie5tapes wrote:

The winter of 62/63 had a really mild December. Some forecasters think that weather events repeat themselves so maybe the mild December is a sign of a really bad winter?? All we can do is wait and see!

I was only 7 in '63 and remember the deep snow only started to fall in March. So there's plenty of time for the Biased Met Office weather forcasters to get it hopelessly wrong.......again. Remember that BBQ summer we were promised?

A December this mild just feels like the weather is drawing it's breath and is going to do something apocalyptic when it finally kicks in. Perhaps not super cold, but very chaotic

We haven't had any frost in Hamilton , a few years ago I took my caravan to a wee place called Dunning in Perthshire at Easter , mildish weather , all set to play golf on the Sunday morning but when I looked out of the window in the morning there was about 6" of snow , golf was off and the caravan was abandoned . Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

[quote="blacktiger"]

stevie5tapes wrote:

The winter of 62/63 had a really mild December. Some forecasters think that weather events repeat themselves so maybe the mild December is a sign of a really bad winter?? All we can do is wait and see!

I was only 7 in '63 and remember the deep snow only started to fall in March. So there's plenty of time for the Biased Met Office weather forcasters to get it hopelessly wrong.......again. Remember that BBQ summer we were promised? [/quote
I can assure you it started on boxing day 1962.  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

In scotland maybe.