Topic: A 'soft winter'.

[telboy]

Hi All,

Although I long for a good elongated 'Hard Snap'
to rid the ground of many grubs/bugs, I have enjoyed todays' pickings.

A good bag of white sprouting & a handful of rhubarb (not forced).

Well? what can one say? Global warming?

[ina]

The show ain't over till the fat lady has sung.

[Garden Manager]

Though there is still plenty of time for a big cold snap, it looks like this winter is going to be one of the mildest I can remember.

Hopefully this will mean some nice early starts to many crops.

[Roy Bham UK]

Though there is still plenty of time for a big cold snap.

Hopw right you are Richard :o look here... ???
http://www.weathercheck.net/

[derbex]

And here http://www.meto.gov.uk/weather/europe/uk/outlook/index.html

bl**dy typical -was going to plant my remaining trees this coming weekend. >:(

Jeremy

[Garden Manager]

Though there is still plenty of time for a big cold snap.

Hopw right you are Richard :o look here... ???
http://www.weathercheck.net/

I wonder how accurate/reliable that is Roy? Plus it looks like the forecast for ireland  not the mainland (though probably not much different over here considering the geographical relationship).

Cant see it being all that bad where i live (v cold yes), since bad weather from the north rarely makes it down to the far south-west.

[Roy Bham UK]

Cant see it being all that bad where i live (v cold yes), since bad weather from the north rarely makes it down to the far south-west.

I’m marking your words Richard, remember that famous quote from Michael Fish?

He will forever be remembered for one night in October 1987 when he said on the air: "Earlier on today, apparently, a lady rang the BBC and said she heard that there was a hurricane on the way."

"Well, don't worry. If you're watching, there isn't."

Hours later, Britain was clobbered by its worst storm in 300 years -- with hurricane-force winds leaving a trail of destruction across southern and central England. :o

[Garden Manager]

OOOOOOKKKAAAAAAYYYYYYY!

Message received and understood Roy.

Just looked at 'Metcheck's' forecast for dorset. Worst days for cold are this weekend then temperatures improving after that.

Looking back at past predictions Metcheck are rarely that  wrong.

[Roy Bham UK]

I take them all with a pinch of salt, ::) I don’t believe any of them can predict weather conditions much beyond two weeks at a time. :)

I’m often amused at our terrestrial main two TV weather stations i.e. BBC and ITV, as on most occasions one will say clement weather and the other dead opposite, I just look out the window and hazard a guess, ??? it can’t be any worse a judgment. 8) ;D

[tim]

I think that the Met Office claim about 10-15% accuracy for the 5 day forecast?  In other words, your guess is as good as theirs! =  Tim

[Garden Manager]

I’m often amused at our terrestrial main two TV weather stations i.e. BBC and ITV, as on most occasions one will say clement weather and the other dead opposite, I just look out the window and hazard a guess, ??? it can’t be any worse a judgment. 8) ;D

Sometimes its not even different channels, Roy. I have noticed aspect of consecutive BBC forecasts contradicting each other  ::)

No you are right you can do a lot worse than folow your own intuition. Us gardeners spend a lot of time out of doors and should be able to get a feel of what the weather is doing by looking at the sky and what the wind is doing.

[cleo]

beware yet,here in South Lincs we always get a `false spring`-it`s upon us now, will I be sowing stuff?-no way,February has yet to come and go.

Stephan

[tim]

Happy New Year, Stephan!! = Tim

[cleo]

And to you Tim-am just waking after hibernation ;)

Stephan

[busy_lizzie]

We have had a glorious weekend in the North East.  Lovely sunny blue skies and quite mild.  The birds certainly thought it was spring with all their chirping.  I have been waiting for this forcasted cold snap for a while.  Will it come next week? I suppose anything is possible where the weather is concerned and we did have very heavy snow last February.  Let's wait and see!  :D busy_lizzie   

[Mrs Ava]

On the 28th February 1970, the snow fell on my mum and dads wedding day, then on the 27th February 1999, the sun shone brighter than a summers day on mine and Ava's wedding day!  I pay close attention to what John Miller says about the weather.  Whenever he has had a very cold snap, it seems to make it over here a week or so later, and wow is he cold at the moment!  Long johns at the ready.

[Roy Bham UK]

April Fools day 1967 it tried to snow and I swear it was sent from heaven as the vicar disallowed confetti unfortunately it was not picked up on camera but the shivering from my beautiful bride was. ;D Ahhh! ;D

[Merete]

It's been very warm here in Oslo, too. Day temperatures have been around 5 C, well above freezing, and a during a short visit to my allotment  I had the pleasure of actually finding my calabrese alive and well!

I picked some, and had a lovely addition to my family dinner that day...

[tim]

Just catching the end of the BBC weather this am, I have a horrible feeling that that Metcheck longterm forecast may well have had some substance.

But it's given me a (?) bright idea - instead of going 20 yards in the snow to the ash can, I'll try it in the lean-to, which adjoins the kitchen, to give a little warmth there.

Yes, fumes - take care!! = Tim

[john_miller]

Thank you for your faith in me EJ- move over Michael? Temperatures are back to seasonal here, -15C overnight, around freezing for the highs. We have just had 5 consecutive days in which I didn't see a cloud, absolutely gorgeous bright sun (I've been told you don't say wall to wall sunshine, as I did last week, so I will say dawn to dusk instead) already warming the air. Enjoy (if it gets to you)!