Britan in for a big Freeze?

This will probably apply to many other countries aswell, but....

The arrival of waxwings - exotic crested birds from Siberia - is traditionally the harbinger of an icy winter. This year enormous flocks, thousands strong, have spread across Scotland and East Anglia.

The influx has coincided with predictions from several weather forecasting services that Britain will soon be gripped by a big freeze, reminiscent of 1963.

Holly and rowan trees laden with red berries - another portent in folklore of sub-zero conditions - have been widely remarked upon. Bookmakers have shortened the odds on a white Christmas.

Is this collective seasonal nostalgia, or a warning that we should swaddle ourselves in scarves, long johns and thermal underwear? Either way, the advent of satellite technology, computer modelling of atmospheric conditions and global weather stations have done nothing to dampen speculation about the vagaries of our climate.

In the face of repeated warnings about global warming, the desire to outsmart the professional meteorologists remains tempting. There is no shortage of ancient precedents which supposedly foretell periods of bitter cold. Some are obscure, some implausible and some blindingly obvious. Cats on the mat with their backs to the fire are meant, for example, to be a sign of cold weather approaching.

Continue reading here www.guardian.co.uk...

Do you think this is just natural, or may it be global warming.. or any other type of climate change?

Just been discussing this on some of the UK weather forums. Basically, the influx of waxwings is far more likely to be due to a successful breeding season than any precognition of an impending cold winter. And there's no documentary evidence that previous occasions this has happened has resulted in a cold winter. As for berries on bushes - these are caused by summer weather conditions and large numbers frequently appear prior to a mild, damp winter...

Several independent meteorologists are suggesting that this winter could be colder than we've had of late, but one of them - Metcheck (who's forecaster I know) have already fallen by the wayside with their first severe cold spell for the end of November failing to materialise....

Expect to see soem snow at some point, and perhaps not too much in the way of wet or windy weather, but definitely not a repeat of '63

(That said, of course, I hope I'm wrong! )

Gonna be getting the long johns ready just in case Essan.
The last two years in a row we have had snow at the end of January (29th both years in fact) and the roads have become gridlocked within a couple of hours. Luckily (or unluckily ) I only have a 30 minute walk to/from work and can smugly walk past everyone sitting in their cars

what was it like in 1963? i wasnt in existant at that time? was it more bad than good? i prefer throwing snowballs, lol