In article m,
Lawrence Jenkins writes:

"John Hall" wrote in message
.. .
In article ,
Dave Cornwell writes:
I think it's a case of "if only it were January" down here Lawrence. I
think
it will feel uncomfortably cold when the sun isn't out and we might get a
frost or two but nothing more than a cold Autumnal spell, the like of
which
is not uncommon at some point in many Octobers. As for the rest of the
winter, being a non-believer in excessively long range forecasts, I don't
think anyone can be sure at this stage whether it will another chillier
than
usual one.
Dave



I think a cold October would tend to make me less optimistic about a
cold winter, if anything. I still remember the cold October of 1974
being followed by an exceptionally mild winter.
--
Not strictly true John October 62 (gasp) was very similar all the way
through with several northerly outbreaks towards the end. Here's one I
prepared earlier
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/ar...0119621028.gif



The month as a whole wasn't cold, though. IIRC, for the first three
weeks or so an anticyclone was anchored somewhere near the UK, giving
very pleasant weather. In "Seasonable Weather", LP Smith describes the
month thus: October... was dry and quiet for much of the month, but at
the end rain and gales..." Incidentally the 7 months up to and including
September had all had below average temperatures. (The 12 months
starting with March 1962 may well have been the coldest yearly period in
the 20th century, though I haven't done the calculations.)
--
John Hall
"I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly,
will hardly mind anything else."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84)