Excellent informative article Peter,I fear you forecast to mid January looks
even more prophetic,and must be making the 'experts' at two begin to feel
somewhat quesy about their snowy winter due the second half of Jan.and all
of Feb.

RonB
"Peter Clarke" wrote in message
...
I think it's safe to assume there will be no further snow here before the
end of the year!The figures for 2004 show a total of 12 days with sleet or
snow observed to fall in Ewell compared with the average of 16.0
days(1971 - 2000).
Since the marked decrease in snow days which started in 1988, only two
years - 1995 and 1996 - have had more than the 1971-2000 mean and the
average for the years 1988 - 2004 is a modest 9.6 days. Even 1991, which
included a very cold spell in February, could only muster 13 days ( 9 of
them in February)
The most snow days ( 40 ) were recorded in 1979 and the least ( 2 ) were
in 1998.
Looking at the runs supplied by Darren Prescott ,it seems highly unlikely
that the first half of January will provide any snow on low ground in
south-east England and the return of the westerlies near the turn of the
year looks reminiscent of many recent mild Januarys.
Since the beginning of the new century I can find only one winter month
here with a mean temperature at least 1 deg c below the 1971 - 2000
average and that was December 2001.
I have already had my lawnmower serviced in anticipation of an early
start to the growing season in 2005.
Peter Clarke
Ewell, Epsom, Surrey 55m.