On Monday, December 31, 2012 8:22:05 PM UTC, Ilsington wrote:
I do now want to enter into a great discussion, but a significant SSW is now under way and by mid month the stratospheric zonal flow will have reversed. The Arctic vortex will be well and truly split by mid month and the evidence of the flow reversal can be seen in the extended deterministic forecasts. The ensembles also show a steady decline in temperature that reflects the weakening flow and some blocking.

How right you were. Worried we are going to get into the usual slanging match regarding SSW