Noticed that even though it looks zonal for the January 8th-14th
period, what is lacking from the GFS prediction is the lack of really,
really mild conditions from the deep southwest in the January 1990 or
2002 sense. Instead winds vary between SW, W and NW with an average
direction of west.

Could this mean then that at least it will be seasonably "fresh" with
double figure maxima restricted to the lowland areas of the far
southwest and warm sectors, and that the polar airmasses will be true
polar airmasses rather than watered-down returning rubbish? :-)

Nick