I think next winter will be:

This years winter was relatively mild. Statistic dictate that this year will be "Slightly more severe than last year's". Science!

Last winter's polar air mass stooging around the middle US for weeks was a surprise to everyone.

We greet the new year here on Labor Day. It's when our outdoor activities begin and our clubs reconvene after the summer break.

Next: I'm going to toss a coin, which way do you think it will come down?

Seriously, we had that polar vortex last winter, it cannot possibly be worst
*4 months later*
"It is now -50C, the fresh water supply has frozen solid and the electric barrage stopped providing electricity so we can't heat ourselves, we'll be dead in a week if it keeps up".

I stand corrected.

I lived in MN for 32+ years, and after the last 2 winters, I decided that I've had it. My employer let me transfer to sunny Florida, and even with all the extra critters, and crazy people, I'll be happy when it's 70F degrees in January. Meanwhile it will be -10F and lots of snow back in MN. No regrets.

At first, I was reading some updates on the two solar observation craft. Scientists said there was a significant drop in solar output. It's quiet normal they added, and would begin a cold spell lasting up to 11 years. They added its effect on jet streams. But no one else seems to have heard about it.

Last winter was totally crappy here, not a real winter, no proper snow cover, dark and depressing. So I certainly hope next winter will be more "severe", maybe even so severe that it would be a normal winter!

The wooly caterwallers are yea high to a monkey's foreskin. That indicates record breaking snowfall and 411 consumption for the coming winter.

"Severity" is not so much the questions as "wetness". I put "have no Winter" since I assumed the poll was about the harsh cold back East last year. Here it was drought. BTW, there are seasons they just aren't crazy bipolar on the coast. In the Bay Area, you see snow on the tops of hills several times during a normal winter. It rains. It is colder, just not crazy cold. The summer is warmer, although yes there's the coastal fog that makes it chilly. The fog can lift and you can get 80s on the coast du

Last year we had lots of snow with a few heavy snow storms mixed in. I got to play around with my new Jeep Grand Cherokee in the snow... (grin)

The leaves started turning color early this year. My thought is that we are going to have an early winter with lots of snow again this year.

My experience near Chicago is that seasonal contracts (versus 'pay per push') are going up in price. Now, that could simply be due to the harsh prior winter (lots of snow, neverending) and the local market being willing to spend more to offset the potential for a bad '14-'15 season.

I expect that is mostly voodoo. But there is Farmer's Almanac as well:

[Their predictions are about 50:50 in accuracy, which is better than I'd likely do... lol.]

And then there is the El Nino prediction (more harsh):
http://www.l

For western Europe, last winter was the mildest in many years. So it won't be a big bet to say that next winter will be more severe.

getting pretty lame here. We only get about 2 months of cool weather, then it's back to mid-hi temps.

...because here in oulu.fi, last winter was crap. Should have been -30C, gorgeous blue skies and over a metre of snow, instead of which November lasted for three months and then some bastard hit Rewind.

The trees are absolutely laden with berries at the moment, and I'm told that;s a good sign.

....voted for notably more severe. It was one of the mildest winters in years where I am (SE England). We had around 2 seconds of sleety rain at the back end of a thunderstorm in February and all of 2 air frosts during the whole winter.

Normally there would at least be a couple of days with snow falling and there would be a dozen or more air frosts.

Of course, it *had* to be the first year I'd bought winter tyres for my car! (The previous year had the typical couple of inches of snow causing chaos...)

The winter here in Sweden was, for most of it, non-existent. By the time the snow started coming down properly, it was almost into Spring.
This, by the way, is a country where in Stockholm (about 173rd of the way up the country, not talking the far north) it can and does snow from the start of November through to the end of March. If you go up to the far North - Kiruna, or even further if you want to make a point, you can have snow for 10-11 months a year.

Robot Santa was built with an immunity to paradoxes and killed millions. Then on January 27, 2015 Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V on PC and it was the best winter since the Saturnalia of 37 B.C. When the Vestal virgins all got drunk and lost their jobs.

That the amount of whining and sensationalism about every storm will be double of what it was last year.

I cant wait for how the Weather channel goes overboard this coming winter.

Everybody sittin' around talkin' 'bout the weather, and the old ladies talkin' 'bout us.

Wasn't that a song?

So, basically more.

Unless the Atlantic conveyor belt shuts down, in which case NYC is doomed, as is Atlanta.

I live in New Zealand. Next winter is over a year away.

... it will be cold.

"Sheep grow heavy coat. Bear put on much weight. White man split much firewood."

Southern California has two seasons: fire and flood.

If "flood" is loosely correlated to "winter", then we welcome actually having a winter for the first time in almost a decade.