With fresh snow already falling on the alps - not something altogether unusual for the early autumn we wondered what next winter has in store. The Peasants say an unsettled but average autumn.
More scientifically la Meteo is predicting a cold, but dry and sunny start to winter followed by a wet but warmish January with a real winter hitting in February with lots of snowfall and cold temperatures.
http://www.lameteo.org/saison/saison4.html
Meteo Paris are more measured, saying January will be warm across Russia and Scandinavia which will limit the stocks of cold air that can travel south to bring us snow. No-one is predicting a repeat of the very poor 2007 ski season in Europe but neither are they forecasting bumper snow like in 2005 and 2006.
How it was in 2005 and 2004:
http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/first-tracks-or-the-snow-must-go-on/ - Oct 2005
http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/a-taste-of-winter/ - Oct 2004