The first comprehensive Winter 2015-16 forecast has bucked the trend of tabloid predictions of record breaking cold and has instead opted for less severe outlook.
Accuweather says that high pressure to the north of the United Kingdom and Ireland for much of the winter season will result in a very typical winter for parts of northwest Europe with "stretches of tranquil weather and overall near-normal temperatures".
While the winter will not be free of cold air masses and powerful wind storms, much of the season will pass with near-normal temperatures and only occasional storms, Accuweather says.
The US-based forecaster saus the greatest threat for damaging wind storms in the United Kingdom, Ireland and northwest Europe appears to be through December as storms approaching from the Atlantic will push into western Europe.
"As the winter progresses", Accuweather adds, "this storm track will press farther south and limit the threat for any damaging wind events, resulting in periods of tranquil weather from England into northern France and western Germany."
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert, "The United Kingdom and Ireland look to avoid the worst storm impacts as most of the storm systems track to the south across France and northern Spain.
"Extreme cold is also expected to be limited for northwest Europe as the core of the cold air builds over Scandinavia and then is unleashed southward with only brief periods of below-normal temperatures reaching northwest Europe," he added.
Newspaper reports from across Ireland and Britain have in recent weeks indicated that the region is set for its coldest winter since the record breaking cold of 1963.