Generally when TWO is reported in the media the quotes are a fair representation of what I have said to journalists or written on the web site. Journalists obviously need an angle for their reports and so will use quotes to back this up. I have no problem at all with this.

Unfortunately on this occasion the Daily Mirror seems to have confused TWO with another independent forecasting agency. I suspect we all know which one that is but that's none of my business.  I've asked Jon Dean (the journalist this report is credited to) to correct because I have not spoken to any journalists about the winter prospects so far this autumn.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uk-weather-britain-faces-four-8950147

I think this story was picked up from the Bristol Post which ran it a couple of days back. I put the link in the Winter 2016/17 Prospects thread.

I get the impression "journalists" look through thread posts to get their story. Bristol Post often does this - although it does usually give credits to the posters ....

Usually I'm contacted directly by journalists and asked for quotes. In this instance it seems to be a case of "mistaken identity" and I have contacted the Daily Mirror this morning to discuss.

They seem to be outdoing the Express for hyperbole - " A Game of Thrones" style winter. Jesus Christ! It must be fun working for a tabloid paper though. You can just make stuff up and the punters keep buying it

And this gem from The Mirror describing a "Freak Atlantic Heat Blast". I thought this current unsettled weather is the result of a polar maritime airflow.

The crap the general media continue to spout on a regular basis is laughable . . .

It's corrected now, I'm amazed they were even capable of [correcting] it.

Freak heat blasts are another matter, but everyone knows weather is now post-normal, there is always something unprecedented or freakish - according to some.

When even the more reputable sources are fond of using a similar approach it's hardly surprising.

The Mirror article has now been updated and it is now more representative. 

I bet you had a shock when you saw what you was supposed to have said didn't you Brian?

Yes I got a hell of a shock. The first I knew of it was when people started asking me about it on Twitter this morning. 

You might consider more serious action though, I just spotted this version quoted (by some who should know better) on another site.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/weather/uk-weather-britain-faces-four-months-of-snow-as-forecaster-predicts-long-winter-with-sub-zero-temperatures/ar-BBwQz7J?li=BBoPWjQ&OCID=ansmsnnews11