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The Great Meteorological Thread
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"They" always do it, every time, it never fails
Its been around the the mid 20's, here today, quite a strong breeze with it though.
At least its not bloody raining
Dos make for a humourous sight, they'll never learn. Anyway, Hi Chris, hope you're keeping well.
Looks like some more of this to come as we go through the working week, although it'll become more as a Southern England and South Wales thing during the middle part of the week with Scotland and Northern Ireland staying cool and unsettled.
I reckon somewhere over the South East may get to see 30 C at some point in this min-heatwave.
And then hopefully it'll all end on quite an explosive note by Friday night or Saturday as cooler and fresher air moving back down from the north engages moist and muggy air hanging over Southern England. Hope to get my first proper french import storms by then.
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Hi Ian.
Good thanks and I trust you are too
Hopefully this should last the (working) week then.
And all goes tits up, ready for the week-end.
Oh well ...........
One surefire way to tell it's the weekend. 
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Not very scientific I know but whenever my friend is on holiday it is (nearly) always good weather.
.....she finished on friday for a week.....
Heather
.....she finished on friday for a week.....
Heather
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Not very scientific I know but whenever my friend is on holiday it is (nearly) always good weather.
.....she finished on friday for a week.....
Heather
She has timed it very well!
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Thought I'd revive this thread by putting in my thoughts on how the rest of this Autumn may pan out.
October and November are likely to be decidedly "average" in terms of rainfall, temperature and sunshine amounts - I don't think we'll experience those last minute hot spells like last year (when we had the hottest October's day on record). This is when we get to experience alternating spells of windy and wet weather and short spells of calmer weather - but I can't see any of those last minute hot spells like last year's.
It may not be until the third week of October will the first bit of proper snowy stuff get to show up over the high ground of Scotland, but generally I don't think about proper widespread frosty nights and temperatures staying in single figures (below 10 C) during the day widely across the UK until the second week of November and this one won't be any different.
The signs are there for a colder than normal December - a repeat of Dec 2010? I do find that early winters (November and December) do seem to lead to a mild January and February - but that's me getting waaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of myself.
We have had a good run of last-minute indian summers and I'm almost starting to think that may be starting to become the norm, but this time round I think this Autumn may not be as kind.
It's all in the Atlantic Oscillation effect - we have had that two years of well below average rainfall in the recent past (what caused that water shortage in the first place) - but that run ended back in April with normal rainfall amounts month-on-month since then, and I think this trend is pretty much set in for the remainder of this year.
October and November are likely to be decidedly "average" in terms of rainfall, temperature and sunshine amounts - I don't think we'll experience those last minute hot spells like last year (when we had the hottest October's day on record). This is when we get to experience alternating spells of windy and wet weather and short spells of calmer weather - but I can't see any of those last minute hot spells like last year's.
It may not be until the third week of October will the first bit of proper snowy stuff get to show up over the high ground of Scotland, but generally I don't think about proper widespread frosty nights and temperatures staying in single figures (below 10 C) during the day widely across the UK until the second week of November and this one won't be any different.
The signs are there for a colder than normal December - a repeat of Dec 2010? I do find that early winters (November and December) do seem to lead to a mild January and February - but that's me getting waaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of myself.
We have had a good run of last-minute indian summers and I'm almost starting to think that may be starting to become the norm, but this time round I think this Autumn may not be as kind.
It's all in the Atlantic Oscillation effect - we have had that two years of well below average rainfall in the recent past (what caused that water shortage in the first place) - but that run ended back in April with normal rainfall amounts month-on-month since then, and I think this trend is pretty much set in for the remainder of this year.
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DuncanDisorderly
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Already had the first killer frost of the season here 800ft above the rest of Somerset.
Full on crack the car doors open to get in malarkey...
Swallows and Swifts have gone, but the blimmin mossies are worse than I've ever known.
A cold snap would be welcome if it gets shot of them.
Full on crack the car doors open to get in malarkey...
Swallows and Swifts have gone, but the blimmin mossies are worse than I've ever known.
A cold snap would be welcome if it gets shot of them.
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I'm still yet to experience even a grass frost what with my near-sea level coastal location and being right next to what is still a warm English Channel.
However, at least I'm now getting to have regular rainfalls, even though the first three weeks of September has been exceptionally dry (enough to make my lawn look parched - finally it now looks and feels properly moist).
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Thanks for the update Iain. Coldest night so far registered as -1.6 here and a slight frost which had disappeared very quickly. Certainly had a mixed bag here the last few days. Sun, rain alternating. A nice sunny and fresh start to today.
We are off to the isles of scilly for 2 weeks on friday, sailing on the boat on saturday morning. How is it looking for down there?
We are off to the isles of scilly for 2 weeks on friday, sailing on the boat on saturday morning. How is it looking for down there?
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Hi Michael and long time no chat!
The weekend does look more promising in terms of settled conditions as high pressure try and reform over the UK, but it's not going to hang about for too long.
At least it should be plan sailing on the Saturday in any case (may be rather cloudy and murky, though). Sunday looks better in terms of brighter and clearer conditions.
Then I expect this high pressure to be muscled to one side by low pressure systems moving in from the Atlantic and across the UK as we go into next week - thus resuming the unsettled theme.
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However, here at the motherland we can expect a lot of the wet stuff tomorrow, then a small break on Thursday before more rain come sweeping in from the west on Friday.
It does now leave a question mark on how quickly the rain will clear away from the Channel on Saturday morning as high pressure rebuild over the UK for the weekend.
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Mornin' Michael and everyone reading this bit from a very clear and sunny Folkestone.
Make the most of it though as it all turns wet and windy over most of England and Wales tonight. Some of that rain could become heavy and persistent in places but clearing away out into the North Sea tomorrow morning.
But it will stay rather cloudy all day tomorrow and then another batch of rain coming in from the west for Friday night. However, that, too should quickly clear away on Saturday morning leading to a fine Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for most of us . . . but then another batch of rain rushing in from the Atlantic later on Sunday afternoon.
All very changeable stuff - I'm almost struggling to keep up with it all!
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Thanks for the update(s) Ian
I traveled from MK to (just past) Swindon at around 6am this morning.
5oC and early morning (quite thick in places) fog.
But having said that, by mid morning, it was low teens and quite pleasant
I guess that autumn is well on its way !
I traveled from MK to (just past) Swindon at around 6am this morning.
5oC and early morning (quite thick in places) fog.
But having said that, by mid morning, it was low teens and quite pleasant
I guess that autumn is well on its way !
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Thanks for the update(s) Ian
I traveled from MK to (just past) Swindon at around 6am this morning.
5oC and early morning (quite thick in places) fog.
But having said that, by mid morning, it was low teens and quite pleasant
I guess that autumn is well on its way !
Hi Chris and long time no hear! Indeed, Autumn has arrived in true style.
While it can rain as much as it likes as flooding is never an issue around here but what I am concerned about are the strong winds expected for my neck of the woods in the small hours of tonight.
The "peak" with gusts up to 60 mph coming in from the Channel is expected to arrive here at South Kent between 3 am to 6 am but hope it doesn't suddenly becaome a October 15th '87: The Sequel.
Bear in mind that winds are always the most strongest to the south of a low pressure centre and on this case it does look like tonight's depression will be passing by to the north of Kent rather than over the Channel.
Why is it that kind of thing always seem to occur in the small hours on a Friday morning? Have you noticed that?
Anyway, on a lighter note . . .
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Hi Ian
I trust you are well?
I hope that the winds are not to "nasty" down your way, actually, no, I'd not noticed,
the Friday connection, weird or what?
PMSL great cartoon as always
I'm very good ta very much as I continue to plod along taking each day as they come along, and hope it's the same at your end.Indeed, I can't help feeling a bit nervous about tonight. Oh well, I'll find out if the roof is still attached to my house when I wake up tomorrow morning (I slept all the way through that October 15th '87 storm! But, aamazing to think that it was 25 years ago when that happened).
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Tis manic this end, I'm still traveling the country with "work"
but at least its not boring
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you
Bloody hell!
but yes of course it must be !
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Well, thankfully, my house didn't get blown away. It did get blustery in the wee early hours but didn't really come to much, just a typical Autumnal thing.
Anyway, all this talk of a possible cold and snowy winter had prompted me to do this cartoon as part of my ongoing Great Doodle project . . .
Anyway, all this talk of a possible cold and snowy winter had prompted me to do this cartoon as part of my ongoing Great Doodle project . . .
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Loving the cartoon Ian! Been raining a fair amount down here at penzance, it's the sort of rain which just soaks you through no matter what you are wearing, looking at magic seaweed looks like wind speeds will be around force 5 tomorrow of the cornish coast. So shold be fine, hope it's dry though..
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I'm glad that all's well Ian
Its been a nice day around these parts, but is now hissing down,
this last hour
Great cartoon, as always
But I always assumed thats how it was done anyway :shrug:
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On the 25th anniversary of The Great Storm.
Boy, that was one weather event as a 109 mph gust struck my area caused by an intense "bomb" type depression system producing an active squall front in the early hours of the 16th October 1987.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I slept through the worst of it as The Big Wind peaked in the early hours of the 16th and woke up 7.45am. But was late for work because a power cut had disabled the mains powered vibrating alarm clock.
However, I do remember that strange feeling of impending doom in the evening before but couldn't quite put my finger to it (how it felt muggy and the sky "didn't look right").
Upon awakening the next morning anyway, I couldn't see anything through the window because they were coated with salt water but got changed and made my way to work (which was only up the road from my house).
Even at this point the wind were still packing a punch at a constant 40 mph which made it difficult to walk the half mile to my then workplace and in doing so I went past the almost completely destroyed Rotunda fairground place on the beach. That was also when I was seeing houses with roofs missing and walked around fallen trees while at the same time slowly dawned on me that this was no ordinary Autumn storm.
I was working for the local council as a landscape gardener at the time and we certainly weren't short for overtime as we spent the following few weeks clearing up the mess. A shame I wasn't into photography at the time, I would have been well in my elements (no pun intended) if I had a camera on me at all times.
But to this day, I still can't get over on how I slept right through the worst of it, blissfully unware of the disaster unfolding outside! My house's built like a castle where there was completely no damage and yet a flat on the opposite side of the road from me had it's flat felt roof ripped clean right off. Told you I'm a heavy sleeper.
Even though the wind very quickly abated as we wore on into the rest of the morning, we didn't hear the last of it as a proper MCS type thunderstorm crossed over Folkestone in the afternoon with torrential rain, hail and lightning.
I do like my interesting exciting weather but this is one I would not want to see a repeat of in this lifetime.
Boy, that was one weather event as a 109 mph gust struck my area caused by an intense "bomb" type depression system producing an active squall front in the early hours of the 16th October 1987.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I slept through the worst of it as The Big Wind peaked in the early hours of the 16th and woke up 7.45am. But was late for work because a power cut had disabled the mains powered vibrating alarm clock.
However, I do remember that strange feeling of impending doom in the evening before but couldn't quite put my finger to it (how it felt muggy and the sky "didn't look right").
Upon awakening the next morning anyway, I couldn't see anything through the window because they were coated with salt water but got changed and made my way to work (which was only up the road from my house).
Even at this point the wind were still packing a punch at a constant 40 mph which made it difficult to walk the half mile to my then workplace and in doing so I went past the almost completely destroyed Rotunda fairground place on the beach. That was also when I was seeing houses with roofs missing and walked around fallen trees while at the same time slowly dawned on me that this was no ordinary Autumn storm.
I was working for the local council as a landscape gardener at the time and we certainly weren't short for overtime as we spent the following few weeks clearing up the mess. A shame I wasn't into photography at the time, I would have been well in my elements (no pun intended) if I had a camera on me at all times.
But to this day, I still can't get over on how I slept right through the worst of it, blissfully unware of the disaster unfolding outside! My house's built like a castle where there was completely no damage and yet a flat on the opposite side of the road from me had it's flat felt roof ripped clean right off. Told you I'm a heavy sleeper.
Even though the wind very quickly abated as we wore on into the rest of the morning, we didn't hear the last of it as a proper MCS type thunderstorm crossed over Folkestone in the afternoon with torrential rain, hail and lightning.
I do like my interesting exciting weather but this is one I would not want to see a repeat of in this lifetime.
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Hi Ian, how's things. During our holiday down on the scilly isles, we started off with rolling fog, went through gale force winds and even a thunder storm which I have never experienced there in all the time I have been going in october since 2001. Did end with some very hot and sunny days though, upto 20c towards the end.
Did notice a cloud formation I haven't seen before
Clouds on Scilly by scilly puffin, on Flickr
Returned to fog here!
Did notice a cloud formation I haven't seen before
Clouds on Scilly by scilly puffin, on Flickr
Returned to fog here!
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Hi Michael! Long time no hear but all is well over here, ta very much. Sounds like you have experienced all four seasons on your holiday break. That's a lovely bit of rippled cirrocumulus. Two things that can trigger it off - upper air travelling at a faster speed than the air nearer to the ground so a shear ripple effect takes place where one wave generates another waves and so on - very much the same thing that causes those little ripples of sand dunes on a sandy beach when the tide is right out. The other effect that causes it is a wave effect triggered off by hills and mountains, even if those are hundreds of miles away.
It's not been too bad here at Folkestone in the past few days, much more settled and even felt warm (up to 18 C) and the Folkestone Weather Shield had even brought some sunshine to us while the rest of Kent were shrouded in fog and low cloud. It's where the hills to the north of the town has the effect of filtering out the fog whenever the wind comes in from the north so we end up being on the clear side of it.
It's not been too bad here at Folkestone in the past few days, much more settled and even felt warm (up to 18 C) and the Folkestone Weather Shield had even brought some sunshine to us while the rest of Kent were shrouded in fog and low cloud. It's where the hills to the north of the town has the effect of filtering out the fog whenever the wind comes in from the north so we end up being on the clear side of it.
DuncanDisorderly
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I'm astonished nobody beat me to posting in this thread!
Who would have believed it - SNOW!!!!!
BBC reports the nearby main road was impassable due to snow and then later on closed from flooding when the snow melted.
This was the view out of my door this morning.
The Drunken Wall; one of my favourite local landscape features.
After the storm cleared, the clarity in the air was amazing. This is straight out the camera.
Who would have believed it - SNOW!!!!!
BBC reports the nearby main road was impassable due to snow and then later on closed from flooding when the snow melted.
This was the view out of my door this morning.
The Drunken Wall; one of my favourite local landscape features.
After the storm cleared, the clarity in the air was amazing. This is straight out the camera.
DuncanDisorderly
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Ooops - thanks Cobra.
I forgot to say I'm in Somerset
The weather this year is continuing to be really freaky!
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Hi all! Indeed, it does appear that the "snow line" fell down to 500 feet above sea level over East Wales and Central Southern England yesterday. As a result your area, the high ground of Glocs and Somerset saw to a respectable snowfall which settled.
It's where a small but active low pressure system over the South East of England (hence why it blew a hooey here yesterday morning) had dragged down a pool of cold air from aloft in it's wake - hence the "surprise" snow event in a small area of the UK.
It's where a small but active low pressure system over the South East of England (hence why it blew a hooey here yesterday morning) had dragged down a pool of cold air from aloft in it's wake - hence the "surprise" snow event in a small area of the UK.
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I think the reason why I'm being quiet with my postings in here as it doesn't really get that exciting here at Kent. Apart from the occasional bout of moderate rain and strong winds, it's being very much a thunder-free season so far (much like the continuation of this summer, really!).
But at least the regular rainfalls we have been getting so far are keeping underground aquifers topped up very nicely - a contrast to what it was like earlier on this year and providing proof that nature does balance itself out in the end.
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One of my colleagues reckons the South East is going to get heavy snow at end of month! Hope he's wrong.
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We're probably "wishing" for a repeat of the tail end of Autumn 2010 where the last week of November became cold enough to support snow even - and if anything, more especially - over the South East and most of us can remember the icy cold snowy December. Brrr, I won't forget that one as I worked in an ice-cold empty (now disused) greenhouse where there was hoar frost on pipes and glass on the INSIDE as air temperatures didn't rise above minus 5 C - as this picture shows.
Yes, I spent all day working in that - then two months later, the place was finally closed up for good.
But as things stand, at three weeks into the future it's really a long way off to make any kind of call. I might have a better grasp on things when it all moves into the 10 days forecast range.
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Well it's absolutely chucking it down on the Costa Blanca today!
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Whoops, afternoon from what is a sunny Folkestone. Quite mild but in a fresh way at 11.2 C.