Stormy Weather

[vinteuil]

And I can explain why we are receiving MILD air from the north-west.

... 'cos it's coming in a B I G circle clockwise round us, up from warm Atlantic air, and coming round down to us from the north west?

[amateur51]

A (Scottish) house guest last night insisted on flinging the bedroom patio door open and I think it remained open all night...

You checked the Bechstein for foxy intruders, Calibs?

[Anna]

I can understand having window open, but would feel uneasy at having patio door open (decidedly uneasy as I don't have one!) as at midnight it was 9 degrees so I am out of double-duvet mode and today - we are a scorching 12 degrees! It's really rather lovely with some brilliant sunshine and noticed the willow trees seem to be getting their new leaves. Do you get urban foxes Caliban?

[vinteuil]

Do you get urban foxes Caliban?

oh, in fashionable Bayswater they have panthers. And ocelots...

[BBMmk2]

I cant believe it! i am in shirt sleeves!!!

[Serial_Apologist]

... 'cos it's coming in a B I G circle clockwise round us, up from warm Atlantic air, and coming round down to us from the north west?

That is correct, more-or-less - the additional factor in the equation being a low-level inversion associated with the mid-Atlantic high causing compression of the airflow as it crosses mountains and descent of the air depleted of accumulated moisture causing air temperatures to rise disproportionately to the lee: a phemonenon knows as Fohn (with an umlaut) in Switzerland and Chinook in Canada, where due to the much greater heights of the Rockies and the Alps respectively, the effect is much more pronounced. This also explains Anna's high temperatures today - higher than here in London for instance, because she lives close to the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. Without that temperature inversion, any warmth in the air would have escaped into the upper atmosphere and been lost at ground level, resulting in the below normal temperatures one would more usually expect from a north-wester.

[Serial_Apologist]

They're on about drought now. I anticipated this would be the next weather topic once the cold weather was over.

[Anna]

They're on about drought now. I anticipated this would be the next weather topic once the cold weather was over.

The last two years have been abnormally dry here. The average rainfall is 806.4, 2010 & 2011 we only had 542.8. January 2012 we got 42.9, the norm for January should be 85.8. February, historically, we have always had flood alerts, never have I seen the rivers so low. S_A, thanks for the explanation about the Mountains, it was puzzling me why I was having consistently higher temps than you in London! Rather like the effect the South Downs have on the Sussex coast.

[Serial_Apologist]

The last two years have been abnormally dry here. The average rainfall is 806.4, 2010 & 2011 we only had 542.8. January 2012 we got 42.9, the norm for January should be 85.8. February, historically, we have always had flood alerts, never have I seen the rivers so low. S_A, thanks for the explanation about the Mountains, it was puzzling me why I was having consistently higher temps than you in London! Rather like the effect the South Downs have on the Sussex coast.

That's right Anna! Same today, where the highest temperatures were expected to be Aberdeen, 13 C - same airflow having crossed the Grampians and had the moisture squeezed out of it.

[BBMmk2]

Very mild here today! Was thinking I better get some beconaise already!!

[Nick Armstrong]

oh, in fashionable Bayswater they have panthers. And ocelots...

Just seen this!!

There used to be a very bedraggled fox who slunk along the gardens in my square late at night, Anna... I used to feel rather sorry for him. I think he was just old, and is no longer with us, because the one/s I saw last year looked very fit and fine with bushy tails, due to feasting on discarded foie gras and caviar no doubt, vindebordeaux!

We have lots of very cheeky squirrels though, who sit on my front railings occasionally looking as if they own the place!

[Serial_Apologist]

Just seen this!!

There used to be a very bedraggled fox who slunk along the gardens in my square late at night, Anna... I used to feel rather sorry for him. I think he was just old, and is no longer with us, because the one/s I saw last year looked very fit and fine with bushy tails, due to feasting on discarded foie gras and caviar no doubt, vindebordeaux!

We have lots of very cheeky squirrels though, who sit on my front railings occasionally looking as if they own the place!

Where I last lived, for about 5 years we had a regularly visiting blackbird with only one leg. Very surprising since one learns that predators don't normally allow physically defective prey to survive long.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

predators don't normally allow physically defective prey to survive long.

government policy innit ....

[BBMmk2]

My parents used to have two foxes come and visit them. one was called stumpy and the other Bushy(for obvious reasons!! :))

[salymap]

A young cousin of mine has a very large dead fox with outstretched legs in her garden. No-one will collect it. She's phoned all the obvious people including the RSPCA and the council but all they will say is that she would have to put it out with the rubbish in a large black sack. Not funny for her at all.