Stormy Weather

[Petrushka]

...it's this pesky high wind I hate.

Me too. Just looking back at the passed couple of months there cannot have been more than three days, four at most, when the wind has been anything less than a howling gale round here. No more than two totally calm days out of 60 odd is not good. Can SA explain why the strong winds have been such a feature of this winter/spring because little gets mentioned on forecasts apart from rain?

[Flosshilde]

I can putupwith the rain now and again, it's this pesky high wind I hate.

The heavy hailstorms were a bit much - surely tomorrow has to be better?

[Serial_Apologist]

Me too. Just looking back at the passed couple of months there cannot have been more than three days, four at most, when the wind has been anything less than a howling gale round here. No more than two totally calm days out of 60 odd is not good. Can SA explain why the strong winds have been such a feature of this winter/spring because little gets mentioned on forecasts apart from rain?

Strong winds have been associated with steep pressure gradients, connected with the proximity of deep depressions, these in turn being associated with the frequency with which the jet stream (along which the depressions travel) has coursed its way across the UK during this last winter. We only get winters with light winds when the weather is dominated by high pressure systems (anticyclones), when the jet stream is diverted by them, away from the UK.

In general winds are lighter during summer months because, although we are still subject to passing depressions, these are normally less intense, with wider-spaced pressure gradients, than between October and April.

[Serial_Apologist]

S Wales and the SW appear to be getting a hell of a clobbering with winds and heavy rain right now. No wonder no word from Anna!

The word is, don't put tender plants out just yet. Frost expected widely on Weds night, temps as low as minus 4 C for E Wales and the W Midlands.

Scotland, N Ireland and NW England are expected to go into a prolonged dry period, starting on Sunday, when it should start warming up everywhere, but especially down the western side of the UK. Simon doesn't say this, but having seen this kind of situation develop in May many times before, we could be getting some thundery stuff down here on Sunday and into next week.

[Anna]

S Wales and the SW appear to be getting a hell of a clobbering with winds and heavy rain right now. No wonder no word from Anna!

Well actually I'm waiting for something to happen! The day started bright and sunny, when I went out at 8am it was lovely, although chilly. It started to rain a bit about 11am, then became steadier but not in the least bit heavy, there is virtually no wind and the clouds are now significantly higher. If the SW are getting a battering there certainly is nothing untoward going on here.

Either the worst is yet to come or the Met Office predicted a worse case scenario, (I think the latter as their yellow warning now covers a much smaller area) Rainfall has only been 3.3mm and temp at the moment is 7.3°, so just a typical Winter's day really. On the other hand, I may report in later tonight reporting that I have a flash flood!!

[Serial_Apologist]

Well actually I'm waiting for something to happen!

[Serial_Apologist]

so just a typical Winter's day really.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMrgIo95gV0

[Petrushka]

About 12 degrees here with a brisk chilly breeze shaving two or three degrees off that and now raining. Some heavy rain has been forecast tonight and tomorrow.

For mid-May this is truly dire.

[teamsaint]

It is the vengeance of the weather gods on the R3 morning schedulers.

[mangerton]

Slight rain in the early afternoon here, but that apart it's been sunny all day, as it is still. Cold though - no higher than 10° C.

[Thropplenoggin]

Lucky you, M. It started off as 5 degrees in sunny St Albans...is now 8 degrees. Dry enough for a walk in the park this morning (moor hen chicks peeping out from under their mothers), but this afternoon has been non-stop rain, and it continues apace now. The cat, already disconsolate in its newly-acquired cone collar, is further non-plussed 'pon looking into the deluged back garden.

[BBMmk2]

Indeed teamsaint! Odin doing his best again!!

[cloughie]

Blowing a gale here in the Duchy, noticeably strengthened in the last hour or two.

[BBMmk2]

Ah, that they did forecast correctly, Cloughie!

[EdgeleyRob]

Rain rain go away !