Stormy Weather II

[teamsaint]

We were promised thick cloud, but have had plenty of sun, and it's warm and close.

[BBMmk2]

Well, I think the BBC forecast is wrong. Sunny out there today. Going to be quite warm, as well!

[LMcD]

Well, I think the BBC forecast is wrong. Sunny out there today. Going to be quite warm, as well!

BBC forecast for us today: cloudy until late afternoon. Sunshine pouring from a clear blue sky through my window.

[cloughie]

Well it’s a dull morning here!

[DracoM]

Up here in 'sunny North West of England' [Ha!], it is sunny.......but cloud gathering.
And at the mo, exactly as www.yr.no predicted for today. Which is why I use it, and then check out of my own window and go on past experience of the look of skies and what they could portend, rather than listen to BBC.

[Serial_Apologist]

Up here in 'sunny North West of England' [Ha!], it is sunny.......but cloud gathering.
And at the mo, exactly as www.yr.no predicted for today. Which is why I use it, and then check out of my own window and go on past experience of the look of skies and what they could portend, rather than listen to BBC.

Really to be able to forecast from home, you need a good viewpoint; but even that can only work for cloud formations that give an indication of changes coming a few hours down the line - for instance cirrus; and even then one has to know what kind of cirrus - there are several types! - and observe rate of thickening into cirrostratus and then altostratus, probably indicating an approaching warm or occluded front. The problem in our high humidity climate is the frequent presence of low stratus or stratocumulus - colloquially known as "clag" in the profession - which can hide what is going on at higher levels, where the indicators often happen to be. And predicting rates of change based on surface convection can be a nightmare; I have literally known a thunderstorm to develop between here and Trafalgar Square from modest-looking cumulus clouds, where eye evidence alone was not sufficient to indicate the exact location let alone size and intensity of the storm: only measurement instruments giving ongoing humidity, wind direction and temperature readings at different heights would have sufficed, or gone some way. As DracoM has said, experience of locale can be a good guide to some extent: I have noted a tendency for showers to pass north-east across north London in the lee of the Chilterns, where downdrafts and updrafts can co-mingle to stimulate and perpetuate upward cloud growth. All that said, in a reasonably simple consistent weather situation I have been able to alert fellow residents of the time allowing for leaving their washing on the washing line - "about ten minutes" was what I was able to say to another resident who needed to pop over to the shops.

PS: Apologies for my miss-timing of the cold frontal passage, which I should have brought forward by about 7 hours, as it is now passing across London and the SE - a very weak feature, just stratocumulus cover with even a few holes in the cloud sheet, but even so...

[Serial_Apologist]

If anyone thinks our weather is crazy at times these days, how about this forecast for yesterday for Denver, Colorado? Admittedly the place is located at around 9,000 feet above sea level and being in the lee of the Rockies is subject to sudden dramatic changes, but even by those norms this is truly astonishing. The temperature fall accompanies an outbreak of arctic air with heavy snowfall. Temperatures in the area had been approaching 100 F until 2 days ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=166&v=JcAKrT2lns4&feature=emb_logo

Don't worry for the people of Denver, however - next week temperatures are expected to return to the upper 80s F (30+ celsius)!

[BBMmk2]

Another fine day today. So I will be able to have a saunter up town and visit my mother.

[Serial_Apologist]

It looks like we are in for some hot weather next Monday, possibly Tuesday as well, as the northward-displaced Azores High over Biscay moves across the Continent into eastern Europe, drawing up air of African origin.

[BBMmk2]

Sunny intervals today. Not too warm either, methinks?

[DracoM]

V.windy grey up here.

..................and NOW, driving rain.

[BBMmk2]

V.windy grey up here.

..................and NOW, driving rain.

Down here, hopefully will be the opposite!

[LMcD]

Another lovely September morning here - 24 degrees C, force 3 westerly, broken cloud with prolonged sunny intervals.

[DracoM]

Brisk westerly, bright, bright sun, scudding clouds -perfect early Autumn day.

Predictably, rain tonight!

[Serial_Apologist]

Had hoped to do my intended Temple law courts district walk this morning. Not good portents from the moment I arrived at the Festival Hall to discover the Hungerford footbridge closed for "maintenance". The Festival Hall area is a sorry and ghostly sight, although the stalls area on the south side that dispenses exotic foods and snacks was being prepared for opening. The Waterloo station underpass, a great place for spirit paint sniffing and usually full of taggers and hangers-on, was totally deserted. The cycle hitching posts are usually rammed full of parked bikes by that point in the morning, but were almost unused, and the usual tourist crowds, a feature at all times of year, were nowhere to be seen. There was no straightforward way to get down onto the South Bank walk through, so I made my way across Waterloo Bridge, left along the Strand - hardly a soul to be seen, just a few foreign youth groups doing the sights - and down one of the side streets to the Victoria Embankment Gardens, noting that the friendly cafeteria, which sells delicious homemade snacks, appeared to be operational, with no signs demanding personal contact details - so worth thinking about for some lunch. Making my way back towards Blackfriars, I found the way through the Lower Temple barred to entry, with, again signs for renovation, but all the other entrances were closed off too, at which point instead of proceeding to Lincoln Fields, my original intended walk's finishing point, I decided to cut my losses and head home. Having started out at just after 9 I was back home by 11.15, which even though I say so wasn't a bad effort for a 15 + mile trip at my age (75 this coming November). I would have got more out of my other favourite ride, the Ravensbourne riverside walk that links up Beckenham and Deptford Creek, but at least I had the benefit of some vigorous exercise.

Oh, and the weather was ideal - a tad on the cool side with a gentle breeze, with the sun eventually breaking through.