The Great Meteorological Thread

Mornin' all from a very clear and sunny Folkestone. However there is still that "spring-like" pinch in the air thanks to brisk winds coming in from the north east (in from the North Sea). At least it's being accompanied with this clear sky and besides heat & high humidity makes me cranky anyway. :razz: :D
 
Sonriendo said:
No more whinging about the heat please :) Taken at my desk at work at 18.54 yesterday :eek:


IMAG0162 by Sonriendo, on Flickr
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That's nothing - when we got back from picking our cat up from the cattery this morning, it was 45° just outside the back door! A bit cooler outside the conservatory but it took a while to get the place habitably hot rather than oven like!
 
So, it does seem that summer has finally arrived properly where a large chunk of England and Wales had reached 28 C to 31 C quite widely today.
However, it hasn't been the case here at my Folkestone Harbour location as it was quite misty and overcast for most of the day, the sun did come out by 3 pm but by that time there was a noticeable sea breeze coming in from what is still a cold Strait of Dover. As a result temperatures didn't rise any higher than 17.5 C here. I even had to talk my elderly mother from turning on the living room's electric heater as she was feeling chilly.
The dry, warm and settled spell is set to continue for a week at least as high pressure continue to hang over us, although the Northern half of the UK may tend to become cloudy and damp from time to time.
 
20 past 7 and it's 22 here in the conservatory and 16 outside. After we had to go out yesterday morning, we got back to find it at 50 in the conservatory! SO glad of CC in both cars - even in hers (a convertible) we have the AC on filling the footwells with cold air!
 
Currently 26C here and 26C in Princes Risborough where my kids live. Not often that happens!

Let's hope it lasts.
 
23 outdoors here ATM (just over 28 in the ventilated conservatory). Unfortunately, I've got to close all the windows and the door (to cracks) because a brood of blackbird fledglings have decided to do the not-properly-flying fledge trick and are currently hiding in assorted bushes - much to the delight of the cat. Luckily, her loathing of well aimed water pistol shots overcomes her love of fresh caught chicks but I can't keep an eye on her at all times so it's easier to shut her in (and bake!) Besides, a man gotta eat!!!
 
It's bound to change I've just booked a few days away :cool:
 
It turned out a bit more summer-like today with a max of 23 C under hazy sunshine. I'm not that keen on the reduced air quality due to all those BBQs either being lit up or put out, though.
 
It was glorious down here yesterday - around 30 even down near the estuary. Just enough small breaths of gentle breeze to refresh the pollen under the nose and to dump the field car park dust on her newly washed car! Assorted plants seem to be enjoying the sunshine.

To those who suffer (as I tend to) from sun burn, I can recommend the P20 range of sunscreens. I've used their original factor 20 recipe for several years and have found it allows me to stay on the beach in Crete for a full day - under a brolly to be sure but a fair bit still gets through them! This year, we spotted that they now do a couple of stronger spray versions - SPF 30 and 50. The factor 30 stuff is good enough to allow me to wander round all day in yesterday's sun with only a hint of pink where the camera's lanyard wore it off. We didn't have the spray in June so didn't test it in Med sun - end of next month will be its first test. The best thing (for me) about the P20 range is that it's a once a day application - slap/spray it on in the morning, let it soak in for 5 minutes and you're done. It's even waterproof and can cope with gentle towelling off after swimming, although a vigorous drying could leave you with an "interesting" stripy burn! The only real downsides are that you have to remember to stick any contact lenses in before application (and keep the gunk out of the eye area...) and that if you dress before it's soaked in, it will stain your clothes and it's a bitch to get out of them (hot wash with bio powder - not so easy when you're hand washing on holiday!)...
 
Hi Nod! It's turned out quite decent here. It maxed out at 22.1 C this afternoon thanks to the obligatory coastal sea breeze.
However, I have noticed on my weather station how humidity fell down to 35% this afternoon, that is positively arid! Great for getting the line washing sorted quickly but unfortunately it isn't doing my poor lawn much good as it is turning more straw coloured by the day. This is the third season in a row that it's gone like this (my area escaped the deluges last year), I might as well pave over the thing!
 
Well I just checked and there's only 2 degrees difference between Alicante and Princes Risborough. My daughter flies out next week so your current lovely weather is good prep for her!
 
Ricardodaforce said:
Well I just checked and there's only 2 degrees difference between Alicante and Princes Risborough. My daughter flies out next week so your current lovely weather is good prep for her!
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I'm about 25 miles from there, and it was 27oC here earlier According to my in van computer thingy
Its actually still saying 25oC now (at home) (y)

So we are making the most of the summer while it lasts :)
 
Quite pleasant here in the conservatory at the moment, even with the bird protectors in place (windows and doors shut...) then again, at 20 past eight, it shouldn't be too hot!

Looking forward to the semi fledged blackbirds attaining full independence so we can let the cat have relatively free access and have the ventilation more open!
 
Cobra said:
I'm about 25 miles from there, and it was 27oC here earlier According to my in van computer thingy
Its actually still saying 25oC now (at home) (y)

So we are making the most of the summer while it lasts :)
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Awesome stuff! About time the UK had a nice summer :)
 
Blimey - I'd prefer the weather you lot have had.
Here in Somerset on top of the Mendip hills it has hit between 29 and 31 in the deep shade for the last three days.
One local couple just back from Greece and said the heat here is much more uncomfortable.
Currently a far more pleasant 24 :)

The worse thing about it is that I've been photographing a local three day festival...
Friday afternoon I realised I drank two pints of orange and lemonade, a couple of bottles of water and quite a few pints of cider; and never needed a bathroom break.
I was so lucky to avoid massive headaches and other effects from dehydration.
 
Mornin' all from a rather hazy Folkestone where the sky has that milky pale look about it due to extensive cirrostratus moving in from France.
It is also feeling quite comfortable temperature-wise at 23 C with 55% humidity.

Have to admit, I am a bit bored of this summer as 1) my location has been missing out on the worse (yes, I've typed that right) of the heat and 2) the total lack of thundery activity to liven things up.
 
DuncanDisorderly said:
Oooo - I'd love a bit of thunder too.
What does your weather sense tell you is going to happen?
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:) Hi Duncan! There is a small tiny chance of a popcorn type shower sprouting up over the South East tomorrow but having had a look at the medium range models, it seems that this settled warm summer-like spell is expected to last for the rest of this week, into the weekend (where there'll be a slight cool down due to winds coming in from the North Sea for a time) and into the first half of next week - then there are signs of things becoming more unsettled as we go into the tail end of this month.
Doesn't necessarily mean it'll turn cooler by then but that is when things are likely to take on more of a thundery-type flavour. It is light years away in forecasting terms and has been said in very low confidence anyway.
 
DuncanDisorderly said:
Blimey - I'd prefer the weather you lot have had.
Here in Somerset on top of the Mendip hills it has hit between 29 and 31 in the deep shade for the last three days.
One local couple just back from Greece and said the heat here is much more uncomfortable.
Currently a far more pleasant 24 :)
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Despite my optimism earlier, we hit 29 in the deep shade this afternoon - and there's hardly a breath of wind here in one the highest villages in Somerset.
I'm keeping comfortable by only moving my typing fingers and a copious supply of iced drinks.

I've got a feeling that before long I'm going to be praying for this weather to end.
 
Over on the east coast at the moment and it's definitely cooler her then at home, not overworked the air con today
 
It's been more summer-like today here at Folkestone as there were more in the way of blue skies as the cirrostratus of yesterday's had thinned out.
However, the obligatory coastal sea breeze had kept it fairly fresh with temperatures being pegged down at around 23 C to 25 C all day but still was more than decent enough to sit in the garden and not get that hot and bothered anyway.
 
I'm heading for Rochester first thing in the morning,
so don't be too shocked if it starts to rain down that way :D
 
View from my hotel window this morning and it didn't clear till midday

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Looks lovely and cool there Ingrid!
 
It was, I had to put a jacket on :eek:
Lucky I put one in the car
 
It looks like November has finally arrived (y)
:D
 
Gremlin said:
View from my hotel window this morning and it didn't clear till midday

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Indeed as low cloud and mist coming in from the North Sea under a fresh north east wind hugged the northern and eastern coastal parts of Kent for most of the day.
Here at Folkestone it turned out quite sunny all day and despite that brisk NE wind, temperatures got up to 23 C anyway. That is because I was more to the "lee side" of it under this NE wind. I won't have any problems getting off to sleep tonight as it is quite fresh and airy in the house as temperature is now 16.5 C as I type (but skies are still clear).
However, I do think that things are really going to properly hot up over most of Kent as we go into next week, that's where the wind start to come in from the near Continent hence the rising temperatures and humidity. However, it'll also come with an increased risk of thunderstorms.
 
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I'm not sure about you chaps, but I hope the widespread thundery activity will make up for the renewed heat AND the increased humidity as we go into the first half of this week.
Going by my own calculations, it does look like thunderstorms should break out at my area (South East England) on Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning, at least before the cooler and fresher air takes over afterwards.
Going to make sure the camera's battery is fully charged up, along with a fully formatted SD card in the camera itself. Looks like being a long night, though.
 
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michael23 said:
It's been a welcome break from the heat today, much cooler and a liitle dampness around this evening. A thunderstorm or two would be great if it freshens the atmosphere up a bit more. Are we going to be getting them in central parts Ian?
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This could be quite a widespread event come Tuesday as a front moves slowly in from the Atlantic and runs into the hot and humid air sitting over the country. That'll cause the air to become unstable for a time before the cooler and fresher weather takes over completely later on in the week.
 
crofter said:
The grass I our meadow was cut for hay yesterday, bound to rain for the next couple of weeks now.
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. . . Funny you should say that. :naughty:

Indeed it is going to get properly hot and humd over Central, Southern and Eastern parts of the UK tomorrow and into Tuesday then a weather front moving in from the Atlantic may trigger off scattered thunderstorms on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning as it comes up against that hot air.
Finally, the muggy/thundery stuff will get pushed away from the UK as cooler and fresher air moves in from the Atlantic. As a result, the week will end off with alternating spells of sunshine and showers/longer outbreaks of rain with temperatures recovering to normal values.
That'll last into the weekend and next week. All back to normal - and just as well as my lawn is practically dead as a doornail.
 
Nice (y)
We were really unlucky last night (I'm in Oxford at the mo). the lightning tracker showed the storm heading straight for us, but just before it got in visual range, it split with the main storm bypassing to the North and one to the South that fizzled out.
So I missed out :(

Checking the lightning tracker - right now there's lots of activity!
It's mainly Cheshire plus a smattering in East Anglia - but it's definitely not over...

In case you don't already have the link. Here's my preferred lightning tracker.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...&fcTime=1374512400&zoom=7&lon=-1.71&lat=52.44
Positives are that it has very good coverage and can also be flipped into rainfall radar.
Negatives are that it not real-time.
 
LOL - I spoke too soon.
As soon as I submitted that post we started getting faint rumbles of thunder.
No real build up from the faint rumbles - then a moment ago, KERBANGGGGGGGG
Direct strike on the school next to the B&B.
Impressive :)
 
absolutely nothing here (10 miles S of Norwich)... 100% cloud cover with that "feeling" it's going to chuck down any minute, but so far nothing... muggy warm... all windows open in the house fans on and still 27 deg..

(Sorry for the lack of technical details!!) :)

Ian - if you could arrange a big thunderstorm , it would make me very happy!
 
Bang crash wallop all night long!....started thundering and lightening about midnight and still rumbling around now, can't ever remember such an intense long lasting storm, felt like the roof was being blown off.
 
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