The Weather Outlook

Remove ads from site

nsrobins
07 January 2025 06:48:19
When you only get to +2 min in an arctic flow in January and the light showers passing through at 6.30am are sleety rain, you sort of realise how things have changed.

Anyway on topic, and the risk for tomorrow remains low.


Neil

Fareham, Hampshire 28m ASL (near estuary)

Stormchaser, Member TORRO

Matty H
07 January 2025 09:03:05

When you only get to +2 min in an arctic flow in January and the light showers passing through at 6.30am are sleety rain, you sort of realise how things have changed.

Anyway on topic, and the risk for tomorrow remains low.

Originally Posted by: nsrobins 

As does Friday’s. I would say there’s a less then 5% chance that anything even remotely like the GFS 00z op happens. It’ll be more like the ECM, ICON and ARPEGE ops of it just fizzling to nothing 


Yate, Nr Bristol

TBFTEIARBSC

Saint Snow
07 January 2025 10:27:23
Big patch of snow moving south over northern Scotland. I can see it's snowing in Fort William, and expect reports from our Aberdeen contingent soon.


Martin

Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)

A TWO addict since 14/12/01

"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."

Aneurin Bevan

doctormog
07 January 2025 10:55:38

Big patch of snow moving south over northern Scotland. I can see it's snowing in Fort William, and expect reports from our Aberdeen contingent soon.

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 

It looks to be fizzling a bit before it gets here or splitting to our north. Areas further north seem to have got a lot of snow from it.


The Beast from the East
07 January 2025 11:02:50
Oh dear. Only GFS gives us southerners any hope.  ICON, Arpege, Arome all bollox
Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

Saint Snow
07 January 2025 11:32:21
During the last couple of days, the Met Office and BBC 'raw output' via their website forecasts have been poor.

Both have, for here, gone for mostly rain with the odd sleet symbol. Today especially, the BBC site has just rain. Since last night, anything that's fallen has been snow, graupel or ice pellets.

Saying that, the Weatheronline radar map has been showing the showers here falling as rain, when they've been snow.


Martin

Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)

A TWO addict since 14/12/01

"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."

Aneurin Bevan

idj20
07 January 2025 11:37:14
GFS still pretty much on its own with their solution of general precipitation (be it rain or snow) over a large portion of Southern England (including here at Kent) for later tomorrow (Wednesday) while all the other models are showing it bypassing to our south or very light precipitation along the south coast. If GFS does actually turn out to be the correct solution come the moment then kudos for sticking to its guns.  

  I also noticed GFS showing a large swathe of precipitation (snow at leading edge, rain at rear) covering more of the UK on Friday while, again, all other models are showing a well fizzled out feature. 


Home location: Folkestone Harbour.
Tim A
07 January 2025 11:39:34
I think the last few days is a trimph for Nowcasting.  When it's borderline rain/snow, the models can't be relied on. 

So much swing in the models prior to Sunday. 

Then immediately before Met Office app/UKV predicted the snow to freezing rain/cold rain on Sunday midday well, but after that things fell apart. 

Sunday evening, some of the latest UKV runs just a few hours before had us in positive uppers, in reality it was snowing heavily 8pm-2am, that can't have been right.  Met Office app had us down for rain even as it was falling.  GFS and other models showed rain around that time , then heavy back edge snow Monday morning.  But Monday morning was more sleet here.    Heavy back edge snow did happen though, just in a different area (further south of here). 

Arpege especially for the bin as just showed snow throughout. 

Temp profiles were much more accurate though 0-1c the whole time. 


Tim

NW Leeds

187m asl

 My PWS 

Jonesy
07 January 2025 12:10:43

GFS still pretty much on its own with their solution of general precipitation (be it rain or snow) over a large portion of Southern England (including here at Kent) for later tomorrow (Wednesday) while all the other models are showing it bypassing to our south or very light precipitation along the south coast. If GFS does actually turn out to be the correct solution come the moment then kudos for sticking to its guns.  

  I also noticed GFS showing a large swathe of precipitation (snow at leading edge, rain at rear) covering more of the UK on Friday while, again, all other models are showing a well fizzled out feature. 

Originally Posted by: idj20 

I'm not holding out much hope Ian, so hopefully that's a good thing lol

Just keeping my fingers crossed for a last minute nudge North.


Medway Towns (Kent)

The Weather will do what it wants, when it wants, no matter what data is thrown at it !

Rob K
07 January 2025 12:12:20
Looks like the Wednesday snow will miss the south coast entirely. GFS is the only holdout but we know how poorly it has performed of late.
Yateley, NE Hampshire, 73m asl

"But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it beforehand." — Jerome K. Jerome

nsrobins
07 January 2025 12:48:27

GFS still pretty much on its own with their solution of general precipitation (be it rain or snow) over a large portion of Southern England (including here at Kent) for later tomorrow (Wednesday) while all the other models are showing it bypassing to our south or very light precipitation along the south coast. If GFS does actually turn out to be the correct solution come the moment then kudos for sticking to its guns.  

  I also noticed GFS showing a large swathe of precipitation (snow at leading edge, rain at rear) covering more of the UK on Friday while, again, all other models are showing a well fizzled out feature. 

Originally Posted by: idj20 

This is an interesting discussion, and I believe what it boils down to is what model(s) the apps/agencies use.

MetO use a blend of DECIDER/MOGREPS/UKV and I understand their 'automated' output is edited somewhat manually.

BBC use mostly ECM (under contract with Meteogroup) for graphics forecasts and the app data is fully automated on ECM output.

Weatheronline and some of the other apps use GFS raw for automated.

This is why you get differences.

I don't like the apps - much prefer to do my own forecasting using blended model data which is better I find.


Neil

Fareham, Hampshire 28m ASL (near estuary)

Stormchaser, Member TORRO

Gandalf The White
07 January 2025 12:55:07

During the last couple of days, the Met Office and BBC 'raw output' via their website forecasts have been poor.

Both have, for here, gone for mostly rain with the odd sleet symbol. Today especially, the BBC site has just rain. Since last night, anything that's fallen has been snow, graupel or ice pellets.

Saying that, the Weatheronline radar map has been showing the showers here falling as rain, when they've been snow.

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 

My understanding is that Weatheronline has an algorithm that estimates whether conditions are such that the precipitation will fall as rain, sleet or snow.  That being the case it’s going to be wrong when the underlying data about the atmosphere is wrong.


Location: South Cambridgeshire

130 metres ASL

52.0N 0.1E



NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
07 January 2025 13:35:00

This is an interesting discussion, and I believe what it boils down to is what model(s) the apps/agencies use.

MetO use a blend of DECIDER/MOGREPS/UKV and I understand their 'automated' output is edited somewhat manually.

BBC use mostly ECM (under contract with Meteogroup) for graphics forecasts and the app data is fully automated on ECM output.

Weatheronline and some of the other apps use GFS raw for automated.

This is why you get differences.

I don't like the apps - much prefer to do my own forecasting using blended model data which is better I find.

Originally Posted by: nsrobins 

Nor do I. That said, too many people treat the apps like gospel and then go all silly when what the app suggested a week ago turns out to be false. I know people who take them literally, especially in the summer and plan their lives around them for things like barbecues and trips to the beach a week in advance. And then blame the Met Office, BBC or whoever when they don't come true on the day.

But for tomorrow, the BBC say this for me.

Tomorrow, it will stay dry and cold. Wintry sunshine is expected early in the morning, though it will then quickly cloud over from the south. A few (my underlining) coastal showers, possibly wintry. Gentle winds. (The app shows some afternoon light sleet)

But still the warning.  A weather system may push snow into some southern counties of England on Wednesday, which could then prove disruptive.

The classic forecaster's nightmare in other words. Dammed of course if they suggest whatever is the actual outcome.

Personally, I doubt it will come to much. We need a proper Scandi High for that and a continental hard frost with an easterly drift in our direction.

Will that happen this winter? I have my doubts here too.


Vale of the Great Dairies

South Dorset

Elevation 60m 197ft

The Beast from the East
07 January 2025 15:29:05

Looks like the Wednesday snow will miss the south coast entirely. GFS is the only holdout but we know how poorly it has performed of late.

Originally Posted by: Rob K 

AROME and ICON have shifted north again, but still not enough. Arpege just clips the south coast. None of them interested in Friday. So just GFS , but lets see if it falls into line in a few minutes


Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

Whiteout
07 January 2025 15:40:45

AROME and ICON have shifted north again, but still not enough. Arpege just clips the south coast. None of them interested in Friday. So just GFS , but lets see if it falls into line in a few minutes

Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 

Nope, GFS still going for it lol


Home/Work - Dartmoor

240m/785 ft asl

The Beast from the East
07 January 2025 15:48:02

Nope, GFS still going for it lol

Originally Posted by: Whiteout 

Though not as far north as the 06z sadly. Lets see what it does for Friday


Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

warrenb
07 January 2025 15:50:26
Remember GFS is a global model and you are looking at 50 miles this way or that. High res models from this point on for tomorrow. They are going for a floaty flutter at best.
Chunky Pea
07 January 2025 15:57:13
Models seriously out of kilter for my part of the world today. Forecast max of 3c turned out to be closer to 5.5c. And higher res models have me going down to anywhere between -4c to -6c tonight. This is not even possible. A quick look at the satellite shows a constant stream of cloud and piss showers moving down from the north, ensuring a mostly cloudy and damp night. Do these models even input actual observations in their database before they are released? 
Patrick,

East Galway, Ireland.

Whiteout
07 January 2025 16:00:17

Remember GFS is a global model and you are looking at 50 miles this way or that. High res models from this point on for tomorrow. They are going for a floaty flutter at best.

Originally Posted by: warrenb 

Radar from this point on lol, in November high res models going for a couple of cms here, got 12 in the end. Fingers crossed for a good covering at least.


Home/Work - Dartmoor

240m/785 ft asl

Ally Pally Snowman
07 January 2025 16:00:56
Wednesday looks a write off but Friday could be interesting especially for the West Country.  As for here in the the snowless East. Snow is a myth now,  folklore.
Bishop's Stortford 85m ASL.
Hippydave
07 January 2025 16:56:13
Was in the office today so no access to charts - got home, looked at GFS and was pleasantly surprised, looked at the 12z GEM next, pleasantly surprised. Looked at the other models and was less pleased 🤣

I guess it still might snow tomorrow IMBY but it's looking rather more likely we'll get a few spits and spots of rain at best instead unless the US and Canada pull off an unexpected victory.  I have had both the dry day when forecast rain and wet day when forecast dry scenario from not wildly dissimilar set ups so it's still possible the models haven't got things quite right but when the majority including the higher res models all sing from the same hymn sheet it's not usually a good sign! 


Home: Tunbridge Wells

Work: Tonbridge

Retron
07 January 2025 17:16:44

Was in the office today so no access to charts - got home, looked at GFS and was pleasantly surprised, looked at the 12z GEM next, pleasantly surprised. Looked at the other models and was less pleased 🤣

Originally Posted by: Hippydave 

IME it's *very* unusual to get such persistent disagreement between models as close as we are now - only a day away. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the end!

The GFS has, incidentally, dropped any hint of sleet or snow here tomorrow, just having icy cold rain instead. Lovely. GEM has the most meagre of dustings and MetO has a few hours of light rain. You're better placed down there, so might see a few flakes. The best place to be, though, would have to be higher ground further west...


Leysdown, north Kent
Matty H
07 January 2025 17:23:20
The MetO text forecast for the SW pretty much sums it up regarding the short term snow potential

Tomorrow:

REGIONAL FORECAST FOR

Southwest England

Wednesday

A cold but cloudier start to Wednesday. Rain spreading north and east, with some sleet and snow possible along the south coast and over hills for a time.

Maximum temperature 6°C.

Beyond:

REGIONAL FORECAST FOR

Southwest England

Thursday to Saturday

Brighter on Thursday with sunshine and isolated showers. Cloudier on Friday and Saturday with outbreaks of rain and hill snow for a time. Cold, but turning milder by the weekend.


Yate, Nr Bristol

TBFTEIARBSC

Hippydave
07 January 2025 17:45:56

IME it's *very* unusual to get such persistent disagreement between models as close as we are now - only a day away. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the end!

The GFS has, incidentally, dropped any hint of sleet or snow here tomorrow, just having icy cold rain instead. Lovely. GEM has the most meagre of dustings and MetO has a few hours of light rain. You're better placed down there, so might see a few flakes. The best place to be, though, would have to be higher ground further west...

Originally Posted by: Retron 

Hadn't looked at the UKMO charts when I posted - can see that's trended north from this mornings run albeit as you say it's mainly rain for Kent, away from the highest ground.

I do have the advantage of sitting on one of the ridgelines locally (about 430ft) so I occasionally luck out and get snow when it's a sleety mix lower down but unless we get heavier precip  suspect it won't help this time. 

So far this spell is one of those frustrating 'nearly but not quite' things although there was a brief wintry shower even down in Tonbridge earlier, so I've seen snow falling twice if nothing else!


Home: Tunbridge Wells

Work: Tonbridge

UncleAlbert
07 January 2025 20:59:08

The MetO text forecast for the SW pretty much sums it up regarding the short term snow potential

Tomorrow:

REGIONAL FORECAST FOR

Southwest England

Wednesday

A cold but cloudier start to Wednesday. Rain spreading north and east, with some sleet and snow possible along the south coast and over hills for a time.

Maximum temperature 6°C.

0529 wrote:

That 'with some sleet and snow possible along the south coast and over hills for a time'. seems like an odd call.  Surely we would be expecting  'Away from the south coast and over hills for a time' if any snow is to be in the mix.

Remove ads from site