The Weather Outlook

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ballamar
29 January 2026 09:01:57

My birthday is in mid-February, so it provides a focal point in much the same way Christmas does for the weather. It feels like a switch was flipped a few decades ago, turning the period from “deep winter” into “early spring”. There will, of course, be exceptions, and this year may be one of them. However, more often than not the horse hasn’t bolted by February, but it is bolting.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

No idea what day your birthday is but my forecast for that day will be 7/8 degrees with drizzle. 

squish
29 January 2026 09:07:10
In the shorter term I'm not liking that little low on Friday for the SW

https://modeles12.meteociel.fr/modeles/icon/run/iconnh-0-33.png?6 


D.E.W on Dartmoor. 300m asl
squish
29 January 2026 09:18:48
ICON 06z +120 

GFS 00z +126 

Quite a difference between GFS and most of the others at this range


D.E.W on Dartmoor. 300m asl
Boardshark
29 January 2026 10:04:13
Does it look like that low will break in to 2 as there is a little lobe at the bottom, if so would that push further south dragging in colder air?
449ft Sutton Coldfield, West MIdlands
squish
29 January 2026 10:08:29
The 06z gfs inches towards the euro model solution, but I think one of the keys is how much energy dives into Iberia, and GFS ( and some other models) pull the Atlantic 'energy' and low centre back NW ready for the next round and hence a further delay to the chance of cold.
D.E.W on Dartmoor. 300m asl
jhall
29 January 2026 10:10:53

GEM,  AIFS and ECM all better models all show a much better chance. 

Aifs very solid thiss morning 

https://www.wetterzentrale.de/en/show_diagrams.php?geoid=50893&model=aifs&var=2&run=0&lid=ENS&bw=1 

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

The GFS and ECM have been in remarkably good agreement for the last day or two with both the ops and the ensembles, but I see that has gone by the board with this morning's 0Z runs, with the GFS having taken a turn for the milder but the ECM not much changed from yesterday's 12Z.


Cranleigh, Surrey
Saint Snow
29 January 2026 10:16:17

My birthday is in mid-February, so it provides a focal point in much the same way Christmas does for the weather. It feels like a switch was flipped a few decades ago, turning the period from “deep winter” into “early spring”. There will, of course, be exceptions, and this year may be one of them. However, more often than not the horse hasn’t bolted by February, but it is bolting.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

Mine's tomorrow. Not that long ago, it was looking like I'd have a cold and possibly snowy birthday.

I have, mind, had several birthdays with snow either falling or on the ground (curiously, very few if any when I was a kid in the 70's/80's)


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

Saint Snow
29 January 2026 10:18:00

No idea what day your birthday is but my forecast for that day will be 7/8 degrees with drizzle. 

Originally Posted by: ballamar 

🤣👍


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

Saint Snow
29 January 2026 10:20:50

ICON 06z +120 

GFS 00z +126 

Quite a difference between GFS and most of the others at this range

Originally Posted by: squish 

Not an enormous difference (in the wider scheme) - it's principally the latitude of the low towards our south (obvs, GFS has it further north)


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

Rob K
29 January 2026 10:21:07
The observations map on the Meteociel front page  makes for frustrating viewing with a blizzard of snow symbols to our east all the way to the Dutch coast and then rain and drizzle for the UK.

In the near term, yet more heavy rain hitting the SW with the focus on Dartmoor which has already born the brunt this week - another 50mm or so in the next 48 hours.

By T180 GFS has even weaker northern blocking than the 0Z run.


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

Lumi
29 January 2026 10:56:04
More 'mirages' in the GFS 06z. Greenland High and favourable jet direction.  The Met office did mention cold 'possible' from the East or North East so some support exists. One run + its in the unreliable range??????
Thurlstone

South Yorkshire

230m AMSL

The Beast from the East
29 January 2026 11:01:34
another severe cold plunge across the US in 9 days is only going to keep the atlantic fired up.  

We may get a greenland high, but also in the direct firing line of storms.  this is looking like 2014 flooding all over again.


Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

jhall
29 January 2026 11:03:48

More 'mirages' in the GFS 06z. Greenland High and favourable jet direction.  The Met office did mention cold 'possible' from the East or North East so some support exists. One run + its in the unreliable range??????

Originally Posted by: Lumi 

It's rather more than one run, though. Apart from the 0Z GFS, most recent GFS and ECM runs have shown a formidable Greenland High developing in FI and eventually bringing us "proper" cold. Yes, it's a long way out, but for that far in the future it's been surprisingly consistent. Edit: I'd posted that halfway through seeing the GFS 06Z charts in FI, and getting towards the end of FI it's no longer looking so good.


Cranleigh, Surrey
Lumi
29 January 2026 11:11:53

It's rather more than one run, though. Apart from the 0Z GFS, most recent GFS and ECM runs have shown a formidable Greenland High developing in FI and eventually bringing us "proper" cold. Yes, it's a long way out, but for that far in the future it's been surprisingly consistent.

Originally Posted by: jhall 

GFS 06z. Forget 'the beast from the East' we may have 'the force from the North' . If you say it with a bit of a short tongue type speak it nearly rhymes.


Thurlstone

South Yorkshire

230m AMSL

CField
29 January 2026 12:08:05

I cannot recall a winter that has consistently had such promising easterly-looking charts for so long without actually delivering anything. They have been ever present since at least Christmas but as you say it never gets any closer. 

Originally Posted by: Rob K 

Wait another 15 years before we see  such promise again....fear gfs will be right , they get this winter now.. 


Favourite snowstorm

Famous channel low

Dec 31st 1978

Hastings East Sussex

Foot of level snow severe drifting

Next day max temp -4 degrees Celsius

ballamar
29 January 2026 12:13:08
GEFS 2 row below -10 850 which sums up the momentum - definitely will test the trust in this model. 
Chunky Pea
29 January 2026 13:05:41
Just eye balling the En charts, and it's funny how they are hinting at the easterly pushing more west, but the core of the cold itself pushing away further east. It is like the easterly is shreading itself apart in multiple directions. 
Patrick,

East Galway, Ireland.

nsrobins
29 January 2026 13:19:26
I’m just not feeling this one. I’ve been watching how classic easterlies develop (or otherwise) since the internet era (and before via Farmers Outlook, teletext, Old Moore’s Almanac and tea leaves), and you just sort of know if an easterly is game on or not (take 2018 - it was always going to happen, with just one wobble 6 days out). 

This one, which feels like it’s been on the charts since Christmas is, simply put, just too much of an effort. My goto suite MOGREPs twitched yesterday but is back to average again so I’m not buying into it.


Neil

Fareham, Hampshire 28m ASL (near estuary)

Stormchaser, Member TORRO

Quantum
29 January 2026 15:23:32
ARPEGE is really getting close

https://modeles7.meteociel.fr/modeles/arpege/run/2026012912/arpegeeur-0-114.png?12 


25/26 (850hpa temp) 11 days snow/sleet falling

18/11 (-4) 19/11 (-6) 20/11 (-6) 01/01 (-7) 04/01 (-10) 10/01 (-7) 11/01 (-3) 30/01 (-1) 13/02 (-6) 15/02 (-4) 18/02 (-6)

24/25 10d

18/11 (-6) 19/11 (-6) 23/11 (-2) 22/12 (-5) 04/01 (-5) 05/01 (0)14/02 (0) 15/02 (0)12/03 (-6) 13/03 (-6)

23/24 8d

29/11 (-6) 30/11 (-6) 02/12 (-5) 03/12 (-5) 04/12 (-3) 16/01 (-3) 18/01 (-8)08/02 (-5)

22/23 7d

18/12 (-1)06/03 (-6) 08/03 (-8) 09/03 (-6) 10/03 (-8) 11/03 (-5) 14/03 (-6)

21/22 12d

Caz
  • Caz
  • Advanced Member
29 January 2026 15:30:11

Mine's tomorrow. Not that long ago, it was looking like I'd have a cold and possibly snowy birthday.

I have, mind, had several birthdays with snow either falling or on the ground (curiously, very few if any when I was a kid in the 70's/80's)

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 

Yes.  It was my birthday last Friday and as usual, it rained.  I’ve come to accept that these days.  


Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.

Join the fun and banter of the monthly CET competition.

ballamar
29 January 2026 15:41:00

ARPEGE is really getting close

https://modeles7.meteociel.fr/modeles/arpege/run/2026012912/arpegeeur-0-114.png?12 

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

Areas north of  East Anglia favoured in that chart

Crepuscular Ray
29 January 2026 16:45:26

Mine's tomorrow. Not that long ago, it was looking like I'd have a cold and possibly snowy birthday.

I have, mind, had several birthdays with snow either falling or on the ground (curiously, very few if any when I was a kid in the 70's/80's)

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 

Hey Saint......it's mine tomorrow too 😂 Born in 1958 so I've had some snowy birthdays.....my 21st in 1979 was a belter high up in West Yorkshire....had to struggle through huge drifts to the pub!......sorry mods


Jerry

Edinburgh, in the frost hollow below Blackford Hill

jhall
29 January 2026 16:48:23
My birthday's in September, which has rather simplified the question of whether it's going to snow or not!
Cranleigh, Surrey
Spring Sun Winter Dread
29 January 2026 18:04:54
I had my birthday in 2018 slap bang in the middle of the Beast from the East at the start of March !

And have actually had a few cold /snowy ones over the years despite it being on the verge of spring. Winter often has a sting in its tail then, it is seldom warm.

Wrote my car off that year sadly which dampened the joy from the snow, sadly some people are not so great at driving in these conditions /this is all the worse because of how rarely we get them.

Brian Gaze
29 January 2026 18:07:49
Looks good at first glance.

UserPostedImage


Brian Gaze

Berkhamsted

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