The Weather Outlook

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Rob K
26 August 2026 11:16:21

ECM still going for a back to school heatwave, not GFS though

Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 

GFS 6Z has 30C+ only just across the Channel, wouldn't take much to nudge the heat over to us.


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

fairweather
26 August 2026 11:43:31
Problem is the continued overestimation of the rain by the models and forecasters - especially in the drought stricken areas. Has rain become the forecasters "new snow"?
S.Essex, 42m ASL
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
26 August 2026 12:20:34
Perhaps Fairweather, but we never seem to see deeply into the Professional's teacup. Well, perhaps we do in deep dives, but as Bledur suggests, we may have to wait for the low to come off the Atlantic on Saturday to see a meaningful change in breaking this drought in  Southern England. Last night I watched more rain trying to reach the ground but not really making it as it seemed to hit the dry air. But a few drops did, which is a starting point.  I went to the barbers earlier and the lady who gave me the trim was saying how it felt really humid and "dare I say it thundery," she said. Optimistic she is I know, but people have been crying wolf so often now. Beast?

I hope next week's warm, dry hiccup is just that. But not everyone will agree, I'm sure.


Vale of the Great Dairies

South Dorset

Elevation 60m 197ft

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
27 August 2026 07:27:21
FAX - a story of Low Pressure (1) today 1002mb off Cornwall to 993mb early Saturday off Aberdeen (2) also early Saturday 1000mb SW Ireland across S England, filled off East Anglia on Sunday (3) 995mb off W Ireland on Sunday, staying put (4) the whole complex resolving into 1000mb Western Isles Mon 31st with NW-lies for most of Britain (5) a broad multi-centre area of LP 1000mb Mon 31st south of Greenland ready to move eastwards.

GFS Op 00z - the two areas mentioned in FAX (Greenland and Western Isles) merging into a trough stretching across the N Atlantic with westerlies for Britain until Sat 5th when pressure drops in mid-Atlantic brings up warm and likely humid air from the southwest. It doesn't last - the mid-Atlantic area of LP becomes a closed -circulation LP 980mb Western Isles and brings back northerlies as it passes eastward Mon 7th. Finally a modest rise of pressure over Scotland Sat 12th.

ECM - similar to GFS but more unsettled with LP centres closer to N Scotland; and the LP from mid-Atlantic arrives a day earlier on Sun 6th.

AIFS - London, maxima around 20C to Sun 6th, then rising to 27C Thu 10th. Rain frequent to Sun 6th, heavy at first, dry after 6th. Edinburgh, maxima dropping from 18C to 15C Sun 6th, then warmer to 20C. Rain on most days, heavy on Sun 30th.

GEFS - mean temp and ens members agree on a period near norm to Wed 2nd, after which a spread of ens members develops; probably a little above norm to Wed 9th; then the mean is dragged back to norm by a number of cold runs including op and control 5-6C below norm. Rain on many days; in the south/southwest some heavy falls in the next few days and again after Wed 9th. For the Midlands north to Scotland, rain both heavy and frequent.

NHC - the only disturbance is well south near Cabo Verde but with 70% chance of becoming significant.


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

The Beast from the East
27 August 2026 08:59:07
ECM has sadly come into line with GFS.  Looks wet now for back to school week


Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

Charmhills
27 August 2026 09:16:13

ECM has sadly come into line with GFS.  Looks wet now for back to school week

Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 

Warm, muggy and wet/very wet at times for most.

Im not suprised though.


Loughborough, EM.

Knowledge is power.

Duane.

Saint Snow
27 August 2026 09:43:04

Problem is the continued overestimation of the rain by the models and forecasters - especially in the drought stricken areas. Has rain become the forecasters "new snow"?

Originally Posted by: fairweather 

No such problems here 😒


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
27 August 2026 12:12:57
GFS 6Z brings 22C 850mb air back to the south around September 9/10 - although 2m temps barely break 30C for some reason, despite 37C just across the Channel.
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

Jiries
27 August 2026 14:15:59

GFS 6Z brings 22C 850mb air back to the south around September 9/10 - although 2m temps barely break 30C for some reason, despite 37C just across the Channel.

Originally Posted by: Rob K 

Same on AIFS on 00z, something brewing up for those date 9/10th September for a while now.  I am hoping for last 7th heatwave of the year to happen in September.   Checking the ensembles for here looking very dry once August exited so if London also the same no rain in early Septmber and ground properly dried up should give us 33-35C and if we can get 35c for 5th month in the row too make it very interesting stats.   Need the models to count down as time is running out for 20Cs 850s.

Saint Snow
27 August 2026 15:43:17

GFS 6Z brings 22C 850mb air back to the south around September 9/10 - although 2m temps barely break 30C for some reason, despite 37C just across the Channel.

Originally Posted by: Rob K 

Figures. We go on holiday (Spain) on the 13th. So expect lovely weather whilst we're away.

I'm in Angelsey with some mates the previous weekend, so expect rain.


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

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
28 August 2026 07:20:41
FAX - broad area of LP 1005mb covering Britain today but more active (and fairly local) disturbances for the weekend - 999mb Cornwall on Sat, 998mb Clyde Mon, 996mb Orkney Tue, all with associated fronts and troughs moving eastwards across Britain. Also by Tue 1st there are several linked areas of LP south of Greenland in position for extended unsettled weather.

GFS Op 00z - that area south of Greenland resolves into a depression which moves slowly past the Faeroes to Finland by Sun 6th with N/NW winds behind it. On Tue 8th a shallow LP in this N-ly flow reaches the N Sea; there is then a brief rise in pressure before an Atlantic LP moves across to Shetland 970mb Sat 12th with some distinctly cold N-ly gales. No ex-hurricanes to change the pressure pattern.

ECM - generally agrees with GFS though by Mon 7th the LP near Finland has withdrawn further east and this allows a weak area of HP to  establish over Britain with any N-lies restricted to Norway.

AIFS - London, maxima mostly 20-23C, a little cooler after Wed 9th, small amounts of rain on most days to Fri 11th. Edinburgh, progressive decline in maxima from 18C now to 14C Thu 10th, significant rain for the coming week, an almost dry slot for the weekend of Sat 5th, more rain after that.

GEFS - mean temp and ens members agree on near norm to Thu 3rd, half-hearted agreement on a slightly warmer few days, then a wide spread of ens predictions from Sun 6th; mean stays near norm, op and control notably cold for the following week (6C below norm around Wed 9th). Some definite rain this weekend; a drier slot Tue/Wed 1st/2nd; then some chances of rain any day through to Sun 13th in the S, much higher chance and heavier further N and into Scotland.


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

idj20
28 August 2026 09:56:30
Until then, Saturday is looking like a proper autumnal-type day - first in a long while - with persistent rain and quite strong winds along the south coast thanks to a small low pressure tracking eastwards along the southern portion of the British Isles. Unlikely enough to warrant warnings, etc, but certainly a good example of the bank holiday curse. 

Wonder how long it'll be before the "good for the lawn" novelty wear thin? We really do need the rain, though. 


Home location: Folkestone Harbour.
Rob K
28 August 2026 10:52:15
A real flip on the GFS, with the op and control run right at the bottom of the pack and instead of 20C+ 850s on Sept 9th we have 2C!
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

Saint Snow
28 August 2026 11:23:43
Looks like most of next week (after the BH) will be fine for the southern portion of the UK (from very approx around mid-Wales across to the Wash). The band north of that covering the rest of Wales & England will have some dry/sunny but likely also wet on Wed or Thur as the next low hits Scotland and troughs southwards (extent of sourthern troughing still TBC).

Next weekend being shown by all models as under HP from Lancahshire or Lake District southwards.

Scotland is in for a truly abysmal week - in fact, it's suffered all summer.


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

buachaille
29 August 2026 07:29:12
Scotland hasn’t actually “suffered all summer”. Last week has been beautiful in the Outer Hebrides and north west. A few drops of rain during one night in the past six or seven. Loads of sunshine, white sand beaches and green water.

This often happens when a breakdown occurs in the deep south.

Rainfall has tended to come in short bursts over the summer, and river levels and Highland reservoirs are generally really low. It’s been coolish, but visitors from down south have loved it. There’s been a fair amount of cloud, but, being Scotland, you generally don’t have to travel far - north or south, west or east - to find the weather you want.

(And I don’t work for Visit Scotland!!)

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
29 August 2026 07:47:25
FAX - LP early today 998mb northern N Sea, another today running across S England 998mb, and third reaching the Scottish border 999mb late tomorrow. The last of these moves a little to the north but extends a weak trough S-wards (as far as the Midlands?) Tue 1st. Final chart shows a large LP area gathering strength in mid-Atlantic 990mb Wed 2nd pushing fronts in advance across Britain as a whole.

GFS OP 00z - The last of these LPs heads for the Faeroes with cool NW then N-ly winds behind but a rise of pressure 1025mb English Channel Sat 4th promises a fine weekend for all but the far NW. Pressure then remains fairly high over Britain until Wed 9th when LP moves from S of Iceland past Scotland and into the southern N Sea 985mb Mon 14th with some chilly N/NE-ly winds behind.

ECM - the rise of pressure next weekend is only marginal in this model, and is soon crunched by LP from the SW moving to Aberdeen 990 mb Tue 8th.

AIFS - London, maxima generally 21-22C with short  warmer spells to 25C Fri 4th and Sat 12th. Rain likely today and Wed 9th, traces at other times. Edinburgh, maxima 17-19C but cooler to14-15C around Tue 8th, small amounts of rain every other day from Sun 30th.

GEFS - For England mean temp with ens support to Thu 3rd near norm becoming slightly warmer. After 3rd, mean stays near norm but ens spread out, op & control both   very warm Tue 8th before going in opposite directions. Rain at first, dry slot Tue 1st, then possible at any time and heavy in N England. For Scotland, mean temp and ens members close to norm or a little below to Thu 3rd (no warm spell)  then mean on cool side for most of the time to Mon 14th while the spread referred to develops, and op & control mirror that above. Rain on most days, no discernible dry slot, and heavy in the west.


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
30 August 2026 07:28:39
FAX - yesterday's LP has departed for the North Sea, today's will be passing over the Scottish borders 1001mb this evening. Then a selection of ill-defined fronts from the Atlantic finally settling to a westerly regime on Thu 3rd between LP 991mb south of Iceland and HP 1025mb northern Spain. Mostly unsettled in the north, mostly fine and maybe warm in the south.

GFS Op 0z - Thursday's LP  (see FAX, above) moves N of Scotland to Scandinavia, followed by a rise of pressure with an HP cell 1025mb England weekend of 5th/6th - generally fine and warm though SW-ly gales in the Western Isles. This converts, as so often this summer, into a broad ridge lying W-E across N England with areas of low pressure fringing N Scotland and S England, persisting to Tue 15th when a general breakdown from the Atlantic looks likely. 

ECM favours low pressure instead; after the 5th/6th a depression pushes across N England on Mon 7th 1005mb, and another is shown approaching W Scotland on Wed 9th.

AIFS - London, maxima 21-23C until Sun 6th, dropping to 17-18C for the following week. A very little but persistent rain in the first week (showers?) but heavier on Fri 11th and Sun 13th. Edinburgh, 16-18C in the first week and 14-16C in the second, significant rain on most days until Tue 8th, then one more wet day Fri 11th.

GEFS - In England, mean temp with fair ens support shows two very warm but short spells, Sat 4th and Mon 7th, near norm before, between and after. From Fri 11th, mean stays near norm but op & control both warmer. Rain likely tomorrow (Mon) and possibly around Tue 9th in the south but persistent and often heavyto the NW. In Scotland, the first warm spell is no more than a ripple on the graph, and the second is reflected in op & control rather than making a difference to the mean. Rain frequent, often heavy in the west.

A return to a hot summer in S England (including drought) according to GFS but ECM offers a more traditional changeable outlook.


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

bledur
30 August 2026 08:09:37

Scotland hasn’t actually “suffered all summer”. Last week has been beautiful in the Outer Hebrides and north west. A few drops of rain during one night in the past six or seven. Loads of sunshine, white sand beaches and green water.

This often happens when a breakdown occurs in the deep south.

Rainfall has tended to come in short bursts over the summer, and river levels and Highland reservoirs are generally really low. It’s been coolish, but visitors from down south have loved it. There’s been a fair amount of cloud, but, being Scotland, you generally don’t have to travel far - north or south, west or east - to find the weather you want.

(And I don’t work for Visit Scotland!!)

Originally Posted by: buachaille 

Well like everywhere else it varies from area to area and although dry now, July /August were predominantly wet in the Kyle of Sutherland area  with rivers running in spate regularly in contrast to the South of the U.K.

Brian Gaze
30 August 2026 21:26:51
GEFS 12Z Sun 30 AUG 2026 - London

% of members with Max temperatures C ≥ 26

Valid (GMT)%
30/08 12:000
31/08 12:000
01/09 12:000
02/09 12:000
03/09 12:0010
04/09 12:006
05/09 12:006
06/09 12:0032
07/09 12:0048
08/09 12:006
09/09 12:0010
10/09 12:006
11/09 12:006
12/09 12:003
13/09 12:000
14/09 12:003

theweatheroutlook.com GEFS data tables


Brian Gaze

Berkhamsted

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"I'm not socialist, I know that. I don't believe in sharing my money." - Gary Numan

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
31 August 2026 07:58:28
FAX - a collection of six separate depressions all around 1000mb forming a broad area of LP between HPs north of Iceland and near the Azores. For Britain today 1001mb Scottish Borders; then westerlies under the control of LP 985mb mid-Atlantic pushing fronts in advance across Britain (especially Wed 2nd). On Fri 4th this depression approaches NW Scotland, but the south is also unsettled under the influence of a trailing front stretching a long way back to LP in the Atlantic.

GFS Op 00z - ignores the trailing front and associated LP, replacing it with a fine and warm weekend, high pressure covering Britain 1025mb Sat & Sun 4th & 5th. This pulls back for a while with NW-lies on Thu 10th but returns as a ridge across N Britain the following weekend. Then again it pulls back with much stronger N-lies with LP from Greenland reaching the Western Isles 975mb Wed 16th. 

ECM - Somewhere between FAX and GFS for the weekend with HP centred over N France. Then on Wed 9th the HP retreats completely as deep Lp establishes itself 975mb Western Isles, just a week earlier than the one in GFS.

Hopes for continued summer weather rest with GFS. No sign of any ex-hurricane to break the pattern.

AIFS - London, 20-23C maxima to Sun 5th with trivial amounts of rain (showers?) every day; then a dip to 16-18C with a period of rain on Wed 9th before dry but temps recovering only slowly. Edinburgh, maxima 16-18C to Sun 5th with more definite daily rainfall; then like London cooler, but to 14C, and drier with temps recovering from Fri 11th.

GEFS - for England, mean temp and ens members show a double pulse of warmth, about 5C above norm, Sat 4th and Tue 7th, otherwise mean near norm with moderately good ens support (but some wild outliers Sat 11th at 16C above norm and 7C below). Not much rain in far S/SE - best chances from Thu 9th onwards, heavier in SW, but quite persistent in the N with only brief dry slots now and Sun 5th. For Scotland, similar, but the pulses of warmth are less marked, outliers also less noticeable and rain on most days, heavier after Sun 5th.


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

The Beast from the East
31 August 2026 14:19:22
perhaps another heatwave for mid Sept? For the south it looks pretty pleasant for rest of the week


Purley, Surrey, 70m ASL

"We have some alternative facts for you"

Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President

Jiries
31 August 2026 14:21:42
Look like much welcome drier and warmer weather in September and high 20's here next week.  AIFS was the one that pick up the warmth and now GFS  follow suit.  
tierradelfuego
31 August 2026 17:59:03
Possibly one 30c day on the 12z GFS a week today. Apart from that it's mostly low to mid 20s at the highest in the south, less than that the further north you go. Unfortunately it looks like not much rain about down here either... so nice weather but not what we need really.
Bucklebury

West Berkshire Downs AONB

135m ASL

VP2 with daytime FARS

Rainfall collector separated at ground level

Anemometer separated above roof level

WeatherLink Live (Byles Green Crew )

DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
01 September 2026 07:24:42
FAX - six separate LP centres across the North Atlantic to start with, which gather up into a major depression 983mb off SW Ireland midday tomorrow Wed 2nd, whose westerlies push fronts across Britain for the rest of the week while it moves slowly eastward and fills. High pressure stays over S France (earlier forecasts put it further north as does the current GFS) and on Saturday there are westerlies for Scotland and  a long trailing front from S Russia to Denmark to C England to midAtlantic.

GFS OP 00z - in contrast, this model retains the HP over Britain 1025mb Sat/Sun 5th/6th but it retreats SW-wards to the Atlantic and LP 985mb Orkney Thu 10th brings in cooler NW-lies. The HP is back  for England Tue 15th with longfetch SW-lies, and then moves north to Scotland.

ECM - halfway between the above two models, with HP close to S England but not a defined centre. Then it diverges sharply as a small LP rapidly deepens, running south to the Bristol Channel 985mb Wed 9th with severe N-ly gales for the Irish Sea. This disappears as quickly as it came. leaving Britain under weak N-lies controlled by low pressure in Scandinavia.

GFS for an extended summer, ECM for a first taste of Autumn, FAX for nondescript weather

AIFS - London, maxima around 23C this week with small amounts of rain from time to time, dropping to 15-19C next week with heavier rain Wed 9th, Sat 12th and Tue 15th. Edinburgh, maxima 16-19C this week with quite heavy rain on several days, again dropping next week to 14-16C, rain on 9th and 12th but not 15th

GEFS - similar to yesterday's chart with a double hump of warmer weather on Fri 4th and Mon 7th, less noticeable in north,  then mean near norm but better ens agreement than yesterday though op and control rather warm from Sat 12th onwards. In the south, small amounts of rain this week, maybe rather more next week; in the north similar timing but larger amounts.

This review will be later tomorrow; car has to be taken in for MoT


It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting - Tom Stoppard

Chichester 12m asl

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