Much colder - not amateur radio

Today, we had our first real frost. We had one the day before, but not as cold. We are more used to mild weather these days, but today is bitter for us. It is about +2 degrees Celsius maximum, which is cold for here in the daytime. I can hear readers in Canada and Scandinavia saying," you think that is cold?".  It is sunny and bright, so I don't mind the cold.

BBC Weather - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, the cloud was meant to burn back to reveal the sun and light clouds according to the BBC weather app. It was cloudy all day. 

Today (according to the BBC), the cloud should have again burnt back to reveal the sun by now. Of course, it is still cloudy. 

Sorry, but as a forecast it is hopeless!! 

OK the UK weather is complicated, I know, but if you are unable to make an accurate forecast, just don't bother and I shall just look out of the window.

BBC =  better by cod (i.e. with a wet fish).

UPDATE 1046z:  Sun has appeared!

BBC weather - NOT amateur radio

BBC weather rant time. 

Today the BBC was saying the clouds would burn back and we would have sunshine and light cloud as they are saying right now!!! 😉 It has been full cloud all day. I know BBC weather is a joke, but I object to my money being wasted on super-computers when looking out the window is free and just as good!! 

Rant over. I feel better 😁😉

Threatening sky - NOT amateur radio

 

We have seen the extremes in our weather today. We have had rain, strong winds, sunshine, but no snow!

UPDATE 1747z:  Bright sunshine now!

That thaw - NOT amateur radio

Last week, it was unusually cold. We had snow on the ground for a week. These days, this is almost unheard of.

Nighttime temperatures were very low indeed and some parts of the UK remained below freezing all day. Last night the thaw came and there is no snow at all left. It just went. 

Temperatures today are much milder. Probably it is 10-20 degrees Celsius milder. It is wet and windy. I prefer the sun and snow, but not the temperatures that go with it!

10 years ago - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the weather 10 years ago. 

It could even reach 22 degrees C in some parts of the UK this week. 

Since we have lived in this part of the UK, it has got a lot milder. Snow is now rare. Last year we had just one snowy day.

Early morning walk - NOT amateur radio

Today is expected to be very hot today with UK weather records being broken, so we did an early walk.  It is currently late morning and it is already 31C. Our lawns are dry and brown.

Not on tomorrow morning probably

As the UK Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms tomorrow morning it is unlikely I shall be on until after lunch.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/cb25 .

Crazy weather - NOT amateur radio

 April weather can be very odd. Last week we had temperatures approaching 25 degrees C. Today we have snow flurries!

When I first came to Cambridge in the early 1970s we did a 4m contest from the back of someone's Landrover.  It was bitterly cold. I think it was April 3rd. Sometimes days can be very cold and other days very hot. In the UK in April, anything can be expected.

Strange weather - NOT amateur radiio

We had a lovely April and May, but June has been mixed. We mostly avoided rain on our walk this morning but is a real "sunshine and showers" day today, more typical of the UK in April.

English weather - NOT amateur radio

April and May have been very pleasant here with lots of sunshine. In fact this was the best spring (sunniest) on record. In the last day, the weather has changed: it is much cooler and more showery.

This good weather coincided with our lockdown. We have done some lovely local walks, in fact more than usual. We have paid more attention to nature this spring.  Now the weather is more changeable, it makes walks less attractive. The ideal weather would be rain at night but dry, bright days!

BBC weather forecasts - NOT amateur radio

From time to time, I have a moan about the BBC weather forecast. This morning,the BBC weather suggested a low chance of rain and light cloud and sun so we were going to do our health walk practising "social distancing". What did we get? Dark cloud, snow and rain! So we are still indoors.

As they say in the adverts, "if you want to know the weather in your area check the BBC weather app". Whatever the app says, probably the opposite applies!

UK weather - NOT amateur radio

OK, I know forecasting the weather in the UK can be hard as several weather systems interact, but I find the UK's BBC weather forecasts poor unless we have a big high pressure overhead and very settled conditions.  At least they show a percentage likelihood of rain nowadays. Considering the vast amounts spent on super-computers to better forecast, I can see little advance in forecasting accuracy.

Many is the time I have looked out the window at rain when at the very same time the BBC says it is full sun. As a guide to weather coming, these BBC forecasts are poor in my experience and there are better guides to upcoming weather available.

If you use BBC weather as a guide to what is going to happen, you are on our own. Personally, I find looking out of the window a better guide.

Cynic me? Surely not!

See https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather

Weather forecasts - NOT amateur radio

As a matter of habit, I check the weather forecasts. Usually I look on the BBC weather forecast and the Met Office weather forecast. Rarely do these agree.

As an example, the Met Office forecast shows the risk of thunder at tea time. The BBC forecast has no mention of this.

Now, I know forecasting the weather in the UK is not a precise science, but I would have expected more agreement just a few hours ahead!

Low thunder risk here

At the moment the Met Office weather forecast is showing no thunderstorms hereabouts today. I shall probably reconnect my shack PC and antennas shortly.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

Rain! - NOT amateur radio

Don't let anyone tell you the UK weather is not changing. This June we have seen more rain in the last week than I can ever remember in June. Our best weather this year was in February! Crazy.

Mild - NOT amateur radio

We have had very little snow this winter. Today it seems very mild and already some parts of Scotland reached 16.9 degrees C. For February, this is exceptionally mild. Here in East Anglia it feels spring like. The photo shows "our" windmill with the blue sky behind.

Dull, cold day - NOT amateur radio

As usual, I went into Cambridge for my U3A course. It was a dull, cold morning.

Suddenly, the weather has turned and those long, hot summer days seem long ago. It is hard to think that in just a few weeks the evenings start to get lighter!

Weather forecasts (UK) - NOT amateur radio

Almost every day the Met Office and the BBC weather forecasts are different just a few hours from now. As an example, the BBC shows a 30% chance of rain here this afternoon and light cloud whereas the Met Office has dark clouds and an 80% chance of rain! The only certain forecast seems to be looking out of the window!

OK, I know the UK weather is hard to predict, but surely the BBC and Met Office should be in close agreement for a few hours' time? Often the forecast is wrong for the present time. They forecast sun and out the window it is raining.

If you don't like the look of one, you can always try the other!

Met Office weather app feedback - NOT amateur radio

The Met Office asked me for feedback on their app, so I sent some.  Sadly, I got back a computer generated reply.

Last night at 9.40pm it said, "60% chance of rain at 10pm and 80% chance of rain at 11pm". Rain? What rain? At 10pm it had changed to a 10% chance at 10pm and 11pm.

Despite very expensive super computers they appear to have not a clue. OK, I know UK weather is complex but unless we have a period of long hot weather looking at forecasts is a joke.