Simon Keeling's winterverwachting. (Groot-Brittannië)
As always, these predictions are based on my research into long-range UK weather patterns and various influencing factors, to give a general overview of the season ahead, and also pinpointing a few ‘watch periods’ where there is an enhanced likelihood of ‘interesting’ weather. The details described here are putting some ideas to the test, and will be interesting to see if they have any accuracy throughout this season. More specific ideas for each upcoming month will be posted nearer the time, so keep up to date with these blogs!
Summary: A wet and stormy autumn, with gales and flooding likely in the west and south-west, generally quite mild. A stormy start to winter, with threat of coastal flooding from high seas, but then a period of significant cold and snow possible.
OCTOBER:
1-7 OCT:
A mixed start to the month, with periods of rain and heavy squally showers mixed in with some brighter days during the first 7 days.Generally cool and unsettled, with west to north-westerly winds. Some quite lively showers for many parts of the UK, with some heavier spells of rain in the west and north-west of the UK.
8-18 OCT
High pressure in the south and south-west should try and feed warmer air towards the UK during the middle of the month, and if the airflow swings further to the south some warm days into the 20s may appear, although upper teens seems generally more likely. More unsettled in the north-west with stronger winds, drier and brighter in the south-east. By the end of this period southern Britain more likely to turn unsettled, with rain trying to affect most areas, possibly paving the way for a pretty unsettled second half of the month.
19-31 OCT
Low pressure likely to be a regular feature of late October, and could become anchored in the south-west through this period. Becoming increasingly unsettled during the final 10 days, with heavy rain and gales bringing problems by the end of the month. Wales and the south-west looking particularly vulnerable to flooding by late October. North-eastern Britain may turn quite cold by the last week of the month, with some early snow over northern mountains and hills.
WATCH PERIOD: 25-30 OCT: HEAVY RAIN & GALES – Esp. SW UK
NOVEMBER:
A month of two halves for temperatures. There could be some quite mild or even warm days early in the month with frequent south to south-westerly airflows. Drier in the east and south-east of the UK, but the risk of very heavy rain over Wales, north-west England and Scotland, bringing renewed risk of flooding. WATCH PERIOD: 10-16 NOV: WET IN THE WEST
Becoming much colder after mid-month with more frequent northerly winds and the risk of snow in the north and east of the UK. This initial spell of cooler weather would be unlikely to last too long, as westerly winds would return by the end of the month.
WATCH PERIOD: 20-25 NOV: COLD SNAP – SNOW RISK
DECEMBER:
A fairly mild beginning to the month, with west or south-westerly airflows bringing frequent wind and rain to the north-west of the UK in particular. This may ramp up into significant storms during the early part of December, with severe gales and flooding rainfall, with high seas threatening coastal flooding. If storm systems cut further south, then snowfall becomes increasingly likely.
WATCH PERIOD: 8-14 DEC: STORMY, FLOODING NW UK, GALES AND HIGH SEAS
The positioning of high pressure systems will become crucial through the middle of the month, because this is where a true spell of significant winter weather may develop. Obviously at this stage it is very difficult to pinpoint exact patterns and timings, but there is a realistic threat of a sustained cold and snowy period from mid-December onwards, lasting through Christmas and into the first part of January. Extremely cold temperatures and problems with snow, with easterly air dominating northern Europe for a period as blocking high pressure becomes established over Scandinavia and north of the UK. I just have a question mark about when this period begins, whether it really gets going in December or is more centred on January. It will require close attention as we get nearer the time, but there looks to be scope for troublesome cold weather in this period. WATCH PERIOD: 18 DEC ONWARDS: COLD AND SNOW
EARLY 2013:
A milder spell develops for a time after this potential freeze-up, so winter may disappear for a while, but later January and into February could see strong storms getting mixed in with cold northerly air, bringing the risk of blizzard conditions across the north of the UK as gales and snow combine, but cold periods would be shorter and mixed in with milder westerly weather.
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