HERE IS MY LATEST ANALYSIS USING DATA SUPPLIED BY THE NWP OUTPUT COVERING 5 OF THE WORLDS MOST POWERFUL WEATHER COMPUTERS ISSUED AT 09:00 ON SATURDAY JAN 23RD 2016
THE CURRENT GENERAL SITUATION A weak ridge of High pressure will move away East today as a new set of frontal troughs move NE over SW areas tonight and the rest of the UK tomorrow followed by a very mild and moist SW flow.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn001.gif
CURRENT SNOW FORECAST AND FREEZING LEVEL OVER THE UK The freezing level across the British Isles ranges from 5000ft across NE Scotland today to 7000ft over the SW rising further tonight to exceed 10000ft for much of the UK tomorrow. With these sort of freezing levels snow cannot be expected.
http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/dynamic/uk
http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow.gif
MODELS-2 WEEK HEADLINE Changeable and windy weather with rain at times. Generally mild but some cooler spells in the North with wintry showers at times.
THE GFS JET STREAM FORECAST The Jet Stream forecast today shows the flow to blow setting up in a NNE direction up the West and NW of the UK for the next few days. It then realigns to blow West to east across Northernmost parts of the UK for the remainder of the period quite strong at times with much of the UK remaining on the milder side of the flow at least until late in week 2.
http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=jetstream
GFS OPERATIONAL The GFS Operational Run today shows no change to the output of late with persistent and often mild and strong West or SW winds across the UK with fast moving bands of rain running through on the flow. High pressure moves up close to the South at times restricting the heaviest and most persistent falls of rain to the North while these areas too see occasional colder interludes with wintry showers albeit very briefly between weather systems.
GFS CONTROL RUN The theme of the Control Run today is the same as the Operational Run in every respect with mild Atlantic winds maintaining relatively mild and changeable conditions for all with rain at times especially across the North and West with some drier spells across the South and East closest to High pressure over Europe.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn1441.gif
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn3841.gif
http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/gefs_cartes.php?code=0&ech=144&mode=0&carte=0
http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/gefs_cartes.php?code=0&ech=384&mode=0&carte=0
GFS ENSEMBLE DATA The theme of the GFS Ensemble Clusters this morning are still very mixed but a 60% pack seem to support High pressure lying to the SW of the UK with a West or WNW flow across the UK with average temperatures and rain at times especially towards the North. 40% show High pressure to the SE of the UK and 20% of this group has High pressure well to the SE with the influence of Low pressure right across all areas of the UK in a cyclonic Westerly flow.
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/expertcharts?LANG=en&MENU=0000000000&CONT=euro&MODELL=gefs&MODELLTYP=2&BASE=-&VAR=cpre&HH=372&ZOOM=0&ARCHIV=0&RES=0&WMO=&PERIOD=
UKMO The UKMO model this morning shows strong WSW winds next week in a changeable pattern of fast moving troughs crossing the North with rain at times followed by brief colder interludes with showers while the South stays milder with more occasional rainfall than further North.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rukm1441.gif
THE FAX CHARTS The Fax Charts today detail the complexities of the mild SW flow with troughs crossing NE or east on regular occasions alternating mild with chillier conditions in the North while the South stays relatively mild and breezy with rain or drizzle at times.
http://www.weathercharts.org/ukmomslp.htm#t120
GEM GEM this morning shows windy weather over the next 10 days with winds always coming from a SW, West and later NW direction. Very mild air at first becomes somewhat cooler though not cold later with rain at times still for many though still most prolific across the North where colder conditions could bring wintry showers at times.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rgem2401.gif
NAVGEM NAVGEM today shows a windy but broad mild West or SW flow across the UK across the next 7 days with rain and drizzle at times with some slightly colder more showery conditions across the far North and rather less wet and windy weather at times in the South where some very mild days look likely.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rnvg1681.gif
ECM ECM today looks very disturbed for the UK over the next 10 days. throughout the period a very strong Jet flow across the UK ensures all areas see spells of sometimes very wet and windy weather with temperatures on the mild side of average. It may become somewhat colder at times with brief interludes of wintry showers between weather systems but overall the most important message from ECM this morning is the return of troublesome amounts of rain again to many western and Northern areas in particular.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Recm2401.gif
ECM 10 DAY MEAN The 10 day mean chart shows rock solid support for Low pressure to the North of the UK and a broad trough west of it to Greenland maintaining a strong Westerly flow across the UK with rain and showers at times. While generally mild colder interludes will no doubt affect all areas at times when some wintry showers could affect the North especially in the middle of the period.
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Reem2401.gif
NOTABLE TRENDS & CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS RUNS The models this morning continue to portray the Atlantic under complete control of the UK weather over the next two weeks.
31 DAY HISTORICAL VERIFICATION STATS FOR GFS, UKMO & ECM The verification Statistics of GFS, UKMO and ECM show at 24 hours ECM ahead at 99.6 pts with GFS at 99.5 pts then UKMO at 99.4 pts. At 3 days ECM is leading with 97.6 pts to UKMO's 96.8 pts while GFS lags behind at 96.6 pts. At 5 days ECM leads with 90.1 pts to GFS at 88.3 pts then UKMO at 88.1 pts. Then at 8 Days GFS has taken over the leading spot from ECM with 67.4 pts to 67.2 pts. Finally at Day 10 ECM is ahead of GFS at 49.4 pts to 48.3 pts respectively.
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/STATS_vsdb/allmodel/daily/cor/cor_day1_PMSL_MSL_G2NHX.png
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/STATS_vsdb/allmodel/daily/cor/cor_day3_PMSL_MSL_G2NHX.png
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/STATS_vsdb/allmodel/daily/cor/cor_day5_PMSL_MSL_G2NHX.png
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/STATS_vsdb/allmodel/daily/cor/cor_day8_PMSL_MSL_G2NHX.png
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/STATS_vsdb/allmodel/daily/cor/cor_day10_PMSL_MSL_G2NHX.png
MY THOUGHTS There remains little differences from the models to that shown of late with absolutely rock solid support from all the main Operational's and many of the ensemble members too for a continuation of the recently set up Atlantic domination we have had to endure for 90% of this Winter. For the next few days it is going to be almost exceptionally mild again with 15C exceeded by many tomorrow, some 22C higher than was the case just 4 days prior. It may be spoilt by cloud and light rain though with the North and West as usual seeing the worst of this. Thereafter the very mildest conditions do seep away somewhat with a more traditional mild then cool alternation of events as various frontal systems run quickly through any one place on the very strong Atlantic flow with gale or severe gales at times. The most alarming thing shown within some outputs this morning is the return of collective rainfall events offering the possibility of a return to flooding issues developing none more so than in the areas already affected this Winter. This may not occur if the passage of troughs is quick but there is some output which shows trailing fronts straddling the UK at times giving sustained rainfall to the places underneath them, something to watch for sure. In the longer term there is still a desire to shift the vortex of Low pressure further to the East towards Scandinavia but unfortunately heights refuse to fall over Iberia leaving the UK in just a rather colder flow from a Westerly point still and Winter still very much on hold as a result. So I'm afraid that it is looking well into February now before any chance of cold returns for the UK and with a flat zonal pattern that exists currently coupled with such a strong Jet Stream again any changes look likely to be slow and arduous.
Next Update Sunday January 24th 2016 from 09:00
Martin G
Kilmersdon Radstock Bath Somerset