MarkTJ

Gonna sound daft but why isn't such a deep European trough East of us as effective in bringing winds N/NE as a GH high is for norlies ? In the sense it won't have any staying power?

If the Azores can get far enough West then lows passing far enough SW of us is the best we can hope for right now

Suddenly the OPI is turning up everywhere and being used as "evidence" that we're about to have coldest winter for 100 years.

Cheers Mucka

Can someone post the link to the OPI update please. Many thanks

Do the MetO accept the basic meteorology and maths behind the OPI algorithm?

In no way want to be "difficult" but it seems in every case the states manage a trough more or less E of central I guess it's just more typical than a trough east of us

Been watching and trying to get the basics for nearly 5 years now but they still elude me. How is it last years, and seemingly any year, with a tight PF and I guess +OPI still results in a large 500 hpa anomaly off the NW USA enabling them to avoid the zonal problems that drive us all mad in UKs winter?

Your training and age bring you great knowledge but also wisdom John so you can surely understand that complete objectivity will often be tempered with passion in a thread such as this, especially in Winter.