Scotland - Weather Chat

[Hairy Celt]

OOOOO wee highland wifies sawing logs then HC and Mistyqueen after rocket launchers - this is better than Die Hard. Wait till I get some popcorn..

 

You should see young HC's axe collection and his martial arts weapons, scares the life out of me .

[NUT]

Rinse and repeat of yesterday. Breezy with showers and not very warm. Tuesday's shower's look interesting..........................

[Hawesy]

On the face of it I shouldn't be complaining:12.2 hours of sun at Leuchars yesterday and temperature almost up to the average at 13.4c. But it was too windy to be enjoyable. Much the same today, currently 12c bright and breezy.

[Northernlights]

A bit breezy here too but so far not as showery as yesterday.Currently 9c.but 4c first thing this morning spring growth on hold

 

 Nice fresh cap of snow on Ben Wyvis today

[Norrance]

Bright and breezy here at 10.7C. Just an occasional light shower passing by. Higher Perthshire tops all white this morning too.

[SW Saltire]

Nothing to say really. The weather has been pretty poor...

Not absolutely horrific but it is a May to forget thus far

[mardatha]

That's it in a nutshell SWS. Any sign of anything warm any time soon? I really really need to get away up north for a couple of days to refresh my heid..

[Hairy Celt]

Nothing to say really. The weather has been pretty poor...

Not absolutely horrific but it is a May to forget thus far

 

You clearly do have something to say, otherwise your post wouldn't exist.  Or would you like to start an argument about that too?

 

Not as crap here today as yesterday but still 3 layers when going out. Also there seem to be rumours around of some summery weather: don't be fooled, it applies to those soft, spoiled, tory-voting jelly babies, not us.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Hairy Celt

[Glaswegianblizzard]

Weather has been wretched all day. And for most of the month. The Glasgow gloom is starting to take its toll.

[lorenzo]

Howdy folks, sorry for my absence been through a busy time..

 

Hope you are all well

 

Pretty miserable few weeks weather wise, with that cold trough dropping in last week making things altogether Autumnal, high April saw a nice anomalous HP settle in. Not quite as astounding as March 3 years ago, yet still decent.

 

Question is as to whether we will get the last section of May classic anomaly HP Cell parked over us.

 

From re-analysis this is a 70% chance, so we will see what ECM et al deliver in the next 4 days.

 

So many learnings to take from last Winter that it will take me around 2-3 weeks to get up to date. Right now El Nino which has threatened all last season is looking to bloom and is in the red corner against some v strange West Pacific Typhoon activity.

 

So who knows which will win through.. and therefore which analogs will carry. Will El Nino be supressed by IO activity, including MJO, or will it continue to demonstrate crazy signs as in TAO Triton temp signatures matching 97. mad time for the weather, it is as if almost everything we are familiar with is shifting..

 

Here's hoping for some settled stuff soon,

[SW Saltire]

That's it in a nutshell SWS. Any sign of anything warm any time soon? I really really need to get away up north for a couple of days to refresh my heid..

To put Lorenzo's post in layman's terms: (most of that post is at the very extremities of my meteorological knowledge)

We seem to be approaching a more settled spell by the end of the week (with warmer weather too- it is approaching late may so you will get warmth if it's dry), should last a few days. Maybe longer.

Longer-term, it's all up in the air and we aren't sure. Plenty time yet for the jet stream to meander north (hopefully)

You clearly do have something to say, otherwise your post wouldn't exist.  Or would you like to start an argument about that too?

 

Not as crap here today as yesterday but still 3 layers when going out. Also there seem to be rumours around of some summery weather: don't be fooled, it applies to those soft, spoiled, tory-voting jelly babies, not us.

Do you want to go?

I'm not a huge fan of roses....

[Hairy Celt]

To put Lorenzo's post in layman's terms: (most of that post is at the very extremities of my meteorological knowledge)

We seem to be approaching a more settled spell by the end of the week (with warmer weather too- it is approaching late may so you will get warmth if it's dry), should last a few days. Maybe longer.

Longer-term, it's all up in the air and we aren't sure. Plenty time yet for the jet stream to meander north (hopefully)

Do you want to go?

I'm not a huge fan of roses....

 

Playing hard to get?

 

[SW Saltire]

Playing hard to get?

 

heart_of_roses_hit_by_cupid_s_rose_arrow_by_killadeza-d5xco4c.jpg

Haha, it's a shame valentine's day is so far away.... Damn

[Cheggers]

Quack quack, quack quack quack............................splash!!!

[Guest]

Signs of more settled weather to come, but beware of the orientation of the high the further north and west you are, there's going to be the usual fronts with cloud and rain coming off the Atlantic.

[SW Saltire]

I was thinking earlier as I walked into the bright sunlight that we are only 5 or so weeks away from the solstice.

It shows just how much of a lag there is and how cool this spring has been.

If I recorded 12.2c (was lower than this most of the day, down to 8c in the heavy heavy showers) as a max in very early august (5 weeks after the solstice) we'd be flabbergasted. Unheard of.

Yet, in May it isn't that unusual.

A pretty cool spring so far with a real lack of warmth. Only saving grace is a couple >20c days in April but they were very much the exception.

This will have very little bearing on how summer proper will turn out (infact 2012 comes to mind so can't complain) so one shouldn't be dispondent.

However, I would like to see the next 8 weeks (the longest daylight and by the end, statistically, warmest time of the year) living up to their name. I suppose much like December, June just doesn't provide enough continental warmth (cold in december's case) to tap into, excluding rare examples ie December 2010 and some June's in the 70s.

Hopefully we get some dry and warmer weather soon (looks likely) so we may see a return to >16c and above. Funny to think the average max of July is only just short of 20c. We're a fair bit away currently, plants seem behind normal. Even my hayfever is non-existent.

Could be a dramatic change when it finally comes...

Edited May 18, 2015 by SW Saltire

[Guest]

I was thinking earlier as I walked into the bright sunlight that we are only 5 or so weeks away from the solstice.

It shows just how much of a lag there is and how cool this spring has been.

If I recorded 12.2c (was lower than this most of the day, down to 8c in the heavy heavy showers) as a max in very early august (5 weeks after the solstice) we'd be flabbergasted. Unheard of.

Yet, in May it isn't that unusual.

A pretty cool spring so far with a real lack of warmth. Only saving grace is a couple >20c days in April but they were very much the exception.

This will have very little bearing on how summer proper will turn out (infact 2012 comes to mind so can't complain) so one shouldn't be dispondent.

However, I would like to see the next 8 weeks (the longest daylight and by the end, statistically, warmest time of the year) living up to their name. I suppose much like December, June just doesn't provide enough continental warmth (cold in december's case) to tap into, excluding rare examples ie December 2010 and some June's in the 70s.

Hopefully we get some dry and warmer weather soon (looks likely) so we may see a return to >16c and above. Funny to think the average max of July is only just short of 20c. We're a fair bit away currently, plants seem behind normal. Even my hayfever is non-existent.

Could be a dramatic change when it finally comes...

 

I'm not sure it has been a cool spring so far:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/summaries/anomacts

 

The anomaly for max temps in April 2015 compared to 1981-2010 is strongly positive across most of Scotland.

 

March 2015 was the 40th warmest since 1910 and April 2015 was the 38th warmest since 1910 across Scotland in terms of mean temps:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/data/weather/uk/climate/datasets/Tmean/ranked/Scotland.txt

 

I know it's been a cool May so far, but a couple of weeks of cooler weather doesn't make for a cool season. Sorry, but the stats don't back up what everyone's saying, it's been comfortably above average overall this Spring so far 

[Hairy Celt]

I'm not sure it has been a cool spring so far:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/summaries/anomacts

 

The anomaly for max temps in April 2015 compared to 1981-2010 is strongly positive across most of Scotland.

 

March 2015 was the 40th warmest since 1910 and April 2015 was the 38th warmest since 1910 across Scotland in terms of mean temps:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/data/weather/uk/climate/datasets/Tmean/ranked/Scotland.txt

 

I know it's been a cool May so far, but a couple of weeks of cooler weather doesn't make for a cool season. Sorry, but the stats don't back up what everyone's saying, it's been comfortably above average overall this Spring so far 

 

That's just weird.  I don't think I've ever said 'stats are wrong' before, but in this case.... hmmm... strokes beard...  My gardening diary doesn't lie either, and plants are about 2 weeks behind.  I'd say that's more accurate than me just thinking that I'm having to wear more layers, cos that's a perceptual thing, but plants don't lie.

[SW Saltire]

I'm not sure it has been a cool spring so far:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/summaries/anomacts

The anomaly for max temps in April 2015 compared to 1981-2010 is strongly positive across most of Scotland.

March 2015 was the 40th warmest since 1910 and April 2015 was the 38th warmest since 1910 across Scotland in terms of mean temps:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/data/weather/uk/climate/datasets/Tmean/ranked/Scotland.txt

I know it's been a cool May so far, but a couple of weeks of cooler weather doesn't make for a cool season. Sorry, but the stats don't back up what everyone's saying, it's been comfortably above average overall this Spring so far

Nights had been very cool though, a lot of near to freezing nights.

Perhaps days have crept up to respectable levels.

Also, a lot of these maxes are for 30 mins hitting 14/15c and then down to 10c.

It's how we as people feel (and the plants) and this is what we judge it on. I've had several sleet events since February. One such example which almost lay, was hovering around 1/2c until 2pm from 10am. Yet, the very end of the day crept up to almost 10c, which fell at night.

I'm not arguing with the facts really but our perceptions are sometimes wrong but sometimes more right than the stats.

I can't remember the last time I could walk on in a t-shirt (without doing exercise) and feel completely fine (ie 16c minimum, more like 18c). Been more than 4/5 weeks... Quite poor for May, when the average max is 16c here.

EDIT: on your first link, I note that April maxes were (compared with 1981-2010 anomaly) the first shade of red warmer than average, nights were one shade of blue colder than average. Thus, fairly normal.

Those cold nights will hold plants etc back and effect the 'feel' of things.

Edited May 19, 2015 by SW Saltire

[Guest]

SWS: Fair enough point on using the max and mins, but the second lot of stats was mean temps so it shouldn't matter?

 

Ooooo, I've gone back and looked at the frost anomaly, air frost was around normal in April, but ground frost was vastly above normal in some areas:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/summaries/anomacts

 

(you'll need to select the variables for ground frost, April, etc.)

 

So maybe that explains it? I would assume that even ground frost will affect plant growth substantially, perhaps HC or NL could confirm?

 

Hefty showers here this morning with some hail mixed in, perhaps some thunder later across the south?

[Hairy Celt]

SWS: Fair enough point on using the max and mins, but the second lot of stats was mean temps so it shouldn't matter?

 

Ooooo, I've gone back and looked at the frost anomaly, air frost was around normal in April, but ground frost was vastly above normal in some areas:

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/summaries/anomacts

 

(you'll need to select the variables for ground frost, April, etc.)

 

So maybe that explains it? I would assume that even ground frost will affect plant growth substantially, perhaps HC or NL could confirm?

 

Hefty showers here this morning with some hail mixed in, perhaps some thunder later across the south?

 

Yeah, well done, I think you've nailed it. Low night temps iwll significantly retard grwoth and create strajge spilling anomimoles.

[NUT]

All the showers so far have avoided us (seem to be blowing in a NW/SE direction) possibility it might stay dry which was a little unexpected

[Guest]

Yeah, well done, I think you've nailed it. Low night temps iwll significantly retard grwoth and create strajge spilling anomimoles.

 

In fairness SWS had already nailded it before I got there with the hammer.

 

I'm a wee bit disappointed that so far the worst of the showers have missed us, some to the north, some to the south. I want one in the face!

[Northernlights]

Yeah, well done, I think you've nailed it. Low night temps iwll significantly retard grwoth and create strajge spilling anomimoles.

 Agree with the colder than normal nights and and grass still showing  purple tipped leaves a sign of cold stress . HC will correct me but I think this is  a sign of the waste products of photosynthesis during the day not being cleared overnight because of the cold and the plants effectively poisoning themselves. Still cool  bright and breezy here today after 4c early am and currently 9c. I already mentioned my agronomist coming in without phoning. Crop still not ready for its herbicide agree growth is now about two weeks behind. Very little grass regrowth behind cattle as they are moved from field to field so still feeding silage. No parsnips germinated in garden may have to resow them eventually. Have only cut domestic grasses once so far and they still look nea tafter ten days

Edited May 19, 2015 by Northernlights

[Hairy Celt]

 Agree with the colder than normal nights and and grass still showing  purple tipped leaves a sign of cold stress . HC will correct me but I think this is  a sign of the waste products of photosynthesis during the day not being cleared overnight because of the cold and the plants effectively poisoning themselves. Still cool  bright and breezy here today after 4c early am and currently 9c. I already mentioned my agronomist coming in without phoning. Crop still not ready for its herbicide agree growth is now about two weeks behind. Very little grass regrowth behind cattle as they are moved from field to field so still feeding silage. No parsnips germinated in garden may have to resow them eventually. Have only cut domestic grasses once so far and they still look nea tafter ten days

 

Erm, I'm not going to correct you, you're the farmer - I just play in the garden and watch stuff elsewhere.  Runner beans straining at the leash in the porch but the ones already planted out (10 days ago) are stalled and yellowing by the leaf veins.