Moans, ramps and banter

[SunSean]

 danm More chance of surviving a fall off the empire state building than that coming off but hey, we live in hope! Lol.

[richie3846]

 stainesbloke frost damage is becoming a regular problem for the continent. Mild start to spring followed by continental frosts in April. Toxic combo for the growers of delicate fruits. 

I'm predicting an large increase in UK wine production. We're benefitting from early spring warmth also, but our late season frosts are not as severe as the continent, and are usually well within the limits of mitigation. This April is a great example of this. We've had a cool airmass yes, but most of the south has barely had an air frost. We could do grapes with that setup. 

[danm]

11 minutes ago, SunSean said:

More chance of surviving a fall off the empire state building than that coming off but hey, we live in hope! Lol.

It will change at some point. Let's hope it's the second week of May!

[SunnyG]

 In Absence of True Seasons Don't jinx it lmao Still decent enough, better than forecast...

[Methuselah]

 B87 Wasn't 1995 a La Nina summer? 

PS: I haven't checked! 

[CryoraptorA303]

50 minutes ago, richie3846 said:

We could do grapes with that setup.

We already do, English wine has existed since Roman times. It's simply not as cheap or high quality as wine from elsewhere.

However, I agree that winemaking will boom in the UK as summers continue to warm, winters turn milder and milder and it becomes less viable on the continent. Come the second half of the century, if the SE quadrant is transitioning to Csb which is likely by this point then it will outright be the ideal climate for many grape varieties.

 Methuselah Nearly, it was a neutral that wanted to be a weak Nina.

Aside from that, 1911, 1975, 1976, 2018 and 2022 were all Ninas.

[ANYWEATHER]

I personally don’t think the grape industry will flourish in time to come, assuming what our climate will be in the future is simply a fools game . Nobody knows , that’s all we know

[ANYWEATHER]

 richie3846 there’s been an air frost in Benson , south Oxfordshire a number of times lately including this week. I certainly would call that the south….

[B87]

 Methuselah Weren't the very worst summers also La Nina though?

[danm]

Turning into a much sunnier day than was forecast.

[stainesbloke]

 Alderc 2.0 That’s really bad luck mate, hope you’re comfortable and not in too much pain. These things can heal quicker than expected so fingers crossed this summer isn’t a complete write-off for you 

Edited April 26 by stainesbloke

[stainesbloke]

 richie3846 Yes, damaging late frosts are happening a lot recently in C Europe. They have a huge impact. It’s been a bit crazy temperature-wise over the last 3 weeks, got up to 28°C 2 weeks ago and then the last week-10 days has been absolutely baltic. 
English wine is getting a lot of interest and there are some excellent wines on offer. Quite a few vineyards are being established and French champagne growers are buying up land in SE England, apparently

[In Absence of True Seasons]

Once again the forecasts was very wrong today. This time, for the better, as it's much sunny and drier for longer than was anticipated. I'm at the point where I may as well just ignore the forecasts. 

Sticking my head out the window tells me all I need to know. 

[Summer8906]

Another poor April overall.

The first 10 days were extremely mild but very dull and damp.

For a week from the 15th-21st, it was actually generally nice here, very sunny most days, one or two days had a few showers about but it was still bright.

The 22nd dull and damp, the 23rd and 24th had desperately dull and depressing mornings (I've known December mornings brighter) though the afternoons were brighter - but yesterday and today desperately dull and damp again. Horrifically low light levels today given we're less than 2 months from the "summer" solstice.

Looks like the rest of the month will be varying degrees of poor, with an interlude of prolonged frontal rain on Saturday night, perhaps. So I'm guessing that will be enough to make it the 10th wet month on the trot. Wonder if we have now had our last glimpse of the sun for April.

Early May looks like providing a wide range of wind directions, with the common factor that they will all be cyclonic. Just what we need after the past 10 months.

Late April and early May do seem to be habitually poor, almost always dull and unsettled. We have to go back to 2013 to find the last time that late April/early May was settled. In other years it might not matter so much but after 10 months of dismal, dull and damp weather it would be nice to get something a bit different.

To be fair, the Met Office long range for May doesn't sound atrocious, but not that great either. Looks like an evens chance of May being the 11th consecutive wet month.

 

Edited April 26 by Summer8906

[richie3846]

 ANYWEATHER Benson is a well known frost hollow and is not representative of the south in general. I've attached night temps for Brize Norton. Same county, and much more accurately represents the general area, unlike Benson.

Not an air frost in sight. 

[Derecho]

A pretty grim day of weather here again in the NE with a cheeky brief but heavy hail shower in Hessle.

Edited April 26 by Derecho

[richie3846]

 Alderc 2.0 sorry to hear that. I'd like to see a ban from these scooters and electric bikes on shared footpaths. They are too fast, simple as. Roads are different because there are established rules, but on these shared areas, idiots are bombing straight through without taking into account walkers will not be walking in straight lines or looking for traffic. 

[Summer8906]

15 hours ago, CryoraptorA303 said:

June itself won't be special, I could see it being a bit of a May 2018

Isn't that a bit of a contradiction though given that May 2018 was notably sunny?

A "won't be special" June would suggest something with a lot of cloudiness, occasional wet spells mixed with short periods of dry, sunny weather.

 

[Summer8906]

 danm Mild, dull and unsettled for the start of May, great... Even worse than now; presumably pervading damp returning also, doubtless with surfaces never getting dry.

The same old rubbish we endured until around two weeks ago.

 

Edited April 26 by Summer8906

[ANYWEATHER]

 richie3846 ok , not going to get in a debate over it , I’ve had several air frosts in my location over the last few weeks, so yes it’s been cold but not unprecedented

 In Absence of True Seasons or perhaps the Seaweed will forecast better

[raz.org.rain]

 Methuselah 2022 was a La Niña year too

[raz.org.rain]

 

[CryoraptorA303]

 Summer8906 I meant more the same temperature range as May 2018, perhaps with one or two degrees added, which would include the thundery breakdowns.

 raz.org.rain Indeed, such conditions are great for Azores low and euro high. Probably a very stormy but hot summer incoming.

[raz.org.rain]

2 minutes ago, CryoraptorA303 said:

Indeed, such conditions are great for Azores low and euro high. Probably a very stormy but hot summer incoming

I was thinking that too. James Peacock mentioned it last week on Twitter too. Once those SWlies return, I'd imagine they'll be incredibly warm and humid. 2019 style summer seeming more likely.

 

[CryoraptorA303]

 raz.org.rain I think I'd rather live through a combination of 1976, 2022 and 2003 than that dung heap of a summer again. Incredibly humid and warm to hot, ew.