I dont get the weather???

[jd_1984]

Anybody else in the North West?
It is shocking down by the river mersey today, 28knott winds and hasnt stopped raining since i woke at 7am.
It is just so random and I dont have the neccessary meteorological knowledge to offer an explanation why our seasons are so unsettled???

[funnygirl]

They're gonna blame El Nino and global warming!

[rowanwitch]

The jet stream is far lower than normal so a series of low pressure systems are being dragged across the uk we need a big high pressure system from africa/southern europe to push it further north... level with Edinburgh should be high enough

[tenrec]

Yes, it's bad in the Lakes too. Almost tempted to put heating on!

[Euphemia]

Very wet with thunder rumbling in Edinburgh

[beso]

Weather has a huge chaotic component so will always be hard to fully understand

However one of the phenomena that has taken hold with the big increase in arctic temperatures is loops forming in circumpolar winds. These loops bring arctic conditions much further south and let lower latitude conditions come much further north.

They also tend to cause weather patterns to sit in one place for a long time.

[beso]

BTW The changes in the circumpolar winds and the Jet Stream (as mentioned by rowanwitch) are consistent with the effects of global warming.

[jd_1984]

beso - so it could be argued that we dont have seasons anymore (in terms of the ability to predcit forecasts). Its clear that we dont have a defined summer anymore whereby good weather is guranteed and you can actually plan to do things!!!!!!????

[WyeDyed]

With a great big ocean on one side and a huge land mass on the other our weather has never been predictable.
I can't remember a time when one could plan a event around the predicted weather.

[RATTER15]

Its summer what did you expect? sunshine!!

[jd_1984]

But when I speak with people who were my age in the 1940's - 1960's. They recolect consistent spells of good weather in the summer. Yes, it is hard to predict this, but thats said, june - september used to be far more settled and i dont know...... like "summer"....

[jd_1984]

So my point is, we should all avoid dissapointment and accept that we dont have summers anymore, in that sense!!

[Davethedog]

If its any consolation, which it isn't really, think of all those water company execs who are broken hearted at not being able to screw us all over :-)

At least for this year.

[Zeuhl]

That seems so at present.

Basically, whilst UK's location has always led to a lack of predictability the shift in the high altitude air currents (caused by .... take your pick) means that a lot of stormy stuff that is usually down in the Bay of Biscay and not bothering us is now drifting up over the UK.

Solution: regular trips to places with warmer climates and wrecked economies. They are particularly happy to see us at the moment.

[WobblyBobbly1940]

For those of us who have lived a few years longer. I can remember poor summers, freezing cold winters with snow for weeks on end and weather forcasts that were no more accurate than now. Global warming is a myth. This is just the way it is. This year we just have a poor summer and yes, I am just as peed off as the rest of you.

[beso]

Global Warming is not a myth. It is measured and documented.

[moiflan]

Yeah really depressing on The Wirral today.....my friend from greece came over and we had a ferry boat ride.worse than Alton Towers!

[Ann]

Absolutely frozen tonight, returned from Portugal last night, gone from 30 deg to about 12, so I can't get warm! What a miserable home-coming!

[237SJ]

Everywhere I go in the world people say the weather isn`t normal. I don`t think it`s just the UK.

[vulcan]

beso, we've never had global warning before so how do we know this weather is consistent with it?

[starone]

This morning I succumbed and put the gas fire on. However, I agree with WobblyBobbly (lovely name) I can remember winters when we were up to our armpits in snow for weeks on end and alternatively summers when it was so hot the tarmac melted in the roads. It has always been so and next year will probably prove it.