PLAIN LANGUAGE - simple text and pictorial based forecasts |
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Do note the city input on the top right side. It is currently defaulted to London UK.
Dont forget to enter your location the “PC or City” top right hand side.
The rain risk and Sunshine hours are useful. hide info
No provision for mobile devices at the moment. Should work for iPhones and most other high-end SmartPhones. hide info
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Excellent, clear very comprehensive site.
Do note just above the pictorial map of the UK that iPhone/iPad users can select static images as opposed to Flash animations.
The 'Confidence of Forecast' is a useful indication of how predictable the weather currently is.
Weather Commerce can supply a wide range of bespoke forecasts, useful if you are based at a fixed location for some time. See 'Business Services' in the left-hand column. hide info
No provision for mobile devices at the moment. Should work for iPhones and some other high-end SmartPhones, though the default maps are in Flash format (static jpeg images also provided). hide info
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Move the cursor to your desired location then click for a forecast.
Dont forget to enter your location at the top of the page.
Select from the 6 boxes (top right ) want forecast you are interested in – normally Weather
If you move your cursor over the map the display on the right hand side changes to show the forecast at that location. hide info
Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a mobile version of the website available at http://xcweather.co.uk/m/ hide info
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Naturally a very comprehensive site with clear graphics.
Do allow time for this to load hide info
Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a (basic) mobile version of the website available at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/ hide info
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SATELLITE IMAGES - shows the relative position and movement of clouds |
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Hourly updates showing cloud cover during daylight hours. Visible and infrared images available.
This site provides excellent clear black and white images. Just above the image you can select a further refinement.
Selecting View infrared satellite image sequence provides imagery of the movement of clouds over the last 12 hours. This greatly helps you predict how any cloud may affect you.
Just below this is,View infrared satellite full Earth disk it’s fascinating, but ignore it!
However, on the left hand side select Satellite imagery. This image is taken using an Infrared camera. Ignore the explanatory text below, its brilliantly accurate, but you have to lie down after you’ve read it!
Quite simply you cannot photograph clouds when it is dark, thus you use a heat detecting image to show the cloud position.
This imagery is very useful when making a Go/NoGo decision before daylight.
Whenever possible normally use the Visible Satellite Image as for our purpose it provides more information. hide info
Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a (basic) mobile version of the website available at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/ hide info
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Excellent displays, with a wide range of options.
Great images, under the Visual / Infrared selector there are 4 arrows, these allow you to adjust the speed of the images being shown
Scroll through until you get 0.5 ( the slowest ) as it is easier to take in what movement has recently happened.
Lower down the 3 day rain forecast is useful-ish, but does not predict cloud cover. The display can be set to predict rain over the next 6 days. hide info
Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a mobile version of the website available at http://sat24.mobi/
Free downloadable app available on iTunes. hide info
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RAIN RADAR - shows the relative movement and intensity of rain |
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Comprehensive, plus a simple graphic overview for major European cities.
Note in the left hand column you can select the last 3,6,or 24hour cloud movement.
To zoom move your cursor over the European map and click. The downside is the rain display is quite feint and pixalated. hide info
Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a (VERY basic) mobile version of the website available at http://pda.meteox.co.uk/ hide info
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A very useful forecast of rain for the next four days.
This is an outstanding and very useful site. Take time to have a good look round. Move your cursor down the times (on the left) to change the display or use the 'Animate' button. hide info
Take time to have a good look round. hide info
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Helps awareness to potential lightning strike risk.
As the text says this is not to be used as a hard and fast indication of lightning in your area.
However, it does help awareness if your activity involves anything that might present an easy lightning conductor i.e. from umbrellas to kite flying.
Remember they stop playing golf in electric storms - a steel golf club swung up above the players head is not ideal!
The scale down the left hand side indicates minutes since impact. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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'LONG RANGE' FORECASTS - from 5 to 14 days ahead |
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Up to 14 days ahead.
Very simple layout, but most Meteorologists are sceptical about forecasts over 5 days as the UK weather has so many complex influences. hide info
Mobile website available at http://m.forecast.co.uk/ - though no automated detection or obvious link from main website!
Free downloadable app from iTunes. hide info
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Clear tabular overview display.
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No visual links to a mobile site, but visiting the main website using a mobile device (even iPhone/iPad users) automatically redirects you to the WAP version at http://wap.weather.co.uk/xhtml/search with no option to use the main site! hide info
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PRESSURE CHARTS - needs expertise to interpret, but still the best overview |
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Dutch Met Institute, fast loading charts.
These are great charts produced by the Dutch Met Institute. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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First rate 5 day North Atlantic charts, allow time to load.
These charts provide the best forecasting information. In their entirety they are complex, but use these notes to help interpret them (in the absolutely the most simple terms)
H shows the centres of High Pressure = Fine weather in Summer/Winter ( but can be overcast and foggy in Winter )
L shows the centres of Low Pressure = Poor weather in Summer
The wavy lines indicate the positions of the same pressure. ( Similar to contour lines on a map in that case joining all terrain of the same height ) .The closer these lines are together the more vigorous the wind and weather
The bold lines indicate the position of weather fronts ( changes in weather ) although the gradual change maybe for hundreds of miles in front and behind these lines
The rounded bumps on these line indicate a Warm front = prolonged cloud and rain The triangular symbol on the line indicate a Cold front = often squally winds and sharp showers.
Note the validity of the forecast in the top left hand box. Then use the 1> button to show the forecast movement up to 5 days ahead. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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AVIATION - mostly coded text |
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Brilliant, simple airport "weather now" reports and the next few hours.
These are up to date (often within minutes)observations and very high quality short term localised to the airport forecasts.
Note: UTC is effectively the same as Greenwich mean time. ( plus or minus a few seconds for GPS consistency)
On this text they will always give the date first then the time period i.e. from 10 at 12 UTC to 10 at 18 UTC simply means on the 10th between 12.00 GMT and 18.00 GMT
To get a clearer overview, determine from which direction the weather is coming and look at the airfield reports in that direction. Thus it is possible to determine the progress of forecast change of weather. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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Coded airfield actual weather reports.
Take a careful note of the contents of the Disclaimer. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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Coded very short term airfield forecasts.
Take a careful note of the contents of the Disclaimer. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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MARINE - all text, very easy to understand |
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Inshore Waters Forecast.
It's easiest to select an area from the numbers on the map of the UK.
See the Beaufort wind scale for further help.
These forecasts are best used in conjunction with the Pressure Charts.
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Main website is not particularly mobile-friendly, but there is a (basic) mobile version of the website available at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/ hide info
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UK Tide Time predictions.
Initially this looks complicated. The prediction most will be interested in, is the red HL.
Do note all times are in are in GMT, so you need to add one hour for British Summer time.
As a broadest of guidelines, the High/Low tide times move on very approximately 1 hour per day.
Spring tides are exceptionally high or low, all to do with the relative positions of the Earth/Moon/Sun thus are not confined to Spring time.
Neep tides are the opposite - the minimum difference between high and low tide heights. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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Sea Temperatures.
When working with inshore boats, or helicopters, temperature is particularly relevant for the survival time in the event of ending up in the water.
For a full briefing about ditching, see the information on Flight Logistics website. hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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INTERNATIONAL WEATHER |
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Very clear easy to view global weather.
So simple to use, it doesn't require further explanation! hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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Select weather in the bar over the chart.
To get a quick overview of regional weather, select from the bar just above the map.
Don't worry, no one understands the Metograms! hide info
No provision for mobile devices. hide info
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Please note: comments relating to mobile services on third party websites are personal observations made at the time of writing and may be subject to change at any time.
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