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 The
weather forecast said
'Scattered Showers'
You've just set out on a ride and the
clouds are forming on the horizon. Two
things are certain in this situation, if
you stop and put on your windproof /
waterproof jacket, it won't rain but if
you don't stop, you'll be soaked to the
skin within minutes.
"Boll%!*~s .. .. it's started to rain"
Wouldn't it be advantageous if you could
work out which clouds were going to rain
on you, and which weren't. 'Well here's
how to do just that ...!' |
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U.K.'S
WIND DIRECTIONS AND WHAT THEY WILL BLOW
IN !. |
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In general, the weather is strongly
influenced by the wind direction, so
information about the wind provides an
indication of the type of weather likely to
be experienced. However, this approach is
effective only if the wind is blowing from
the same direction for some time. A marked
change in wind direction usually indicates a
change in the weather.
Northerly winds tend to bring relatively
cold air from polar regions to the British
Isles. Similarly, southerly winds tend to
bring relatively warm air from the tropics.
The characteristics of the air are also
affected by its approach to the British
Isles. Air picks up moisture if it travels
across the sea, but remains relatively dry
if it comes across the land.
As cold polar air moves southwards over an
increasingly warm sea, the heating of the
air by the sea causes cumulus clouds to
form. These clouds may grow sufficiently for
showers to develop and, consequently, winds
from the north-west, north or north-east
usually bring cold, showery weather to the
British Isles.
Warm air from the tropics moving northwards
over the sea is cooled from below. Sometimes
the cooling is sufficient for sea fog or a
thin layer of stratus to form. The cloud can
become thick enough for drizzle, especially
on windward coasts and over high ground. In
general, winds from the west or south-west
are associated with overcast, wet weather. |
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