Jet Stream?? Anyone got any records for the last year?

[D3B]

Last summer one of the reasons given for the poor weather was that the Jet Stream (or is it the Gulf Stream) was much lower than normal.
Thus bringing colder airstream and more turbulant weather.

We seem to be enjoying relatively warmer more settled weather at the moment (ok Cumbria and the north got some snow but that IS normal) and the 9 day forecast I have looked at suggest a period of high pressure with warm s/sw winds.

Is the Stream running higher then we might normally see at this time of year?

Which might suggest another nice boaty summer /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Piers]

From memory, the Jet Stream is the product of the depressions tracking across the Atlantic and not the cause.

The problem last year was that the Azores high never really developed, allowing depressions to track straight across the Atlantic and effect the UK. Usually, the Azores high is so large that depressions are pushed / forced well north and above the UK, allowing the high to bring good weather to the UK and Europe.

In the winter, the Azores high collapses whislt the Siberian high grows, usually bringing v cold notherlies.

 

[christopherc]

You might be interested in this http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/news/lanina.html

I'm not sure it answers your question, and doesn't seem to bode well for the summer. Lets face it, we have messed with the planet and now its going to mess with us!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Moonshining]

http://squall.sfsu.edu/crws/jetstream.html

Has current, forecast and archive jet stream maps.

The jet stream is currently pretty much over the UK, bringing in warm, moist air from the South West, so it's warm for winter. The same pattern in summer led to the very wet weather we had in July.

 

[Cruiser2B]

I don't believe the jetstream is a product of depressions - they are both products of airmass interaction. The jetstream runs along the boundary between two airmasses at the troposphere; depressions form on this boundary, which gives the fronts in the frontal system. By determining the jetstream, meteorologists can forecast the path of the depression.

 

[Piers]

Aha, I wondered if my recollection of Weather lessons at flying college (in 1969!!) was a tad rusty. I will resort to my copy of 'A Handbook to Aviation' and see what it says - that's if I can find it in the attic somewhere!

 

[Evadne]

[ QUOTE ]

http://squall.sfsu.edu/crws/jetstream.html

Has current, forecast and archive jet stream maps.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that link, it is fascinating, gives a good view as to just how complex weather patterns can be.

 

[Cruiser2B]

You may want to invest in a newer reference book then; I think the development of upper air charts (500, 300, 250mB) to map the jetstream was more recent than 1969.

 

[macd]

That's pretty much my understanding from aeons ago at uni.
It isn't always a bad thing if the N Atlantic stream is south of its usual position.
Good UK weather last April was a product of the stream being way further S than normal, leaving UK basking in warm, dry easterlies and south-easterlies off the 'top' of depressions, whilst S Europe was grotty and wet. But UK paid for it later...