Long range weather forecast into August?

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Summer's gone, then, and we're back to the usual miserable succession of depressions tracking across the UK and, according to one newspaper it's set to continue into August.
We're supposed to be setting off for our 3 week cruise around the Channel Islands and Brittany this weekend but we've got the option to postpone by upto 2 weeks. The question is - is the weather likely to improve or do I try and get a last minute holiday to the Med instead?
Anyone out there got a long range forecast or anyone know of any websites offering same?

 

[hlb]

Me Too!!

Just my thoughts.
We're supposed to be going down to Brittany this weekend too.
But the winds howling outside and the wife's not speaking either.
Can I have a Weather forcast and a councilor please!!

Haydn

 

[martin]

Me too

Have returned home and given up on south coast. First few days were mixed and then Monday was fab despite forecast of showers!! wind 2-3 not forecast 4-5, sun was out, anchored off broadsands with the family and all had a great day. Woke at 4 O'clock in morning to sound of major storm, boat bucking around all over the place...and this was in the marina!..rushed around and closed everything up, extra lines, fenders etc. In the morning, got new forecast of more trub to come so packed up and came home... Question ..are long range forecasts worf anything?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: Me too

Thats a good question. I use Marinecall and Metfax a lot to plan weekends but I find the 2-5 day forecasts are unreliable and, in fact, I think they're a rip off because of that. I'd happily pay for a reliable forecast and I know the Met Office will say that the UK weather is very difficult to predict reliably but then I would say they should'nt then charge for the prediction!
All I really want to know at this stage is whether we're in for a prolonged unsettled period or not. Anyone monitoring sunspot activity or tealeaf reading?

 

[martin]

Re: Me too

I did see a guy on the big breakfast last week (thas how bored I woz) who watches sunspots and he seems to think that next week is going to be a belter!...spose its as good as anything? Met office doesn't seem to know

 

[Guest]

Re:crappy weather

Last season we decided to go down to the boat every weekend regardless of weather , this year we've been listening to the weather forecasts

And so far we've missed a few good weekends that were forecast to be crappy....so Im back to going every weekend and sod the weather forecast.

If its good we take the boat out, if its crappy we take the car instead ( on land that is )

 

[Scubadoo]

It would seem the forecasts this year are way out. A couple of weekends ago I planned a weekend diving trip out on my boat - the forecast was F3 (Sat) reducing to F2 (Sun), I thought good news. However come Sat (still forecasted F3), I made my trip out, got as far as the Solent thinking this doesn't feel right - phone marinecall only to find they had changed their mind F5-F6 - and basically abandon the trip, but didn't appreicate the odd large wave.

What I have been doing lately is using Boatastic Web Cams to actually see the conditions when unsure before driving down to Southampton. I can view from Cowes and Lee on Solent, but really could do with a web cam from the Needles look towards the channel.

I guess this doesn't answer your question and if I was you - unsure then don't cross the channel and cruise along our coastline.

RM.
PS. Good luck.

 

[duncan]

Know the weekend - we scheduled Calais but struggled from Poole to the Solent (most boats took one look and went back into Poole!!!)
And that was all in a period where 2-3 SW had been predicted and occurred from the previous Tuesday through for 7 days.....

 

[Scubadoo]

Yep that's the one, I think most people were caught out. What I found amusing the larger boats 40footers headed for shelter, but people like me carried on (to a certain point). Anyway I was planning to dive off St Catherine's point!

It must be a pain being located at Poole when bad weather comes in - as a quick dash from Poole to the Solent can be interesting like you describe )

RM.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I've found what seems to be an excellent website www.theweatheroutlook.com which gives much longer range forecasts than the Met Office one. The bad news is that August Bank Holiday will be crappy but the good news is that October should be dry!

 

[stewart]

Long range? That'll be this afternoon then (and even that's wrong!).