Solent weekend weather analysis

Libby explains why we had a front on Sunday with no rain on it.

Solent Analysis 5th-6th April.

The high pressure system dominated the weekend centering over the UK providing northerly winds of variable strength as expected. The forecast identified the change in temperature and wind conditions between Saturday and Sunday. With Sunday being influenced by a frontal system from the north. Which brought colder conditions, cloudy skies and lighter winds.

Saturday saw clear skies with temperatures reaching one or two degrees higher than forecast at 17ºC. The wind was forecast to be light around 6-8knots and build to between 10-15 knots veering by up to 50º from the expected northerly direction. Saturday saw the wind strength start around 8 knots and quickly build to average of 12-14 knots with peaks as high as 18 knots. The wind direction veers as expected with the heating of the land to towards 030º. Conditions of the day meant that racing was strongly influenced by the land causing shifty condition and significant wind strength differences across race areas.

Sunday was forecast to be cloudy, colder (only 10ºC) and with a wind speed between 2-6 knots from 030º. At 0900 hours there was about 4 knots from the north. A postponement meant that the wind could slowly veer round to the expected average of 030º and build in wind strength. On average the wind remained around 10 knots slightly more that expected and large oscillations could be seen in the direction as the wind bounced off the land. It was a numbers day!!!

Despite the cold front causing the day to be cloudy there were no typical rain showers associated with the frontal system or the strong veering of the wind. This is due to the frontal system being located so close to the centre of the high pressure system. The subsiding air of the high pressure system was suppressing the uplift of air that occurs at cold fronts causing wet weather.

Outlook
Next weekend could see the return of the wet and windy conditions as of low pressure centre tries to push up from the south. Saturday will wind strengths around 15-18 knots from a southerly direction with wet conditions pushing in, in the afternoon and into Sunday. Sunday will see a more southwesterly direction with winds in the region of 12-18 knots.

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