New Weather Links

To the right hand side of this screen I have today installed some essential weather links. In sequence these are as follows:

NowCast - XCWEATHER.Co.UK
This link provides current (up to the minute) weather data in chart form for most of the UK. It also provides 24 hour rolling archive charts. It is ideal for determining current conditions, prior to setting out on your watch, early morning or whenever. It gives a brilliant insight into the day and its bird movement potential.
The fields covered are:
Wind Direction
Wind Strength
Temperature
Temp-Dew
Pressure
Weather
Visibility
All are essential information for the migration counter and are the best presentations of this kind of information that I think are available. Of specific local interest the presentations include and enumerate full data from weather stations at Bingley and Leeds and Bradford Airport. I let the charts load and then just scroll through them with my wheel mouse.

00hr Plotted Data – FU-Berlin
This is the analysis chart from the 0000hr (midnight) plotted data for the North Atlantic and Europe. In addition to the frontal systems, the chart includes the "Adopt a Vortex" names designated to the various weather systems. These are very handy if you wish to refer to a specific weather system, without confusion and don’t really know how to describe it.

Latest Surface Pressure – Met Office
The latest available Surface Pressure Analysis Chart from the Met Office.

T+24hr
A 24hr surface pressure forecast chart with T being the time that the chart was prepared.

T+36hr
A 36hr surface pressure forecast chart ditto.

T+48hr
A 48hr surface pressure forecast chart ditto.

UK and North Sea – Theyr.net
This is an Icelandic weather site. The link opens on current cloud cover with wind direction arrows, but the presentations can be set to any weather type, a good range of forecast times and also very useful animations. Many geographical areas are available. Some very essential information for the migration counter can be gleaned here.

Surface Pressure 3 day forecast animation – Met Office.
A good presentation, the charts can also be viewed individually.

Snow and Ice – NOAA
A presentation of current Snow Cover and Ice over Europe and Asia. Essential for appreciation of associated cold weather bird pushes.

Good weather watching and vis forecasting.
Dave.

PS. The weather section of these Visible Migration pages is almost ready to install. It will explain much of what you will see here and how it might apply to the birds.