Frustrating Weather Forecast!

[Mr Spock]

So yesterday after work the sky was perfectly clear. I looked at the forecast, all said clouding over about 6 and then 100% cloud from 7 onwards. So, I decided to stay indoors.

Looked out about 10 ish - still clear! Forecast still saying 100% cloud 

Just got up for work. The forecast is 100% cloud and 4° - it is actually 0% cloud and 0.3°. Gaaarrrgh!!!

We've had so much cloud lately this is really taking the whatsit.

[ollypenrice]

I know, you have to laugh!  However, the oddest one I've had concerned the satellite images on Sat 24. I once had a perfectly clear night when the satellite showed solid cloud over my entire region. A week later I then had the reverse. This is inexplicable.

A friend helped organize the world hang gliding championships, locally, and they employed their own weatherman from Meteo France to attend the event and set up his equipment to give super-accurate short term forecasts. I later asked how useful this was and my friend leaned back in his chair, stroked his beard and said slowly, 'Well... we won't be having him again.'

lly

[johninderby]

Beta testing the AZ100 GOTO upgrade at the moment so of course the weather is rubbish. 🤬🤬🤬

Edited December 17, 2021 by johninderby

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I missed a few imaging sessions this Autumn when the actual weather turned out to be far better than either forecast I looked at.

Most puzzling one I had was a night when the entire country was clear, but there was persistent cloud above me. I could see clear sky on the Eastern horizon but despite a brisk wind it just wasn't getting closer. I worked it out in the end by looking at Sat24. The updraught from Dartmoor was enough to trigger continuous cloud formation, leaving me clouded out while the rest of the country was completely clear.

Weather is complex and tricksy.

[Stu1smartcookie]

8 minutes ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

I missed a few imaging sessions this Autumn when the actual weather turned out to be far better than either forecast I looked at.

Me too ... , in fact the constant cloud has actually led to me thinking that i would be better off doing something else with my time . Where are the lovely frosty nights ? 

And now  the country is under a high pressure system but its trapped a blanket of cloud underneath that is basically sitting over most of England . Normally High pressure at this time of year produces gloriously clear skies .

Sad isnt it  

[Mr Spock]

11am and still 0% cloud!

[Zermelo]

I think last night must have been an odd one, even by UK standards.

For me, CO, MeteoBlue and MetCheck were all showing the later evening being largely clear, with just a bit of low cloud.
It was actually 100% cloudy all evening until I turned in.
However the Met Office were forecasting cloud until just gone midnight, then clear.

[AstroNebulee]

3 hours ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

I missed a few imaging sessions this Autumn when the actual weather turned out to be far better than either forecast I looked at.

Most puzzling one I had was a night when the entire country was clear, but there was persistent cloud above me. I could see clear sky on the Eastern horizon but despite a brisk wind it just wasn't getting closer. I worked it out in the end by looking at Sat24. The updraught from Dartmoor was enough to trigger continuous cloud formation, leaving me clouded out while the rest of the country was completely clear.

Weather is complex and tricksy.

 I can relate, very much the same as here in Cornwall. For the first time since 13th October I got the scope out last night, couldn't image much with the near full moony, so just some quick lunar imaging and the double cluster, clouded over by 9.30pm then. But after 2 months I was just pleased to get any opportunity for astronomy with my scope. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by AstroNebulee

[Mr Spock]

Forcast still says cloudy/misty. Sky is still blue!

[Zermelo]

3 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Forcast still says cloudy/misty. Sky is still blue!

"... where it is inaccurate it is at least definitively inaccurate. In cases of major discrepancy it's always reality that's got it wrong."

- Douglas Adams

[PeterW]

BBC claims clear day so I’ve got a small chance to see comet Leonard…. Looks cloudy to my eyes… even Clear Outside reckons it’ll be overcast for days to come…. Surely we can do better that “stick your head outside”…

 

Peter

[Mr Spock]

Now I'm home from work, it's cloudy 

[Mr Spock]

Now the forecast is saying clear sky 🤣 

[cajen2]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

BBC claims clear day so I’ve got a small chance to see comet Leonard…. Looks cloudy to my eyes… even Clear Outside reckons it’ll be overcast for days to come…. Surely we can do better that “stick your head outside”…

 

Peter

Piece of seaweed?

I've learnt to ignore forecasts completely.

True (off topic) story. My father was a navigator in Lancasters during the war and was involved in the notorious Nuremberg raid, where the RAF had some of the worst losses of the war. Partly, this was because strong, unforecasted winds blew the bomber stream off course, straight over the German night fighter boxes. My father was a 'windfinder' navigator, who were tasked to assess winds on the approach by measuring drift, then radio the result back to base to be issued to the crews. He measured a 100mph northerly, was told not to be so stupid and to maintain the planned course. He ignored this and gave the pilot an adjusted course, so missed the fighters and the plane returned safely. My father was reprimanded for disobeying orders! 😄

So all in all, I'm not impressed by weather forecasts!

[TerraC]

Fog here at the moment and forecast until Sunday.       Looking at the week ahead I dont think the telescope will be out this side of Christmas.  

 

[The Admiral]

Afraid 'tis ever thus.

Cloud forecasts are waste of time in my view. It's bad enough having so much cloud here, but they just rub salt into the wound. As one who has to set up everything from scratch each time, it all becomes a game of Russian roulette.

Ian

[Knight of Clear Skies]

5 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

 I can relate, very much the same as here in Cornwall. For the first time since 13th October I got the scope out last night, couldn't image much with the near full moony, so just some quick lunar imaging and the double cluster, clouded over by 9.30pm then. But after 2 months I was just pleased to get any opportunity for astronomy with my scope. 

I've had some fun sessions recently but have drawn a complete blank on any deep imaging since the Spring, one way and another. AP is definitely an intermittent hobby in this country.

[Mr Spock]

Foggy here now too. I can see this is going to be a movie weekend 

[Zermelo]

11 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Foggy here now too. I can see this is going to be a movie weekend 

[Mr Spock]

Not my favourite movie. Plus I don't really like Adrienne Barbeau - there's something weird about her. Haven't seen the new version.