All the info you need to plan your outdoors Bank Holiday weekend.
Weekend Weather - 8-9 November, 2008
Metcheck
About Metcheck: good overviews of localised areas based predominately on a number of meteorological models. Loads of quirky options for stuff like rain forecasts plus offbeat, leftfield weather generalisations. Get stuck in and have a browse, there's a lot on this site.
You can check out individual areas or dig a bit deeper for the Mountain Forecast page or the Climbing Forecast page. The Seven-Day Charts give a handy overview too.
Forecast 'Saturday looks like being rather cloudy with rain at times in the north and west, with most other areas staying dry and fine with some warm sunshine and temperatures into the low twenties Celsius. This looks like also being the set-up for Sunday and Monday with the best of the dry and warm weather towards the south and east, although some thundery showers may affect southern districts later in the weekend. '
Mountain Weather Information Service
About the Mountain Weather Information Service: great downloadable mountain-specific forecasts for NW, W and SE Highlands, Cairngorms, Southern Uplands, Peak District and Lakes in PDF format. Plus a Snowdonia forecast. Scottish forecasts are seven days a week, the Lakes are six days a week and the Peak and Snowdonia forecasts are available three days, from Thursday through to Saturday.
Check individual forecasts for specific details. Arguably the best mountain-specific forecast out there by a way . Production is now fully funded by the Scottish Government in the interests of mountain safety with operating and development down to commercial sponsorship.
Forecasts Saturday A near cloudless day for the Peaks, southern England, and Wales but with regular showers in the Lake District and Scotland. The chance of cloud-free summits could be as little as 30%, although the skies will begin to clear towards evening. Sunday A better day all round, with clear skies and sunshine for most of the day, all over the country, and only a few scattered showers remaining. Check specific forecasts for details as the weekend progresses.
Forecasts Saturday A near cloudless day for the Peaks, southern England, and Wales but with regular showers in the Lake District and Scotland. The chance of cloud-free summits could be as little as 30%, although the skies will begin to clear towards evening.
Sunday A better day all round, with clear skies and sunshine for most of the day, all over the country, and only a few scattered showers remaining.
Check specific forecasts for details as the weekend progresses.
BBC
About BBC Weather: uses Met Office data, but more user friendly. Just been revamped for the summer, weird stuff but easy access to a lot more information including rain forecasts, cloud, wind, temperature, visibility etc. Nice. Localised forecasts accessible from the same page.
If you want video, check out the BBC Weather Player with a selection of forecasts.
BBC specific areas: Fort William / Kendal / Betws-y-Coed / Aviemore / Skipton / Glossop (Peak) / Brecon / Milton Keynes.
Forecast The weather looks bright and sunny across most of the UK on Saturday and Sunday, although there may be showers in some parts of Scotland. Bank Holiday Monday will see showers becoming more widespread, especially in the South.
Met Office Mountain Forecasts
About the Met Office: The giants of weather forecasting in the UK, the Met Office also provides mountain forecasts covering five major UK mountain areas: Scottish West Highlands / Scottish East Highlands / Lake District / Snowdonia National Park / Brecon Beacons National Park.
Detailed forecasts for each day are posted early morning - 5 am - plus there's a short outlook section for the next two days.
Forecast Sunday should be the best day all over the country. Saturday will begin with showers in the north of England and Scotland, growing heavier in the Highlands in the afternoon. These will clear away in time for a sunny Bank Holiday Sunday, but will return again on Monday.
Met Office General Forecast About the Met Office: See the weather for the next week. The Welsh Mountain Forecasts are also useful online forecasts covering the National Park areas of Snowdonia - and the Brecon Beacons. See above for Met Office mountain forecast links. Forecast Saturday to Monday: 'Apart from northwest Scotland which will see some rain, most of the UK should be dry and sunny with light winds. Thundery rain likely on Monday, especially the South.'
Met Office General Forecast
About the Met Office: See the weather for the next week. The Welsh Mountain Forecasts are also useful online forecasts covering the National Park areas of Snowdonia - and the Brecon Beacons. See above for Met Office mountain forecast links.
Forecast Saturday to Monday: 'Apart from northwest Scotland which will see some rain, most of the UK should be dry and sunny with light winds. Thundery rain likely on Monday, especially the South.'
Weatherline - Lake District About weatherline: Funded by the Lake District National Park Authority, the service combines a five-day forecast from the Met Office in Manchester with firsthand information from the fell top assessors' daily climb up Helvellyn. Also available by phone on 0870 055 0575. Forecast Felltop assessments are over for the season, but the page still carries the Met Office Lake District mountain forecast for the next five days.
Weatherline - Lake District
About weatherline: Funded by the Lake District National Park Authority, the service combines a five-day forecast from the Met Office in Manchester with firsthand information from the fell top assessors' daily climb up Helvellyn. Also available by phone on 0870 055 0575.
Forecast Felltop assessments are over for the season, but the page still carries the Met Office Lake District mountain forecast for the next five days.
Scottish Midge Forecast About the Midge Forecast: Innovative midge forecast covering the whole of Scotland and complete with interactive map giving access to seven-day forecasts for main Scottish towns. Midge-heads can also take advantage of extensive midge data which will be updated each week. Forecast The midge forecast is over for the season and will return on 23 May 2009 along with the wee biting midgies.
Scottish Midge Forecast
About the Midge Forecast: Innovative midge forecast covering the whole of Scotland and complete with interactive map giving access to seven-day forecasts for main Scottish towns. Midge-heads can also take advantage of extensive midge data which will be updated each week.
Forecast The midge forecast is over for the season and will return on 23 May 2009 along with the wee biting midgies.
Scottish Avalanche Information Service About the Scottish Avalanche Information Service: Daily avalanche forecasts over the winter months though obviously not live over the summer. The forecasts now also include blogs from the SAIS observers complete with recent photos. Forecast Avalanches in the UK in June? You've had too much beer ...
Scottish Avalanche Information Service
About the Scottish Avalanche Information Service: Daily avalanche forecasts over the winter months though obviously not live over the summer.
The forecasts now also include blogs from the SAIS observers complete with recent photos.
Forecast Avalanches in the UK in June? You've had too much beer ...
UK Mountain Web Cams
About Web Cams: If there's one that we've missed, please drop us a line and we'll add it to the page. Good for getting a general idea of what the snow situation's like, if the sun is shining, whether there's anywhere to park in Coniston etc.
Check the image you're viewing is up to date as they often seem to go down. Recently overhauled so most cameras featured are actually working :-) If you find one isn't or have a new addition we should know about, please let us know.
Summary Sunny all weekend in many places, with sunshine all round on Sunday. Showers in Scotland on Saturday and thundery showers in the south on Monday.
Summary
Verdict
But further south we'll be in for a dry and sunny weekend, and on Sunday, Scotland and the Lakes will join in the general sunshine fest. The only possible spirit-dampener after that will be the chance of thundery showers in the south on Bank Holiday.So basically, start in the south of the country and work your way northwards as the weekend goes on. Otherwise, stick in one place and be assured of sunshine at some point in the weekend.
On the whole, it looks like it should be a good one.
