Weatherwatch: how autumn winds can help predict winter temperatures

Air pressure over Europe and North Atlantic may provide vital data to UK energy suppliersThis time last year the UK was recovering from the "beast from the east". Across the country heating was dialled to max and gas suppliers struggled to keep up with demand. Now a study shows how autumn wind patterns could help utility companies anticipate winter weather.Normally energy providers use historical data to predict the temperature in the colder months. But British weather is fickle and winters vary, so this technique is unreliable. Instead Prof Adam Scaife, the head of long range prediction at the Met Office, and his colleagues compared atmospheric circulation patterns in November with gas demand the following winter. Continue reading...