It’s a mild day for February out there with a mixture of sun, cloud and outbreaks of rain. The key component to the unusual warmth in which several recording sites are reading 17C at this hour is courtesy of strong and gusty west wind. While many are in the 10-13C range (still very mild), it’s areas to the lee or east of hills which are getting witnessing the downslope compressional warming effect or foehn with added boost of sunshine as the moisture in the air dries out as it crosses the hills.
Why such warmth with a westerly air flow seemingly straight off the cool Atlantic?
This air mass has origins extending back to the Caribbean for one and secondly the strong Atlantic jet stream is racing almost directly over the UK and there is downward energy transfer which is essentially enhancing mid to low level winds downwards and these winds are accelerating on the leeside of the hills which gives the downslope effect an added boost.
Low level winds are whipping in the 25-35/40 mph range widely but above 4,000ft over the Nevis Range it’s whistling at 74 mph over Aonach Mor and 111 mph over Cairngorm.
Here’s current radar, wind direction and temp as of this 1.40pm post!
WeatherOnline
WeatherOnline
Credit: Meteoceil
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