Hugh Beswetherick

Tell Your Own Weather Hugh Beswetherick

There are two parts to this weather guide, the second far from guaranteed but hopefully with a laugh or two to make up and grains of wisdom now and then. We have learned a lot from satellites since the time of my 'one-and six' (7 decimal pence) first edition of this weather guide of thirty pages in l953, a period in which the Met Office forecasts have improved beyond measure, focus on individual regions and towns and are ready to give out special warnings. With a bit of luck we can plan for a week ahead, the job done for us, no more worries! Well, not quite! To stay in touch one needs to be constantly making one's own check. There are times when a quick decision is needed to avoid the worst conditions. Best to play for safety when out and about, walking the hills or going to sea: - who knows where one will be in a week or even an hour from now? Sitting somewhere drenched? Or worse? A distant white cloud may prove to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, or if the wind gets up at a critical moment or a fog descends, what then? Did they predict it? Anyone know where we are? As Tommy Cooper used to say, life is magic, 'just like that!' It suddenly happens! And I haven't yet finished with him! - but, yes, 'just like that'... the weather particularly when what occurs is different from the overall picture. Why - one could be submerged in a clammy coastal fog while a mile or two inland it's bright sun and out comes the body cream. This kind of situation is typical of the British spring, with a cold sea. As for longer-range forecasting, get it right once or twice and await laurels. A useful clue is that the longer a particular spell has lasted, the longer it may dominate - up to a point and probably not everywhere. Sages may know and you can be the sage!