"Col" wrote in message
...
There seems to be some rather odd cloud movement here.
There is cumulus moving from the SE, perfectly reasonable
considering there is a frontal system moving into the SW but
I have also got some patches of cirrus which are coming
from a NW direction. Now if this was the first signs of the
front, then shouldn't they simply appear to be coming from the SW?

Col
--
Bolton, Lancashire.
160m asl.
http://www.reddwarfer.btinternet.co.uk

Not when you have a very complex upper pattern with numerous short-wave
troughs and trough disruption occurring to the SE. The darker patches on
the WV image show the locations of the troughs (areas of high PV) -

http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/pdus/BW/...10600BW1_g.jpg

The following maps should tell you why the clouds are moving the way they
are doing -

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn0615.gif (300hPa flow at 12Z, GFS
06Z DT)
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn0613.gif (925 hPa wind at 12Z, GFS
06Z DT)

HTH, Joe