On 24/02/10 16:00, Steve Ball wrote:

No answer to that - that total is absolutely staggering. I
presume most of it has been cyclonic/frontal with a bit (a lot?) of
convective enhancement from relatively warm sea and cool air.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

Definitely Tudor,
we have experienced several 'lows' originating southwest of Morroco
where SST's are currently running warmer than normal. These warm, moist
laden systems also led to the severe floods earlier in the month in the
Canary Islands.
We also get the occasional problem in Gibraltar that fronts can run in
over a low level easterly airflow. Not only does this feed in more
moisture from the Med but the windshear adds the dynamics for embedded
CB and can also slow down the front, hence enhancing possible rainfall
accumulations.

Its proving a very interesting place to forecast with its own microclimate.
You wont believe how many people joked that I would only be forecasting
sunshine down in these parts!


Looking at the sea-temperature anomalies and, in particular, the region
of strong contrast that would encourage a low-latitude jet, you seem to
be at the muzzle-end of a very long gun. That zone can be traced back
from Gibraltar, through the Caribbean, across Central America and thence
onward across the Pacific to the Philippines! ;-)
See http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/data/sst/a....2.22.2010.gif


--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks., UK. E-mail: newsman not newsboy
"I wear the cheese. It does not wear me."