Happy New Year to all readers!
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Here is a summary of the latest NWP output for noon on Wednesday. Issued
0611z, New Year's Day 2005.

The outlook is still zonal, albeit still with spells of sub 528dam air for
northern Britain. Longer term there are still signs of the jet sinking
south, although all that would do is bring stronger winds and more rain (at
least initially).

ECMWF: http://64.246.48.81/pics/Recm1201.gif
Strong westerlies cover the UK, with a secondary low to the north of
Scotland. The winds become WSW'lies at T+144, followed by stronger
westerlies at T+168 as a trough crosses the UK.

MetO: http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rukm1201.html
The Met Office run shows a ridge to the west and strong to gale force
westerlies across the UK. The ridge moves eastwards at T+144 to bring
SW'lies for all.

GFS: http://64.246.48.81/pics/Rtavn1201.gif
The UK lies under westerlies and WNW'lies, with a weak ridge to the west and
a trough over the North Sea. 850hPa temperatures vary from -5C over NW
Scotland to +2C over Cornwall. A secondary low brings WSW'lies for all at
T+144, followed by southerlies from another secondary low over Ireland on
day 7. The low moves away to the NE on day 8, leaving the UK under
westerlies. SW'lies cover the UK on day 9, with NW'lies on day 10 as a low
moves eastwards to the NE of Scotland.

GEM: http://www.meteocentre.com/models/glb00_120.html
Complex low pressure lies to the north of the UK, leading to strong
westerlies for all.

GME/DWD:
http://www.wetter.com/home/img/sat/g...010000_120.gif
A westerly flow covers the UK, with complex low pressure to the north and a
large high over Iberia. A secondary low crosses northern Scotland at T+144,
with much of the UK under WSW'lies. By day 7 a trough moves over the uK,
leaving westerlies in its wake.

JMA: http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rjma1201.html
A deep low lies to the north of Iceland, leading to SW'lies for all. The
SW'lies continue at T+168 as a secondary low moves NE'wards to the west of
the UK. By day 7 a trough covers the UK, bringing SW'lies and westerlies for
the British Isles.

NOGAPS: http://129.13.102.67/wz/pics/ngp10.prp.120.europeg.gif
NOGAPS shows a weak ridge over the UK, with westerlies for all.

GM CPTEC: http://www.cptec.inpe.br/prevnum/Global126_sx6_Gl.shtml
Westerly gales cover the UK, with a large high over Iberia and complex low
pressure to the north.

KMA: http://www.kma.go.kr/kma03/gif/g21nh_smsr_120.gif
As with CPTEC, low pressure lies to the north and this brings westerlies
across the UK.