Areas Affected:Eastern Scotland and Eastern England
Synopsis:
An area of low pressure in association with a marked upper trough is expected to move across the UK during the day, with its associated frontal systems bringing areas of dynamic precipitation to a large portion of the country, but particularly across northern regions.
Discussion:
Starting the discussion with the majority of the UK and many areas are at little or no risk of experience any significant convective activity through Tuesday. Frontal cloud is expected to bring some extensive light or moderate, locally heavy rain, particularly across western up-slopes of Northern England and Scotland. Precipitation is expected to be mainly light or moderate across southern areas with little significant precipitation expected. Also a clearance is expected across Ireland during the afternoon and evening in association with NVA and subsidence with some prolonged bright or sunny spells developing before dusk.
The slight risk of Eastern Scotland and Eastern England has been issued in association with the risk of some potential instability during the course of Tuesday afternoon and perhaps into the early evening. Despite extensive frontal cloud and also dynamic, frontal precipitation, there is a signal from some of the forecast models for potential instability. The GFS, UKMO MESO and particularly the WRF and ECM models do signal the potential for 200 to 400j/kg of MLCAPE, primarily from a zone of potential instability between 700mb and 400mb. Surface temperatures of around 17C and 18C coupled with dew points of around 13C or 14C may well be enough to create a completely unstable environment across eastern Scotland and England during the afternoon.
There is a marked region of DPVA moving east across the UK tomorrow in association with the mid-level trough and with also marked NVA following on behind. This zone of DPVA could also be a focal point in aiding the development of convective activity embedded within the broader zone of frontal precipitation. There is a clear signal from the forecast soundings analysed for potential instability during the course of Tuesday afternoon and hence the slight risk level. There is also some well established DLS in particular with 0-6KM of 20KT to 30KT across Northern England, but with lower shear across Scotland. Also of interest, which again lends a hand towards potential instability is a zone of theta-w heading west to east in association with the surface low and its frontal zones during Tuesday afternoon.
The above variables do signal a risk of perhaps some localised embedded convective downpours developing either within the broader zone of frontal precipitation or perhaps just to the rear of the frontal zones. Isolated or perhaps scattered thunderstorms may develop, but this synoptic situation is often particularly fickle and despite all the above ingredients the outcome may well nothing of significance. Given some DLS, reasonable amounts of helicity and low LCL heights it is also prudent to highlight a low risk of funnel clouds and perhaps a tornado, particularly in direct association with the eastward moving cold front and zone of high DVPA.