Once again we missed out on the rain-band passing through the region at the beginning of the week and we only caught the tail-end of it with a shower of 2 mm measured in the rain gauges. The main feature for the remainder of the week was the gradual rise in day time temperatures from the hot northerly winds, reaching a peak on Saturday with 35ºC. Sunday’s peak was nearly as high with 33ºC. On both days a heat stress warning was issued, advising those at risk of possible Heat Exhaustion or Heatstroke.

*Warning issued – danger of heat exhaustion or heatstroke possible

Please go to “Current Weather” &“This Month” pages for more data

More than 100 icebergs moved towards the New Zealand coastline from the Southern Ocean and threatened shipping interests in the region. Some of the floating ice measured more than 200m across. The same bergs passed by Australia’s Macquarie Island, 1,500km southeast of Tasmania, on the 16th – it is very uncommon for icebergs to make it this far north. In 2006, icebergs floated to within 25 km of the New Zealand coast, and this was the first such sighting since 1931. These bergs are traveling a similar route to the ones in 2006, but scientists are not sure if they will remain intact all the way to the Auckland Islands.

Residents in the flood-hit northwest England began returning to their homes but police warned it could take years to recover from the devastation left by the heaviest rainfall on record. Eighteen schools were closed as local authorities struggled to restore basic services across the county of Cumbria, where many areas were cut off at the weekend after swollen rivers brought down bridges and turned roads into canals. All Cumbria’s 1,800 bridges had to be checked after several collapsed.

A new UK 24-hour rainfall record was attained at Seathwaith, Cumbria with 314 mm. The previous record was held by Martinstown, Dorset with 279 mm on 18^th July 1955

 At least 48 people have died in the heaviest flooding to hit Saudi Arabia in years. The continued torrential rain has coincided with the start of the annual Hajj – the pilgrimage of nearly 2 million Muslims to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest cities. But the worst floods were in the port city of Jeddah, where 76mm of rain has fallen. The annual average rainfall in Jeddah is only about 55mm, with 12mm being the November average. Most of those who died were drowned, or they were killed by collapsing bridges or in car crashes. Authorities say at least 900 people had to be rescued after being stranded in the floodwaters. The floods also forced the closure of a highway to Mecca, stranding many pilgrims who were unable to reach the holy city.

Experts in atmospheric research from all regions are meeting this week, from 18 to 25 November 2009, in Incheon, Republic of Korea, for the WMO fifteenth quadrennial session of the Commission for Atmospheric Science. Participants will discuss future international research to improve air quality forecasts and assessments, and to develop carbon-tracking tools for climate mitigation and adaptation.

Air quality forecasts are issued by an increasing number of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, many of which also provide a wide variety of user-friendly air quality indices and advisories.  However, it remains a challenge to deliver quality services to local communities in a timely fashion. Air quality research and information delivery systems provided by WMO Members help enable people to protect their health.

A policeman died after being swept away by “biblical” floods in Britain’s scenic Lake District, shocked officials said.  Helicopters helped evacuate hundreds of stranded residents.

The policeman had been missing since Thursday in Workington in the tourist-friendly region of north-west England, hit by unprecedented rainfall which caused four bridges to collapse. The policeman who died was directing traffic on one of the bridges as it gave way under him

“I’m very sad to have to report we’ve recovered a body of an individual on the beach,” said Cumbria Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham, identifying the policeman as Bill Barker, 45.

In Cockermouth, the town the worst hit by the floodwaters, helicopters winched people to safety and rescue boats negotiated streets turned into canals after rivers burst their banks.

The last few days has seen heavy rain affecting all parts of north-west Britain. This was caused by an Atlantic weather front becoming almost stationary across Northern Ireland, Cumbria and south-west Scotland.

In Cumbria, there was 372.4 mm of rain at Seathwaite and 361.4 mm of rain at Honister between 0800 on Wednesday 18 November and 0400 on Friday 20 November.Provisionally, the 24-hour total at Seathwaite (ending 0045 on Friday 20 November) of 314.4 mm is a UK record for a single location in any given 24-hour period. UK records go back to 1914.

On Wednesday we had a break in the hot November weather when a surface trough over the SE interior brought unstable conditions to the Ranges. The result was an evening thunderstorm with a good display of lightening but very little rain. Just 2.6 mm in the MWS rain gauges. After this short spell of cooler weather, hot northerly winds returned, strong at times to increase an even greater risk of fire danger.

Please go to “Current Weather” &“This Month” pages for more data

The Bureau reports the tropical Pacific Ocean sea surface has continued to warm in central and eastern areas, with a typical El Niño pattern clearly present. The central Pacific has now warmed to a level that has not been observed since the 2002 El Niño.

The sub-surface water of the tropical Pacific has also continued to warm, with temperatures as much as 6°C above normal in some regions.

The latest approximate 30-day SOI value is −15; the monthly value for October was also −15. The SOI has recently stabilised after a rapid fall in value through October.

Following a sustained weakening of the trade winds during October, a pulse of average or stronger than average trade winds is developing in the western Pacific.

Cloudiness near the date-line has been slightly below average in recent weeks. However, cloudiness to the west of the date-line has been consistently above average, as also occurred during the 2006 El Niño and to a lesser extent in the 2002 event.

Most leading international computer models surveyed by the Bureau predict that El Niño conditions will persist throughout the southern hemisphere summer.

The tropical Pacific Ocean sea surface has continued to warm in central and eastern areas, with a typical El Niño pattern clearly present. The central Pacific has now warmed to a level that has not been observed since the 2002 El Niño.The sub-surface water of the tropical Pacific has also continued to warm, with temperatures as much as 6°C above normal in some regions.The latest approximate 30-day SOI value is −15; the monthly value for October was also −15. The SOI has recently stabilised after a rapid fall in value through October.Following a sustained weakening of the Trade Winds during October, a pulse of average or stronger than average Trades is developing in the western Pacific.Cloudiness near the date-line has been slightly below average in recent weeks. However, cloudiness to the west of the date-line has been consistently above average, as also occurred during the 2006 El Niño and to a lesser extent in the 2002 event.Most leading international computer models surveyed by the Bureau predict that El Niño conditions will persist throughout the southern hemisphere summer.

Please go to “Current Weather” &“This Month” pages for more data

*Noosa Bush Fires