Meteorological Information
SMOKE in Weather Reports Defined
response to frequently asked questions.
In normal conditions with the prevailing wind from the southwest or west the Isle of Man enjoys excellent visibility as clean, though sometimes moist, air sweeps in from the Atlantic. However, east or southeasterly winds can bring moderate or poor visibility, especially when these winds are associated with the dry, settled weather of a high pressure system.
Smoke and other effluent is pumped out of chimneys across England and Europe and the high pressure traps this pollution in the very lowest layer of the atmosphere. If it cannot go up it goes sideways and so this industrial smoke is exported by our neighbours who live upwind. This is not a heat haze or mist, it is man made pollution and affects the Island and other parts of the British Isles during settled spells in both Winter and Summer. It is not something that the Isle of Man is responsible for, it is a U.K. / European Community import that we suffer but have no control over!
Ronaldsway is one of the key reporting stations in the British Isles which provides full synoptic observations to the international meteorological network. As such we are required to code our messages strictly in accordance with World Meteorological Organization Rules. The exact and recognised description for this industrial pollution is SMOKE.
BBC Radio 4 broadcasts of reports from coastal stations around the British Isles include Ronaldsway. Most station reports are prepared by auxiliary observers who tend to use the laymans description of 'haze'. We, as a forecast office, have more information with which to establish the true nature of the obscurity and as scientists have to be more precise.
Adrian Cowin, Forecaster
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