After the fine, sunny Bank Holiday the poor tabloids didn't have the usual doom and gloom to report so they diverted their attentions to Gaston in the mid-Atlantic, with many inaccuracies.
Deprived of the usual Bank holiday stories of gales, flooding, snow etc, the tabloids have pinned their "forecasting" eye on Hurricane Gaston.
Hurricane Gaston is out in the Atlantic, not currently troubling anyone, although the Azores will need to watch its track by the end of this week.
Here are the headlines
"WEATHER experts have warned Hurricane Gaston is set to batter Britain after blowing across the Atlantic from the United States."
Who are these weather experts, the US NHC rarely warns for the UK?
"Hurricane Gaston is set to hit Britain after travelling across the Atlantic from the United States - bringing with it chaotic 90mph winds." Oh, but hold on "By the time it reaches Britain, it is forecast that it will weaken and generate winds of 70mph". a contradiction but they will still be chaotic, allegedly.
Can a hurricane threaten to make a beeline? "Gaston as a category-1 hurricane - the highest classification of storm". Category 1 is not the strongest storm, that would be a Cat 5."Hurricane Gaston, which currently has the US east coast on high alert". It's not troubling anywhere at the moment. There are two other Tropical Depressions being watched near to Florida, bringing rain and rip current warnings to the eastern seaboard.. "Hurtling"? It will take 5 days to reach the Azores, not really hurtling. "In the US,Hurricane Gaston,... as it moves towards the Gulf of Mexico". No, it's moving northeast towards Africa.
So, with all these ropey "facts",
What is going on with Gaston?
Well, to start with, what a name! The baddy out of Beauty and the Beast, the illiterate, sexist brute who was so mean to Belle in the Disney classic.
Doesn't bode well.
Official Info
If you want to know what an Atlantic hurricane/storm/depression is up to, have a look here. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
This is the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami, whom officially warn for the Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
You can see Hurricane Gaston, way out in the Atlantic, not troubling anyone and 2 other cyclones (TD8 and TD9) nearer to the US, which are the ones the Express is confusing with Gaston. So that's where Gaston is now. Using the NHC link, you can click on the red circle of a storm and get more details of its track and warnings etc, using the US forecast model. Or, you could have a look at the Met Office track and forecast for comparison.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/storm-tracker/#?tab=map&stormId=07L&stormName=GASTON
This is quite a snazzy graphic, shows the path so far, tells you the strength of the storm, currently a Cat 3 hurricane and it's forecast path with dates and times.
The US model has it just north of the Azores by Saturday, (there are time differences to include)
So, the weekend 'UK Gaston hit', after our fine Bank Holiday, looks unlikely. People are still planning outdoor events and activities at this time of year, which are still weather dependent and hoping for a fine day. The organisers certainly don't need scare stories about hurtling hurricanes, chaotic winds and a violent battering for Britain.
However, this weather story isn't quite so simple. Just because Hurricane (or maybe Storm by Saturday) Gaston is over the Azores, doesn't mean that Gaston isn't able to influence the UK weather. What can happen is that warm, moist tropical air could be carried in the upper levels of the atmosphere over the UK and interact with another low pressure. This adds extra energy, extra moisture and could give a bit of Oomph to a different system, which may move over the UK at the weekend. This could bring heavy rain and brisk winds. However, it is not a preferred solution.
The confidence in the weekend forecast is low, and it is this which should be considered alongside these shrieking headlines. One tropical system is tricky enough for the forecast models, but having these 3 combining in the mix for the weekend is downright complex. For the moment, Saturday does look blustery with showers from the west and sunny spells with Gaston probably near to the Azores. After that, the weakened remnants of Gaston could head up towards the UK for early next week but confidence remains low and you'll just have to keep updated with the forecast.
Forum discussion - Gaston - https://www.netweather.tv/forum/topic/86156-tropical-storm-gaston/
Model output- https://www.netweather.tv/forum/topic/85513-model-output-discussions-12z-03052016/?page=159
