It has been mild for November so far this week. Dampness and murk could make the air feel cooler for Remembrance Day and a shift to a light easterly is possible by Sunday.
It is the centenary year for the Poppy Appeal. Red poppies have been worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community since the formation of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal in 1921.
“Over 100 years the Poppy has evolved but remains an enduring symbol of Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.” RBL
You may have already seen the poppy boxes or people out collecting, after a hiatus in face-to-face collections for 2020 and the pandemic. Preparations are well underway for Sunday’s parades with displays across the country already on show for Remembrance Day events this Thursday 11th.
“In 2021 we are marking 100 years since the nation’s collective Remembrance traditions were first brought together, such as the poppy, two-minute silence, Armistice Day, the service for the Unknown Warrior, and the march-past at the Cenotaph.” RBL
As well as the military presence, representatives of civilian services, government & councils with local and youth organisations. The weather can’t be helped for these events in late autumn and certainly can vary. Many regular attendees will remember rain, wind even snow lashing at least one Remembrance outing.
Our Girlguiding unit has been practising and preparing. We had a discussion for the new Guides about what happens. “It’s cold!” was universally agreed upon. The local cliff top war memorial is exposed to a north or east wind. The passed on knowledge was to wear a thermal under your uniform and definitely dark gloves.
This week has been mild, very mild for southern Britain and it will still be mild on Thursday.
It is the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, that the two-minute silence is observed on Armistice Day, the day which marks the end of the First World War. Most of the UK will be dry with very light winds for Britain, but more of a southerly wind picking up for Northern Ireland.
There will be two weak, fading fronts across the UK on the 11th. One over Scotland which links to windy weather during Wednesday night. There will be a fair amount of cloud, with brighter spells in the east and just the odd showery outbreak in the west. Dry but cool at 7C for most.
Northern Ireland will see the wind picking up as a new frontal system arrives and this throws more cloud in and again just the odd bit of patchy rain. Dry for most, temperatures of 12C for southern counties, only 9C in the north.
Wales could also see a few showery bits in the north but dry with a good deal of cloud and murk, even fog inland. There will be light winds with temperatures of 10 to 13C, so mild enough.
For England, it will be very mild and grey at 14C in the south but cooler and brighter in the north, particularly the northeast, at 10C. Most places will be dry although the frontal band from Wednesday could still give patchy rain on Thursday morning. There will also be lingering fog in places.
The weekend weather looks quiet as the UK sits between systems. Slight shifts could bring rain in more quickly from the far northwest but currently, that is not the case. There looks to be an easterly flow off the cool North Sea. That can bring low cloud, dampness and a cold feeling to the air. Temperatures look to still be at 9 to 13C. Not as mild in the south as it has been although any breaks in the cloud could lift how the day feels. This looks more likely for western Britain than further east. The cloud could produce patchy rain in places. It doesn’t look to be a wild, windy day but we have to keep an eye on this flow over the next day or so to firm up on the details for Sunday morning.
Aberlady 2018 yarn-bombing poppies in the Garden of Remembrance
