Brief update on further ahead...
Summer 2012
Precipitation Anomaly % Deviation (Jun - Aug 12)
http://oi50.tinypic.com/2qu7z1g.jpg
This is the latest output which gives an indication as to the pressure (height) anomaly: orange = higher pressure, blue = lower pressure. As you can see, over our region, we have a strong anomalously high pressure signal. It proposes that this anomalously high pressure is prevalent through the months of June, July & August, ie: our summer months, in the Northern Hemisphere.
So what does that mean to us? Well, in simple terms, lower pressure precludes warmer, drier weather - so, if you have a signal for higher prevailing pressure, then the signs are much better. This is why I was mentioning that height rises were crucial to how good/bad our summer would be.
In terms of reliability: this particular model is refreshed every 30 days or so, and the important factor is that - over the last 90 days - the signal for strong heights over NW Europe has been consistent, indeed actually getting stronger. So, there's a good trend there. It can change though, so - as with all weather models - caution must be observed.
There's no point asking me about specific temperatures or such like, as -
at this range - you just
can't tell. It's very much like winter though: strong/low heights, in the right places, set favourable conditions. This graph sets favourable conditions for warmer temperatures, over those particular months.
I did say early May would continue the unsettled theme and, through the mid-point we'd see a pattern change into June, and that is looking absolutely rocksolid
It's always been a matter of patience on this, and anyone who wrote summer off based on a wet April is/was talking out of their arse. Strong, consistent evidence for an enjoyable summer ahead...