Weather

[nheather]

Of corse you know what the statisically most accurate forecast is

Tomorrow's weather will be the same as today's

Cheers,

Nigel

[steve185cs]

Last year I remember heavy showers forecast, scanning memory but not sure if i went up Sat or Sun, there were heavy showers about but most missed RIAT. I know it was delayed in the morning because of rain, sure someone will remind me which day it was. This year is such a great line up, i'm coming up from Bournemouth and it will be weather related to which day, i'm hoping for Sunday.

[nheather]

Last year I remember heavy showers forecast, scanning memory but not sure if i went up Sat or Sun, there were heavy showers about but most missed RIAT

You must have been there on Sunday then.

Saturday was torrential rain up until about 1pm. The flying was meant to start at 10am but didn't actually start until after 1pm. There wasn't any rain after that, plenty of cloud but as the day wore on there were patches of blue sky.


Just seen they do e-Tickets now. If only I'd known I would have done that. Will definitely be doing it that way next year.


Cheers,

Nigel

[RJC1878]

I wonder if there'll be an official statement regarding a possible cancellation of the show? Weather for the weekend makes grim reading - surely they can't take too much more!

[UKTopgun]

I do not think that RIAT could make it any clearer..... so please read and take in!

"Following the unfortunate need to cancel the 2008 Air Tattoo when the United Kingdom suffered a continuous period of rainfall over the preceding months, significant work was undertaken to make the showground and car parking arrangements for subsequent events at Fairford resilient in the face of such conditions. Had these been in place in 2008 the Air Tattoo would have taken place. These arrangements remain for all Air Tattoos staged at RAF Fairford. We have no intention of cancelling the event in 2012."

July 3, 2012

[raiford]

all this doom and gloom mongering is depressing me, cancellation indeed! BBC forecast for Saturday is bright or sunny spells and scattered showers, same on Sunday but with a risk of thunder, yes it's the rain this week that matters but if RIAT say they are preparing then end of story!

[nheather]

I do not think that RIAT could make it any clearer..... so please read and take in!

I understand and respect the sentiment, but it's a little naive to beleive that because it is written it can never happen.

I suspect they didn't originally have any intention of cancelling 2008.

So what you keep saying is that if the rain is so bad that the car parks on Saturday get churned up and cars get stuck, then RIAT will deliberately direct cars onto the quagmire on Sunday, so they can stand by their statement - of course they wouldn't.


On a brighter note, I don't think it will happen as the rain doesn't appear to be that heavy. Expecting a disrupted show though. At the moment I'd be very surprised if we get a full show on either day and mega surprised if we see a high display from any of the display teams.

Cheers,

Nigel

[RJC1878]

I do not think that RIAT could make it any clearer..... so please read and take in!

I understand and respect the sentiment, but it's a little naive to beleive that because it is written it can never happen.

I suspect they didn't originally have any intention of cancelling 2008.

So what you keep saying is that if the rain is so bad that the car parks on Saturday get churned up and cars get stuck, then RIAT will deliberately direct cars onto the quagmire on Sunday, so they can stand by their statement - of course they wouldn't.


On a brighter note, I don't think it will happen as the rain doesn't appear to be that heavy. Expecting a disrupted show though. At the moment I'd be very surprised if we get a full show on either day and mega surprised if we see a high display from any of the display teams.

Cheers,

Nigel

Well said.

On a side note, there's absolute no chance of a full show or high displays from any of the teams, given the forecast for the weekend. There's the potential for it to be much worse than what it is now.

[Oxfordconstruction]

The weather will be like it is now. Heavy showers with breaks in cloud. That's it, the show will go on so can people stop talking about cancelling it!!

[UKTopgun]

The point is they learned a lesson from 2008 and now have metal tracking on high flow areas in the parking fields. Perhaps I am naive but I trust the organisers to know what they are doing and think it will be ok - come on guys, we are all enthusiasts here and all want it to go ahead so.... let's all try and indulge in the power of collective positive thinking! Of course they may have to disrupt the display - I'll not be too unhappy as long as I see something fly!
Que sera sera

[Monty]

Lots of doom mongering on here at the moment!

In terms of car parking i believe the majority is on concrete (Red and Green) and the Blue car park had the heavy duty plastic strips laid down throughout the whole car park. Would have though this would prevent the field from getting churned up as apart from parking you wouldn't be driving on the grass.

Fairly confident of a mixed low/high show on Saturday with the possibility of a few delays due to rain. Think the Sunday will probably be flat displays only.

Another positive is that the weather warning for Friday now looks as if Fairford will miss the worst with the North and East now predicted to get the heavy rain.

On my way down tomorrow at midday and shall be prepared for all eventualities. Hope everyone has a good show

[nheather]

In terms of car parking i believe the majority is on concrete (Red and Green) and the Blue car park had the heavy duty plastic strips laid down throughout the whole car park. Would have though this would prevent the field from getting churned up as apart from parking you wouldn't be driving on the grass.

The point is they learned a lesson from 2008 and now have metal tracking on high flow areas in the parking fields.

The car park I was put on last year had metal tracking at the entrance and along the top of the car park but once you turned into the parking aisles it was just plain grass. It was okay. I didn't get stuck but I left early and it was was beginning to churn up a bit. Fortunately, it stopped raining around 1pm so had a chance to dry out and I understand that the Sunday was quite dry too.

I think a wet Friday, followed by car use on a wet Saturday will not leave it too nice for the drivers on a wet sunday.

Still hoping to go on Sunday and will be checking this site for feedback from Saturday. Actually wondering whether to forego my grandstand ticket (which is the Sunday limiter) and go on Saturday as that is looking more promising - I think the actual ticket is good on either day.

Cheers,

Nigel


Nope, just checked. My entrance ticket is locked to Sunday aswell.

[Meep]

Looks like the whole thing has flipped on its head overnight. Sunday is now forecast the much better day with lots of sunshine, and Saturday the rainy one.

Just shows how hard it is predict the weather.

[eddy88888]

excellent just seen the metoffice forcast for saturdat and looks goos now am wll pleased we are going to have some sun check this link. saturday the better day so im going sat http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ ... ather.html

[Dragon Rapide]

I use two other forecasters and they all concur. Little or no rain until late aftenoon Saturday but rain from mid-morning on Sunday. However at the speed the the picture is changing I have no doubt the story will change again over the next few hours.

[lambo17841]

Just watched the forecast on Breakfast and it looks like the monsoon for thurs/fri will be further north.If that had come Fairford way there could have been a real problem.

John in Sussex

[boff180]

Good morning from the FRIAT enclosure, I will describe the grass areas of the showground, particularly the crowdline with two words...

Waterlogged

Squelchy

[Andyperkins]

I wonder if there'll be an official statement regarding a possible cancellation of the show? Weather for the weekend makes grim reading - surely they can't take too much more!

You really don't want the show to go ahead do you? at least I get that impression from every single one of your posts which either predict little or no flying and the weather causing the show to be cancelled.

The present outlook for Saturday is a damn site better than it was for Cosford and Yeovilton and both those went ahead just fine and even if there are showers since when does that automatically mean something can't fly, anyone at Leuchars last year will tell you that a heavy shower won't stop a Grippen doing its thing.

[stevebrodie]

Showers + Jets = Cracking Vapour shots !!

[RJC1878]

I wonder if there'll be an official statement regarding a possible cancellation of the show? Weather for the weekend makes grim reading - surely they can't take too much more!

You really don't want the show to go ahead do you?

That's the last thing anyone wants, myself included. But I do think we need to be 'realistic' here, given the amount of rain we've had and now reports of waterlogged surfaces. In addition, the forecast for tomorrow and the weekend does not look good.

I would be disappointed if the show was cancelled - hoping it isn't!

[Liveforriat]

The show in 2008 was cancelled due to waterlogged ground, more specifically waterlogged car parks which meant that the shows organizers could not safely and sensibly get people in to and out of the showground.

This is no longer an issue, matted carparks and on base parking have all but removed the problems with parking eg thousands of cars stuck in a water logged field having to be towed one by one.

The showground is wet but not flooded, the aircraft are parked on the concrete hardstands. No where does it say RIAT has to provide a flying display if the weather is bad enough the flying could be cancelled but it would have to be bad bad day, all day for that to be the case. The showground would still be open and the static items would still be view able. RIAT will not be cancelled this year, the weather could limit it who knows but it will not be cancelled.

Your obsession with it being cancelled and aircraft surely being unable to fly is tiresome, this is England, it rains a lot but things still happen, shows still go on, aircraft still fly and people still enjoy themselves and that is what you should start to do from now on because one thing is certain and that is whether you worry and fret about the weather or not it will be what it will be so best thing you can do is pack accordingly and look forward to whatever RIAT dish up.

[WillieP]

I can remember this same thread and same conversation going on and on last year. Yes there was rain on the saturday and yes some displays never happened but the afternoon was good and a good day was had.

[Liveforriat]

Exactly

the car parks were the main reason 2008 was cancelled because the organizers have a duty of care that they couldnt fulfill. This is no longer a problem and rain alone is not going to cancel an airshow, it may limit or stop flying but that is not the whole show, the show will not be cancelled you heard it here first

[Andyperkins]

Come rain or shine, be wary of the sun because even with 100% cloud cover you can still burn as I learnt last year at Kemble, didn't see the sun all day but came away looking like a lobster

[DutchCougarSpotter]

Well for the departure day we dont have to worry about heatwaves