Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    On the WeatherRadar - Lee waves flow over the UK and Ireland

07:00
6 July 2026

On the WeatherRadar
Lee waves flow over the UK and Ireland

Waves were flowing on the WeatherRadar, not in the ocean but in the sky over parts of the UK and Ireland.

On Saturday, as cloud cover stretched across much of the UK, cool, moist air was forced to ascent to higher altitudes producing the phenomenon known as Lee waves.

An oscillating up and down motion of the flow as the airstream interacts with the terrain results in cloud lines, at right angles to the wind direction which appear upon hitting mountainous, or hilly, areas.

Diagram illustrating mountain wave cloud formation, showing airflow over a mountain with a mountain wave cloud and lee wave cloud forming as air rises and falls, with labels indicating where droplets condense and evaporate.
Mountain waves are a type of lee wave, otherwise known as standing, stationary waves.

Every time the air rises, it cools and forms a cloud that sits at each crest of the wave. When this airflow hits the inversion it subsides and dries again.

Have you seen any near you? If so, send us a picture, we would love to see them. Upload yours here!

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
A hot and thundery week. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 28 June 2026
Split image showing a bright branching lightning bolt illuminating pink storm clouds on the left and a vivid rainbow arching above a rocky coastline and calm sea beneath dark clouds on the right.
Sunday, 28 June 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A hot and thundery week
A sudden change in weather for Europe. Thunderstorms & tornadoes. . . Thursday, 2 July 2026
Split image showing a dramatic supercell thunderstorm with a lowering cloud base over farmland on the left, and a Europe lightning map on the right with dense lightning strikes and a thunderstorm warning symbol across central and southeastern Europe.
Thursday, 2 July 2026

Thunderstorms & tornadoes

A sudden change in weather for Europe
Forest fires rage in southern Europe. Drought and wind. . . Monday, 6 July 2026
Split screen. On the left, a weather map of France and Spain showing the plumes of smoke from the forest fires. On the right, a fire-fighting aircraft in action.
Monday, 6 July 2026

Drought and wind

Forest fires rage in southern Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday, 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
Storm Chandra makes impact. Severe gales & heavy rain. . . Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday, 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday, 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList