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 /

    Over the UK: Lee waves on the WeatherRadar

08:58
30 May 2025

Over the UK
Lee waves on the WeatherRadar

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

Friday morning, as cloud cover stretched across much of the UK, cool, moist air in the northerly Jet Stream flow was also 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.

Mountain waves are a type of lee wave, otherwise known as standing, stationary waves.
Mountain waves are a type of lee wave, otherwise known as standing, stationary waves.

Air ascending up a mountain range happens all the time if the wind direction is right. What is crucial during a lee wave event is an inversion, a stable layer of air that acts as a "lid" above the cool, moist air mass below.

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!

Get involved! Using the Uploaderread more
Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Autumn is setting in across Europe. Cooler, wetter and windier. . . Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Weather maps show a sharp drop in temperature across Central Europe, accompanied by rain and thunderstorms.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026

Cooler, wetter and windier

Autumn is setting in across Europe
Hole punch cloud seen in Lincolnshire. Unique view in the sky. . . Thursday, 8 October 2026
Oval-shaped fallstreak hole opens in a layer of small white clouds against a bright blue sky above rooftops and power lines.
Thursday, 8 October 2026

Unique view in the sky

Hole punch cloud seen in Lincolnshire
Hurricane threatens the US coast. First storm of the season. . . Thursday, 8 October 2026
The WindRadar shows a powerful hurricane off the US Gulf Coast. Wind speeds of 75 miles per hour are being recorded around the centre of the storm.
Thursday, 8 October 2026

First storm of the season

Hurricane threatens the US coast
All weather news
This might also interest you
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday, 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
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
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday, 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
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