DETAILED FORECAST CHARTS FOR HEADINGLEY
The following charts show detailed forecast information plotted in 20 minute segments for the next 3-days. Weather elements within these charts have been specifically chosen as they provide particular relevance to horse racing. Of particular note is the horse race track grass surface temperature, the sub soil temperature and the daily evapotranspiration figure. We are currently producing these charts for all horse racing tracks in the UK and Ireland. By request we can add this service for horse racing tracks anywhere in the world. Please email requests for these charts or any comments that you have to info@weather2.co.uk.
Cloud Cover
The chart below shows detailed 20 minute interval forecast cloud cover. Cloud cover is shown as a shaded blue/grey area. As the cloud cover increase this area extends upwards and darkens.
Precipitation
The chart below shows precipitation accumulation as bars and at a rate of fall per hour at 20 minute intervals. These bars change colour, blue if the precipitation is expected to be snow and green if it is rain or sleet. Please note if a bar on the chart is blue, indicating snow, then the rate on the left hand axis should be read as centimetres/hr to provide an estimate of the amount of accumulated snow should it lie on the ground.
Temperature
The chart below shows detailed temperature information with values at 20 minute intervals. This data is of particular interest to the sport of horse racing. The green line with dashes indicates the expected un-shaded grass surface temperature. The blue line indicates the expected air temperature in a shaded well ventilated spot. The purple line indicates the expected temperature of the race track sub soil at a depth of 10cm. The red line indicates the expected dew point temperature in a shaded and well ventilated spot. Where the blue air temperature line on the chart meets or crosses the dew temperature line you can expect to see an increasing chance and amount of dew forming on the track.
Wind & Track Surface & Other
The chart below shows detailed wind speed information at 20 minute intervals. Indicated by the blue arrows is the anticipated wind direction. Also on this chart are a range of race track surface and other indicators shown as horizontal bars including: Blue bars indicate ice is likely on the surface of the track. Green bars indicate the track may be damp or wet. Black bars indicate the track is drying out. Yellow bars indicate that fog is possible with visibility less than 1000 metres. Red bars indicate that thunderstorms are possible.
Evapotranspiration
The chart below shows a bar chart indicating a daily evapotransiration figure for 3 days ahead. It has been specifically developed to account for the transpiration levels of grass. The term evapotranspiration describes the movement of water from the Earth’s land surface into the atmosphere. The term evaporation cover the removal of water from soil, waterbodies, canopy etc, while transpiration covers the movement of water within plants and loss of water vapour through stomata in plant leaves. Evapotranspiration is therefore the sum accumulated loss of water from evaporation and plant transpiration.