Dr Ned Williams
@nedcwilliams.bsky.social
220 followers 190 following 22 posts
Scientist at UK Met Office, interested in climate variability, prediction and predictability. Previously at the University of Exeter and MPI-M. When not working, hopefully outdoors. He/him
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nedcwilliams.bsky.social
It doesn't help that most undergraduate physics courses in the UK treat classical physics as an aside. By my third year the entirety of mandatory lecture/exam modules were quantum/particle/cosmology focused and I first learnt fluid dynamics from an optional module in the maths department.
helenczerski.bsky.social
And far too often we still think physics is just quantum mechanics and cosmology - far away mysterious things that don't relate to our everyday life. That's nonsense. Why it is tiring to walk slowly, what limits the height of a tree, why do baby ducks swim in a tight line? Physics will tell you!
helenczerski.bsky.social
It's incredibly disappointing to hear that a quarter of UK schools don't have a specialist physics teacher. It's essential that we can all see the basics of how the world works & it's fun to satisfy that very basic curiosity. Physics gives us all agency in a complex world.
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Compared to the excess CO2 emitted by encouraging driving in urban areas by giving them right of way over pedestrians? Pretty much zero.
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
It was great to give an overview of my research so far at the RMetS Early Career conference earlier today! And great to hear about the variety of other research from early career scientists in the field.
jenstoutwx.bsky.social
Congratulations to @nedcwilliams.bsky.social for his excellent Malcolm Walker Award winning lecture at the #RMetSearlycareers conference final talk!

We had a queue outside the door to see him, and the overflow delegates were watching live from another theatre. #RMetS @rmets.org @metoffice.gov.uk
Ned Williams presents in front of a lecture theatre audience. The slide title reads "Role of the ocean for long range prediction of atmospheric circulation" alongside a picture of global weather and the Met Office logo.
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
dougmcneall.bsky.social
THE RISE OF MACHINE LEARNING IN CLIMATE MODELLING Very pleased to report the first published output from the @metoffice.bsky.social new team Data Driven Climate Modelling team. A short commentary from my esteemed colleague George Jordan rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
The rise of machine learning in climate modelling
Click on the article title to read more.
rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
ukceh.bsky.social
💧Latest Hydrological Summary shows:
-Below-average March rainfall in all areas of UK after dry winter
-Many rivers in N & W have exceptionally low flows
-Record low March groundwater levels in N Ireland, Scotland, Wales

🔎https://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-04/HS_202503.pdf
Maps illustrating the Hydrological Summary for March 2025.
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
simonleewx.com
"Why are you so bent out of shape, polar vortex?"

Beautiful view via earth.nullschool.net (using NOAA's free GFS model data) of the current stratospheric warming event – likely to be the final stratospheric warming (FSW) – featuring one of the largest stratospheric wave-1 disturbances on record.
A view of the Northern Hemisphere winds at 10 hPa, with the cyclonic polar vortex shrunken and displaced to over Fennoscandia, and a large anticyclone dominating most of the Arctic
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Thanks! Essentially - although I'm getting the ferry from the Netherlands (near Rotterdam) to the UK (Essex)! The Eurostar essentially doesn't allow non-folded bikes, plus it's a 1.5 day trip and the overnight ferry with a cabin is more economic than a hotel somewhere :)
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Yesterday was my last day at MPI-M, this morning I left Hamburg. It has been a great experience to live and work abroad and there's a lot I'll miss, but I'm also looking forward to what's next!
Bicycle with loaded panniers and a large backpack rested on it. On a train platform. Looking down the Elbe from Landungsbrücken towards the Elbphilharmonie. Scattered clouds.
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
zacklabe.com
I really cannot believe my childhood career dream might end like this. Feeling so small and lost.
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
coweatherman.bsky.social
FYI - power is out at the David Skaggs Research Center today, which is where GSL, PSL, and NWS Boulder are located.
Planned power outage ad David Skaggs Research Center February 5
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
A data availability statement I wrote yesterday is no longer valid...
richardabetts.bsky.social
Although NOAA's page on atmospheric CO2 levels has vanished, you can still get this vital information from Ralph Keeling's team at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego keelingcurve.ucsd.edu

Please follow bsky.app/profile/keel... for updates and share

Don't let science be hidden
A graph of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at the Mauna Loa observatory, Hawaii, from 1958 to 4th February 2025. It shows carbon dioxide levels rising at an accelerating rate over the decades. This is known to be due to emissions of carbon dioxide from human activity, mainly fossil fuel burning but also deforestation. The first CO2 concentration value in March 1958 was 315 parts per million (ppm). The latest daily value is 426 ppm. The graph also shows a seasonal cycle of a few ppm within each year, which is known to be linked to the growing season in the northern hemisphere causing a temporary uptake of carbon in spring and summer and release in autumn. The graph is produced routinely by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
simonleewx.com
What better way to spend three days in July than by coming to Manchester for this year's @rmets.org Annual Weather and Climate Conference? 😁

Please consider submitting an abstract – deadline 14 February.

We look forward to seeing you there! More details: www.rmets.org/annualconfer...
RMetS Annual Weather and Climate Conference 2025 banner
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Visited Sylt at the very northern end of Germany yesterday. Only accessible from mainland Germany by train, with lots of unique landscapes and nice to see the sea!
Sandy meandering path towards the top of a heath-covered sand dune. Grey sky View down wooden stepped walkway towards thatched house and sand dunes Sandy beach, looking along it with sea in background on the right
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Excited to say that I'll be starting a Scientist role in the Monthly-to-Decadal team at the Met Office in March! I will miss Hamburg and it's been a great experience to live and work in Germany, but I'm also looking forward to being back in Exeter/Devon.
Long exposure picture of Met Office HQ, Exeter at night/twilight. Road in foreground, greenery and path towards glass-plate building behind.
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
I worry that the concept of geoengineering is increasingly going to enter public discussion, not through climate scientists who want to make the nuances and ethics clear, but through the large audience tech sector who want to be seen as having solutions.
LinkedIn post from Andrew Ng: 

"Just released: New AI Climate Simulator that you can play with. Visualize how geoengineering can slow global warming.

There is no longer any path to limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (Paris Agreement), unless we use geoengineering. Reflecting 1% of sunlight away from earth would lead to an extra ~1 degree of cooling.

Our simulator lets you explore how geoengineering via Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) gives us new paths to keep warming to 1.5 degrees. I think SAI is a promising technology worth serious exploration. Check out the simulator here: planetparasol.ai"
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
Built Hamburg's highest* snowman earlier.

*in terms of altitude
Pyramid shaped rock in snow, snow covered trees in background View broadly above the same rock, with small snowman built on top
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
I think this issue is what leads to AI forecasts being billed as a replacement for NWP in some circles, as it's seen as something more advanced and sophisticated, whereas I think it's better seen as something that will supplement NWP for forecasting.
nedcwilliams.bsky.social
At some point the NWP world has to address that 'we run a statistical model based on what happened in the past to estimate the future' became the futuristic tech-y solution instead of 'we use the world's most powerful computers to represent the earth based on physics and then run it forward in time'
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
guyshrubsole.bsky.social
Dartmoor visitor centre to close as National Park Authority cannot afford to renew lease from Duchy

National Parks are facing 12% budget cuts - not a great way for Labour to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their creation

& why is Duchy charging at all?

www.tavistock-today.co.uk/news/nationa...
Princetown national park visitor centre to close
THE POPULAR Dartmoor National Park visitor centre in Princetown is due to close after a funding injection ends in March causing concern the economy of the village will be affected.
www.tavistock-today.co.uk
Reposted by Dr Ned Williams
aspect-project.bsky.social
ASPECT project is now on Bluesky!!

Join our network to keep in touch with the latest project news!

@aspect-project.bsky.social