The weather of the English Channel and South East Coast of England, like that of other localities in the British Islands, is well known to be variable and subject to rapid changes which take place sometimes with little or no warning. These changes are in places complicated by such factors as the general contour of the cliffs, an abrupt fall of the land towards the south, and the effects of evaporation taking place continuously over the channel, and giving such a well defined local character to changes of wind as to mask temporarily the indications of an approaching disturbance.

Much, however, can be ascertained by the study of the local cloud formation, wind structure, type of barometric curve, and temperature variation, and the following discussion of certain aspects of Channel meteorology is intended to explain the commoner variations of weather which occur in that area. The meteorological peculiarities of the Channel may be conveniently studied under the six separate headings of atmospheric depressions (primary and secondary), winds, mist and fog, thunderstorms, squalls and gales.