Articles | Volume 30, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-905-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-905-2026
Research article
 | 
17 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 17 Feb 2026

UK Hydrological Outlook using Historic Weather Analogues

Wilson Chan, Katie A. Facer-Childs, Maliko Tanguy, Eugene Magee, Burak Bulut, Nicky Stringer, Jeff Knight, and Jamie Hannaford

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Cited articles

Akbarian, M., Saghafian, B., and Golian, S.: Monthly streamflow forecasting by machine learning methods using dynamic weather prediction model outputs over Iran, Journal of Hydrology, 620, 129480, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129480, 2023. 
Arsenault, R., Gatien, P., Renaud, B., Brissette, F., and Martel, J.-L.: A comparative analysis of 9 multi-model averaging approaches in hydrological continuous streamflow simulation, Journal of Hydrology, 529, 754–767, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.09.001, 2015. 
Baker, L. H., Shaffrey, L. C., Sutton, R. T., Weisheimer, A., and Scaife, A. A.: An Intercomparison of Skill and Overconfidence/Underconfidence of the Wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation in Multimodel Seasonal Forecasts, Geophysical Research Letters, 45, 7808–7817, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL078838, 2018. 
Baker, L. H., Shaffrey, L. C., Johnson, S. J., and Weisheimer, A.: Understanding the Intermittency of the Wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation and East Atlantic Pattern Seasonal Forecast Skill in the Copernicus C3S Multi-Model Ensemble, Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL108472, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108472, 2024. 
Baker, S. A., Rajagopalan, B., and Wood, A. W.: Enhancing Ensemble Seasonal Streamflow Forecasts in the Upper Colorado River Basin Using Multi-Model Climate Forecasts, J. American Water Resour. Assoc., 57, 906–922, https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12960, 2021. 
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Short summary
The UK Hydrological Outlook river flow forecasting system recently implemented the Historic Weather Analogues method. The method improves winter river flow forecast skill across the UK, especially in upland, fast-responding catchments with low catchment storage. Forecast skill is highest in winter due to accurate prediction of atmospheric circulation patterns like the North Atlantic Oscillation. The Ensemble Streamflow prediction method remains a robust benchmark, especially for other seasons.
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