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In a new weekly update for pv magazine , Solcast, a DNV company, reports that while much of the Americas will see cloudier than normal weather for the season, particularly in the eastern United States and parts of central Brazil, Europe’s solar picture is divided, with high pressure over central regions bringing clearer skies to the Iberian Peninsula. In Asia, cloudiness is expected in India and the Far East, while northern and eastern regions of Australia will enjoy abundant sunshine.
Solar asset owners around the world will experience a wide variety of conditions on Christmas Day, according to an analysis using the Solcast API. While much of the Americas will see cloudier than normal weather for the season, particularly in the eastern United States and parts of central Brazil, Europe’s solar picture is split, with high pressure over central regions bringing clearer skies to the Iberian Peninsula. In Asia, cloudiness is expected in India and the Far East, while northern and eastern regions of Australia will enjoy abundant sunshine.In the Americas, cloud cover will dominate much of the eastern United States on Christmas Day, with a chance of scattered snow showers in New England. South Florida, however, will remain mostly sunny, offering favorable conditions for solar generation. Further north, Pacific onshore flow will bring clouds and snow to British Columbia, while some snow is also forecast for the Rocky Mountains. Solar prospects in South America look brighter, and while there will be above-average cloud cover in central Brazil, the increased summer irradiance from the Southern Hemisphere will more than offset the increased cloud cover.
In Europe and Africa, a high pressure system is forecast to move over central Europe, determining much of the weather for Christmas. This will bring sunny conditions to the Iberian Peninsula while a mild Mediterranean air mass flows over the region. In contrast, northern Europe will see cloudier skies as westerly flows bring Atlantic moisture ashore, although forecast uncertainty may see German solar dodge the clouds and generate above-average output. Elsewhere, a low pressure system is forecast to develop in the eastern Mediterranean, which could bring snowfall to the Balkans.
In Asia, Christmas Day is expected to be cloudier than usual in several key regions. A gentle easterly flow from the Bay of Bengal will increase cloud cover across much of India, reducing solar output potential. Far eastern Asia will also experience cloudier conditions as low pressure systems move eastwards. In Japan, Christmas Day will be sunnier than average, until low pressure systems are likely to bring snow to the west coast and mountain ranges on Boxing Day.
In Oceania, solar arrays in northern and eastern Australia will benefit from warm and sunny conditions, offering an ideal environment for Christmas air conditioning demands. The ocean monsoon will remain relatively mild, with slightly below-average sunshine in Malaysia and Indonesia, but not so much as to disrupt solar patterns in the region. |
