From pv magazine Global
Solar asset owners around the world are set to experience a wide range of conditions on Christmas Day, according to analysis using the Solcast API. While much of the Americas will see cloudier weather than normal for the season, particularly in the eastern United States
and parts of central Brazil, Europe’s solar outlook is split with high pressure over central regions bringing clearer skies to the Iberian Peninsula. Across Asia, cloud cover is expected for India and the Far East, while Australia’s northern and eastern regions are likely to enjoy abundant sunshine.
In the Americas, cloud cover will dominate much of the eastern United States on Christmas Day, with the potential for scattered snowfall in New England. South Florida, however, is set to remain mostly sunny, offering favorable conditions for solar generation. Further north, onshore Pacific flow will bring clouds and snow to British Columbia, while some snow is also forecast over the Rockies. South America’s solar prospects look brighter, and whilst there will be above typical cloud cover in central Brazil, the overall higher Southern Hemisphere summer-time irradiance will more than make up for the increased cloud cover.
Over Europe and Africa, a high-pressure system is forecast to sit over central Europe, shaping much of the weather for Christmas. This will bring sunny conditions to the Iberian Peninsula as a gentle Mediterranean airmass flows over the region. In contrast, northern Europe will experience cloudier skies as westerly flows bring Atlantic moisture onshore, though uncertainties in the forecast may mean that German solar dodges the cloud and sees above average generation. Meanwhile, a low-pressure system is forecast to develop in the eastern Mediterranean, potentially delivering snow across the Balkans.
Solcast produces these figures by tracking clouds and aerosols at 1-2km resolution globally, using satellite data and proprietary AI/ML algorithms. This data is used to drive irradiance models, enabling Solcast to calculate irradiance at high resolution, with typical bias of less than 2%, and also cloud-tracking forecasts. This data is used by more than 300 companies managing over 150GW of solar assets globally.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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