Live forecasts update automatically; written guidance last reviewed 20 June 2026 by the Southampton Wire weather desk. Data from national met services via Open-Meteo.
If you are tracking the latest GFS charts for Southampton and the south coast, expect a changeable few days with a low-pressure system drifting in from the Atlantic, bringing patchy rain and brisk south-westerly winds by midweek.
What do the latest GFS charts show for our region?
The Global Forecast System (GFS) model, often referred to as netweather gfs by forecast enthusiasts, currently indicates a weak ridge of high pressure building across southern England on Tuesday, giving a dry but cloudy morning around Southampton Water. By Wednesday, however, the GFS charts UK-wide show a deepening Atlantic low tracking towards Ireland, which will push a band of rain across Hampshire by late afternoon. Temperatures will hover near 11°C, with winds gusting to 30mph along the Solent.
How reliable are the GFS ensembles this week?
The GFS ensembles, which run multiple simulations to gauge uncertainty, suggest a split in outcomes from Thursday onward. Some members keep the rain band further north, leaving Southampton drier, while others bring a more persistent wet spell. For now, the ECMWF charts align more closely with the wetter ensemble, so it is wise to expect some showers through Friday, especially inland towards the New Forest.
What is the difference between GFS charts and ECMWF charts?
GFS charts come from the US National Weather Service and cover the entire globe at a coarser resolution, updated four times daily. ECMWF charts are European, often considered more accurate for medium-range forecasts, but both are useful for tracking larger weather patterns affecting the UK.
Where can I view free GFS charts for Europe?
Many sites, including netweather gfs and weather.us, offer free GFS charts for Europe and the UK. The Met Office also provides a surface pressure chart viewer, though it uses its own model. For raw GFS data, the US National Weather Service website is the primary source.
How often are GFS charts updated?
The GFS model runs four times a day, at 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z UTC. Each run produces forecasts out to 16 days, though reliability drops significantly after day 7. For Southampton, the 12Z run is often most useful for evening planning.
Sources
For a broader look at conditions across the country, visit our UK weather hub or check the 10 Day Weather Forecast UK. If you are further inland, our Bristol Weather page may also be useful for comparing conditions across the south-west.