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Michael Sleigh

@msleigh.io
914 followers 1.7K following 110 posts

Head of Integrated Forecast Systems at ECMWF. Ex-physicist (previously Group Leader for Computational Physics at AWE). Interested in HPC, software, scientific computing, classical guitar, music

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Will the government be announcing its new National Centre for Information Defence on X or
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I believe we should be making more of a fuss about this, guys. Our objections only gets traction if we make politicians very visibly aware of them. Email your MP! Write a letter!
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Sian Berry MP @sianberry.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Watch the excellent John Humphrys talking to me as part of his documentary ‘The Royals: Time to Go?’ on Channel 4 at 9 tonight!
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Emma Yeomans @yeomans.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Worrying scenes in the Channel today, for all interested in asylum policy and maritime tactics. A small boat from Normandy spent more than 30 hours at sea. Those on board now on their 2nd rescue vessel as Border Force forced to play cat and mouse with far-right activists who have their own boat.
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 22/09/2026
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas slashes dinghy with blade while rescue worker onboard
theguardian.com
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas slashes dinghy with blade while rescue worker onboard
Thomas called followers to disrupt arrival of asylum seekers in Gosport, but Border Force instead transported them to Dover Charities have condemned footage of far-right activist Daniel Thomas using a blade to slash an inflatable dinghy in the Channel while a rescue worker was onboard, in a further escalation of organised anti-immigration protest. Hundreds of protesters gathered in the early evening at Gosport in Hampshire, aiming to disrupt the planned disembarkation of asylum seekers, but the Border Force vessels carrying them landed instead in Dover. Continue reading...
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 21/09/2026
Users of ECMWF data now have the option of signing up for direct delivery of the ERA5T reanalysis data via ECMWF's Product Requirements Catalogue. ERA5T is an initial release version of ERA5, issued every day, 5 days behind real time. Read more ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 20/09/2026
Garlic chives are earning their place
A clump of long, narrow green leaves topped by tall stems bearing rounded clusters of small white, star-shaped flowers and unopened buds, growing in a densely planted garden border.
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Emma Yeomans @yeomans.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The RNLI has said the abuse of volunteers in Portsmouth has forced it to close the lifeboat station there and stop operating since September 10. Nearby stations have been providing cover to the area instead. One of the UK's largest coastal cities without a lifeboat because of the far-right.
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Matt Henderson @matthen.com · 16/09/2026
Trying to forecast the future on a Galton board
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Matt Henderson @matthen.com · 14/09/2026
chaos from bouncing a ball in a circle- at each point, I simulate a bunch of futures with slightly different velocities- showing how predictable the system would be with measurement error. The system seems to move between Stable Eras and Chaotic Eras, where it is hard to predict four bounces ahead
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Oh blimey, here we go again. Time to vote in the National Trust AGM to keep so-called 'Restore Trust' off the council. Use the quick vote to ensure we don't split the anti-Restore vote. Or.... 1/2 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
nationaltrust.org.uk
Annual General Meeting
Your Annual General Meeting will take place online and in person on Saturday 7th November 2026 at the STEAM Museum, Swindon.
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Kelton Halbert @stormscale.io · 11/09/2026
I’ve been trying to formulate opinions about this for a while. I still don’t know how to communicate what I am experiencing, thinking, & feeling. Lot’s of nuance. The truth is LLM coding tools are too efficient & effective to be ignored anymore. Yes they’re flawed, but so is human intelligence.
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Alan Rusbridger @arusbridger.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
A truly biblical hailstorm brought an abrupt end to our holiday outside Zurich yesterday. I wonder if the climate is changing ?
Windscreen shattered in multiple places by giant hail
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
University of Reading @uniofreading.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
A break in the clouds helped make D-Day possible. Ahead of the release of new film Pressure, University of Reading's Prof Ed Hawkins and ECMWF reconstructed the weather conditions of 6 June 1944, showing how a few hours either way could have changed history. Read more: rdg.ac/4hT1fQh
Satellite image showing Earth's cloud cover on June 6, 1944, representing weather conditions during D-Day, created 82 years later. The University of Reading logo is in the bottom right corner.Satellite image showing Earth's cloud cover on June 6, 1944, representing weather conditions during D-Day, created 82 years later. Weather observation imaging of cloud cover with a quote from climate scientist Professor Ed Hawkins which reads:

"Images like this help us understand what troops, sailors and pilots actually faced that day, in a way written reports alone cannot."
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Alison Tomlin @alisontomlin.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
In case you're wondering about the best way to spend your evening.
The guitar chords for Jolene. Am C G Am G Am.
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William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 25/08/2026
[Exit Queen.]
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
'Lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is full which will take place in the early hours of 28 August. It may cause the full Moon - nicknamed the Sturgeon Moon - to take on an eerie reddish glow.'
bbc.co.uk
Blood Moon partial lunar eclipse: How and when to see it in UK skies
There will be a partial lunar eclipse in the UK on 28 August, and may cause the Moon appear reddish in colour.
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 23/08/2026
Combe Gibbet
A tall wooden gibbet stands silhouetted on a grassy ridge against a bright blue sky, with scattered white clouds behind it.
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Brian Bilston @brianbilston.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I’m off to Edinburgh today ahead of my seven shows at this year’s Fringe. As ever, my train ‘journey’ has got off to a spectacular start.
The Poet Now Standing at Platform 3A
 
The poet now standing at platform 3A
is the delayed 16.40 speaker for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 
calling at: Longwaite; Anguish; Bleakside;
Much Wallowing-in-the-Mire; Little Hope; 
Hangdog Manor; High Dudgeon; Irk; Fuckham; Mope; 
Doldrum Parkway; Wearyside Central; and Wits End.
                                                 
We are sorry to announce this poet is delayed 
by approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. 
Please listen for further announcements.
We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.
 
The poet now standing at platform 3A
is the delayed 16.40 speaker for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Please note, this poet will now NOT be stopping at:
Great Ease; Serenity Junction; or Arrival-on-Time.




This poet has been delayed by approximately one hour 
and forty-eight minutes.
Customers are advised to stand well back from the poet, 
who’s on edge.
Please listen for further announcements.
We apologise for the disruption to your journey today.
 
The poet currently standing at platform 3A
is the delayed 16.40 speaker for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
This poet consists of nine elements: 
oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, tedium, delirium, 
odium, caffeine, shortbread, and despair.

A trolley service, featuring mild palpitations and a selection
of hot and cold sweats, is trundling through this poet.
This poet has been delayed by approximately two hours 
and twenty-three minutes.

Please listen for further disruptions.
We apologise for the announcements to your journey today.
There has been a platform altercation.
The agony at platform 3A does not stop here.
The 16.40 speaker for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 
has been disrupted.
Customers should not bore the poet at this time.
 
The platform now standing on poet 3A has been delayed
by approximately three hours and forty-two minutes.
We apologise for the apologies to your disruptions today.

If you hear an announcement that doesn’t sound right,
seek your stash. Or text a local dealer on 61016 
to help you through this. 
He’ll sort it. Seek it. Pay it. Snorted.

Please note that for your safety and comfort 
this station operates a no trains policy.
 



The fringe now standing at festival 16.40 is the delayed 
3A platform for the Edinburgh poet.
We are sorry to announce that this poet has been waylaid
by approximately four hours and twenty-two minutes.
Will passengers intending to travel on this service
make their way to the platform as the poet is now ready to jump.
 
Please note that longings must not be left unattended 
at this station. Any hope left unattended 
may be removed without warning, or destroyed.
 
This is a customer announcement.
The 16.40 speaker for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 
has terminated here.
A bard replacement service will be in operation.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.


Brian Bilston
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Deb Chachra @debcha.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
This explainer out of Australia is genuinely useful background and analysis of what happened with the Canada-US trade deal last night. Note that it is extremely and delightfully sweary. Also there’s an appended glossary of Australian slang. ifloz.substack.com/p/king-carne...
ifloz.substack.com
KING CARNEY ACTIVATES KONG MODE WITH ZERO FUCKS
Carney Reads the Clock Like a Pro Wrestler
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Shropshire and Beyond @shropshirebeyond.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Rainbow over Shifnal this evening - couldn't resist sending up my drone 🙂 #Shropshire
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Prof Penny Endersby @pennyend.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti... I had an early brief on this and ordered a pallet of sandbags for my marginally flood-prone house. They’re easy to obtain in the middle of a drought! This is a good article by the BBC covering some of the global impacts to be expected from such a strong El Niño.
bbc.co.uk
El Niño set to be 'strongest in living memory', says Met Office
Scientists say the growing El Niño weather pattern is an "unprecedented event" and means 2027 is likely to be the world's hottest year on record.
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 21/08/2026
Calling all spreadsheet people! If you’re using agentic coding / LLMs /AI to help develop or maintain large-scale modelling code - in any field, not just weather and climate - we’d love to hear about it
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 20/08/2026
📢 2 weeks to go! Abstract submissions for our workshop on software strategies for sustainable physical modelling close 4 September. We’re looking for contributions on HPC, programming languages, ML, open-source software, testing and more. 📍 Reading | 23–27 Nov 2026 ➡️ events.ecmwf.int/event/529/
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Finn @thegoblinpoet.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
phrasing of this (great) news mildly disturbing London children's lungs growing if anything too fast. children outside the capital already caught. if the ULEZ is not stopped, by 2032 all of south east england will be lung.
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Prof. Tatiana Ilyina @tatianailyina.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Three positions in scientific programming at @mpimarinemicrobio.bsky.social focusing on ocean biogeochemistry, ocean physics, software engineering. 🌊 #sciencejobs
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Wayne Young @slartyb.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Finished my eclipse video. Yellow line is how much the Moon is covering the Sun (%), red line is the "in the sun" temperature, blue line is the shade temperature. Box at top right shows the view of the Sun through a telescope as the eclipse progressed. Times in Universal Time.
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 14/08/2026
From 14 to 18 September, our Annual Seminar will explore the evolution of Data Assimilation (DA) and you can follow live: 🛰️ Traditional DA powering operational forecasting 🤖 ML improving existing approaches 🚀 AI systems shaping the future Full programme ➡️ ecmwfevents.com/i/annual-sem...
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Getting very excited about the solar eclipse on Wednesday evening given the clear forecast. Find out when and how much coverage you’ll see here:
eclipsefan.org
EclipseFan – Interactive map of the Aug 12, 2026 total solar eclipse
Interactive map of the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse. Precise timings, path of totality, weather odds and viewing tips for any location.
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 04/08/2026
Introducing the IFS Assistant, a new AI tool to help users of ECMWF's Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). It is designed to help users find and understand information across the IFS codebase and documentation. Read more about the IFS Assistant ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 02/07/2026
ECMWF has released 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗸𝗶𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭.𝟬, marking a major milestone for its open-source Python software ecosystem, designed to simplify and accelerate weather and climate science workflows. More information ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...
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Armin Ronacher @mitsuhiko.at · 23/06/2026
Some more thoughts on looping in coding agents. lucumr.pocoo.org/2026/6/23/th...
lucumr.pocoo.org
The Coming Loop
Loops, harnesses, and why even loop skeptics may end up with them.
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ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 23/06/2026
AI/ML weather models have brought reanalysis back to the spotlight, highlighting their importance as the “memory” of the Earth system and helping us understand both the present and the future. But what exactly is reanalysis? Find out in our Science Blog ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...
ecmwf.int
Reanalysis: shedding light on the past, present and future of weather and climate prediction
Reanalysis reconstructs Earth’s past by combining observations and models, underpinning climate science and AI weather forecasting, with ERA5 widely used today and ERA6 set to deliver improved capabil...
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
Doug McNeall @dougmcneall.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Can I just give a shout out to the @ethz.ch researchers who initialised an AI weather model with a cat picture. 👏🐱
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Brian Phillips @brianphillips.lol · 26/05/2026
I'm working on a column about the tech annoyances that drive us crazy, and I want it to be as universal as possible, so tell me yours! E.g. scanning a QR code to read a menu, never receiving the one-time passcode they supposedly texted you, "verify you're human" by IDing tiny motorcycles, etc.
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Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Russia 'relentlessly targeting' critical infrastructure and democracy, GCHQ says www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Russia 'relentlessly targeting' critical infrastructure, democracy - GCHQ
The spy agency's head will set out threats facing the UK and the measures she believes need to be taken to confront them on Wednesday.
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 12/05/2026
A workshop we're running in November - and very much not just for the weather/climate crowd. If you work with large/complex scientific codebases anywhere (CFD, materials, plasma, astro...), and are thinking about software sustainability, please consider submitting an abstract. Deadline is 4 Sept.
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 12/05/2026
A workshop we're running in November - and very much not just for the weather/climate crowd. If you work with large/complex scientific codebases anywhere (CFD, materials, plasma, astro...), and are thinking about software sustainability, please consider submitting an abstract. Deadline is 4 Sept.
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Reposted by Michael Sleigh
ECMWF @ecmwf.int · 12/05/2026
📣 We are delighted to announce the keynote speakers for our workshop on software strategies for sustainable physical modelling: • David Simonin, Met Office • Yannick Tremolet, UCAR • Georgiana Mania, DKRZ • Philippe Marguinaud, Meteo France • Daan Degrauwe, RMI ➡️ events.ecmwf.int/event/529/
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Ross Floate @rossfloate.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Oh my. This is spectacular. sinceyouarrived.world/taken
sinceyouarrived.world
taken.
A web page that tells you what your browser gave away the moment you arrived. No login, no form, no permission. Most pages do this. None of them tell you.
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Maëlle Salmon @masalmon.eu · 23/04/2026
New post, featuring what I recently learnt about Git worktrees: masalmon.eu/2026/04/23/g...
masalmon.eu
Git worktrees are now cool · Maëlle's R Blog
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Emma Harding @emmaharding.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
“The definition of unmissable drama” (Radio Times) - Alan Bennett’s The Madness of George III with my dream cast incl. @elliotlevey.bsky.social Emma Fielding & Reece Shearsmith. What do you do when your leader has lost the plot? 3pm Sat 25 April @BBCRadio4 @BBCSounds www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 24/04/2026
Today, the Assisted Dying Bill will fall. The actions of a small group of unelected peers on this Bill have been deplorable. It’s a stain on our democracy and a slap in the face to hundreds of terminally ill people and their families, who were given hope when MPs voted in favour last year.
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Chris Short @chrisshort.net · 30/03/2026
Shell Tricks That Actually Make Life Easier (And Save Your Sanity) #devopsish
blog.hofstede.it
Shell Tricks That Actually Make Life Easier (And Save Your Sanity)
Watch someone backspace 40 characters instead of pressing CTRL+W, and you’ll understand why this list exists. A collection of shell tricks-grouped by what works everywhere and what’s Bash/Zsh-speci...
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
I know this has circulated with alacrity recently, so you may have already seen it, but if you haven't... WOW BOY HOWDY it's the most useful thing. Thank you cardcatalogforlife.substack.com -- this is a very very very helpful public service: cardcatalogforlife.substack.com/p/google-has...
cardcatalogforlife.substack.com
Google Has a Secret Reference Desk. Here's How to Use It.
40 Google features to find exactly what you need, the alternative search engines that do things Google won't, and the reference desk framework underneath all of it.
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
This is absolutely brilliant. Instigated by Gordon Brown, delivered today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
World's longest coastal path opens in England to the public
The King Charles coastal path will allow walkers right of access to the entire coast for the first time.
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Chris Baraniuk @chrisbaraniuk.com · 19/03/2026
Parts of this path have been in place for many, many years of course. Used to walk the area all the time when I lived in London as it was perfect day trip territory. There are areas around Hastings and Folkestone that are just glorious. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
World's longest coastal path opens in England to the public
The King Charles coastal path will allow walkers right of access to the entire coast for the first time.
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Alex Grove @photoalex.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
'Welcome to Bedminster' Bristol, UK . 🎞️ Delta400 📷 BronicaETRSI 🧪 DDX 📜 Ilford Multigrade . #Photography #FilmPhotography #IlfordPhoto #NightPhotography #Monochrome #Darkroom #Bristol
Black and white photograph taken at night of the empty Bedminster high street in Bristol, darkroom printed on resin coated paper.
A store front for 'Jacks Cash' is illuminated in the foreground, and a mural saying 'Welcome to Bedminster' is painted above a vape shop in the background.
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Michael Sleigh @msleigh.io · 14/03/2026
Not taking my eyes off this one for a second
Weathered medieval stone sculpture of an angel in flowing draped robes, with wings visible behind, displayed against a pillar
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evacide @evacide.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
In this golden age of surveillance, making E2EE chat normal and expected has been privacy's biggest win. I hate to see it getting rolled back. thehackernews.com/2026/03/meta...
thehackernews.com
Meta to Shut Down Instagram End-to-End Encrypted Chat Support Starting May 2026
Meta will end Instagram E2EE chats May 8, 2026, reversing a 2021 privacy test and reigniting debate over encrypted messaging oversight.
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