Cliff Mass Weather Blog
This blog discusses current weather, weather prediction, climate issues, and current events
May 31, 2026
The Real Story of the D-Day Weather Forecast
The anniversary of D-Day is coming this week, and a movie has just been released about the D-Day weather forecast (called Pressure).
The movie follows the plot of the play of the same name, describing how a weather forecaster (James Stagg) pushed to delay the landing due to a storm, was opposed by an egotistical American meteorologist, and that the German forecasters were wrong, leaving the German defenders unprepared.
New information from Allied and German archives and modern reconstructions of the weather during the landing period reveal that some of the "Pressure" story is not correct.
June 6, 1944
The landing in Normandy had several key environmental requirements.
A full moon was needed to provide sufficient illumination for gliders and parachute troops the prior evening. No low cloud base that would prevent close air support and accurate naval bombardment along the coast. Low tide conditions, so dangerous beach obstacles could be avoided. Furthermore, winds had to be light so that waves and swell would be minimal.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/05/31/the-real-story-of-the-d-day-weather-forecast/
