Severe in‐cloud icing near Luton Airport, 11 May 2022 – forecasting perspectives and operational decision aids

Abstract Instances of severe in‐cloud icing appear to be rare over the UK, with few documented cases and relatively few reports of icing, regardless of severity, noted annually. This paper discusses a case of severe in‐cloud icing reported ahead of a warm front near Luton Airport on the 11 May 2022, presenting an operational perspective which aims to highlight some of the forecasting challenges associated with this event and showcase some of the tools and techniques used by Met Office meteorologists. These include the potential usefulness of satellite‐derived and model‐based aircraft icing diagnostics in helping to forecast this complex weather hazard.