QUOTE:
It is reminiscent of a sea breeze or sea air incursion, with the lowering of temperature and increase in dew point. Happens quite a bit at airfields that get coastal influences.
Absolutely correct. I was a forecaster at RAF Nicosia 1961-64. The sea breeze always arrived with a wallop, and met the [from memory] light NW'ly so that we had opposing wind directions from each end of the runway. Sometimes we had massive gusts and dust-devils. Open doors would slam, and the temperature change suddenly.
Very difficult to predict with the state of the art then, even though I did a lot of research including blagging time as observer in Army AC choppers [Scout?].
As for predicting the timing, no day was the same as another. Wind-shear? hardly taught or understood.
If, as I believe, the local Met staff are taught by UK Met Office, they will be in a much better case than in my day.
Congrats to all involved on the ground, and the cabin crew. Jury out on the pilots, but I am glad all worked out.