Weather in the general media (Newspaper features etc)

[Summer Sun]

We need more rain': Water company warns of another drought if we do not have a wet winter

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2180915/We-need-rain-Water-company-warns-drought-wet-winter.html

[Summer Sun]

FLASH FLOODS WARNING AS SUMMER BOWS OUT THE WAY IT STORMED IN

TORRENTIAL downpours will sweep Britain by the end of the week, dumping almost two months’ worth of rain.

The country could be due for a repeat in August of the ­devastating flash-floods which caused chaos earlier this summer, forecasters warned.

And parts of the country will be battered by fierce winds as gusts reach gale force in some coastal regions.

Despite the recent hot spell, saturated ground has not recovered from the last deluge, and is primed to flood during severe spells of rain.

The Environment Agency has issued three flood alerts for the South-west, one of the worst-hit areas during last month’s floods.

Up to five inches of rain – almost two months’ worth – is expected to fall by the end of the week in some areas, with a washout month on the cards.

Last month was officially the wettest June on record with inches of rain falling in hours, turning roads into rivers and flooding homes.

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said: “We have the same problem of slow-moving rainfall.

“Very heavy rainfall is expected to set in from Tuesday and once again there is the risk of potentially serious flash flooding. Three to five inches of rain would not be impossible, and as it is slow moving it means a lot of rain will fall over small areas bringing the risk of ­flooding.

“Ground water levels have not recovered from the last time, and so it is not going to take much to push them over again. We are also expecting 50mph gusts in parts.â€

He warned the rain could set in until the end of August bringing a soggy finish to the washout summer.

The showery theme is probably continuing through the weekend too.†James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, warned the UK should brace for thunderstorms which could bring the risk of “weighty hail showersâ€.

He too said the grim picture is likely to remain for a while.

“As we head into Wednesday and the start to the final month of the meteorological summer, the picture looks set to remain fairly unsettled,†he added.

http://www.express.c...-it-stormed-in-

MORE FLOODS COMING SOON

http://www.dailystar...ds-coming-soon/

Edited July 31, 2012 by Summer Sun

[Methuselah]

Don't laugh?

http://www.weatheraction.com/displayarticle.asp?a=478&c=5

[Village]

Well, what do you expect from the Daily Mail? Something sensible?

Didnt you know Rio doesnt have winters, its in the tropics.....so whats wrong with the Daily Mail statement

[Summer Sun]

OH NOT AGAIN... MORE FLOODS AND GALES TO BATTER BRITAIN

BRITAIN is preparing for a weekend of torrential rain, gales and floods.

Persistent and heavy downpours from today could dump two months of rain by Sunday night, say forecasters.

Parts of the country could be in for a repeat of the devastating floods which caused chaos earlier this summer and galeforce winds threaten gusts of up to 60mph.

It is all in stark contrast to a week ago when Britons flocked to the beaches to soak up sunshine and enjoy temperatures in the 80s.

The rest of August is likely to be cooler than average with no end in sight to the wet weather and grey skies.

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, said:

“Parts of the country could see three to five inches of rainfall, and as it will be slow moving that raises the risk of flash flooding.

“We are going to see some pretty strong winds, with gusts of 60mph not impossible in some coastal areas. It is expected to get worse over Friday and Saturday.â€

http://www.express.c...-batter-Britain

[Summer Sun]

90F! A BURST OF SUMMER AT LAST.

A BURST of scorching summer sun will see temperatures soar to 90F this week.

Much of the country will sizzle as a surge of hot air floods in from Spain and France. By Wednesday the mercury will hit 88F in the South.

In London, highs of 90F are possible by Thursday.

Forecaster Jonathan ­Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, last night said:

“We are expecting another of these dramatic and sudden heat spikes to hit again this week. By Wednesday temperatures are going to soar with widespread highs of 88F likely across the South, and we could breach the 90F mark this week.â€

The sunshine comes after a weekend that saw some areas lashed by downpours. Flash flooding left scores of homes underwater and roads impassable.

And sun-starved Britons should make the most of the blast of summer this week – as it is due to fizzle out by the weekend. Forecasters say it is likely to feel “extremely humid†due to high pressure allowing in moist air from the Atlantic.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/337830/90F-A-burst-of-summer-at-last

[Summer Sun]

Weather for the week ahead

Showery Start

Drier and warmer later

Lots of sunshine from wednesday highs of around 26c

http://www.bbc.co.uk...atures/19136338

Edited August 6, 2012 by Summer Sun

[Summer Sun]

GET YOUR SHADES ON FOR A BALMY WEEKEND

BRITAIN will bask in a glorious burst of summer from today with temperatures likely to soar to 86F, forecasters said last night.

Sun-worshippers can look forward to four days of blue skies and wall-to-wall scorching sunshine as the country enjoys another blast of fine weather.

The mercury is expected to rocket to 82F (28C) across the South with highs of 86F likely in parts.

The Met Office said last night that Britain could look forward to a few days of warm, dry weather which could last until the end of the weekend.

Forecaster Charlie Powell said: “High pressure will bring some dry weather and sunshine on Thursday, with Friday and Saturday looking similar.

“There is a bit more rain about on Sunday but overall we will keep the warm theme. In terms of the Olympic closing ceremony, there is the risk of a shower but we will have to wait a bit longer to be sure.â€

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, predicted four days of “glorious sunshine and blue skiesâ€. He said much of the South could enjoy temperatures in the 80s.

But forecasters at Netweather said the hot weather may trigger thunderstorms in the South-west which could spread to the North by Sunday.

Thousands of Britons are expected to make the most of the weather by dusting off their barbecues and heading into the garden.

According to Asda, people in Slough, Berkshire, have had the most barbecues this summer.

http://www.express.c...a-balmy-weekend

[Summer Sun]

WINTER FLOODS ALERT AFTER THE SOGGY SUMMER

PERSISTENT rain this winter could cause underground reservoirs to overflow triggering devastating floods, experts warned last night.

Some aquifers are already full, according to Environment Agency figures, with sustained winter rain likely to send them over the top, particularly in the south-east.

The warning comes as the UK endures one of the soggiest summers on record with June officially the wettest ever.

The Met Office last night warned of a return to the wet weather next week with the chance of “persistent rain†for some regions.

Britons will today lap up the last rays of sun after a week-long burst of summer brought glorious sunshine and blue skies.

EA hydro ecologist Mike Dunbar warned: “The risk has increased dramatically and we’re having to make sure all the flood defences are working properly and that culverts aren’t blocked. Anything that does get blocked is unblocked rapidly. The agency has whole teams of people who do that.â€

So first it was summer floods now we are onto Winter Floods

http://www.express.c...he-soggy-summer

[Slowpoke]

Winter floods? It's going to be a warm unsettled spell..

[Summer Sun]

Make the most of it! Crowds flock to beaches to bask in warm weather... with rain forecast for the week ahead

http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz23MDwzqT0

[Summer Sun]

BBC Weather's Alex Deakin takes a look at the rainy prospects for the week ahead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...atures/19246534

[Summer Sun]

FLOOD ALERT AS 70MPH GALES ROAR IN

BRITAIN is on flood alert today with torrential rain and severe gales set to batter much of the country.

Gusts of up to 70mph are expected to lash coastal regions while up to a month’s worth of rain could trigger flash floods.

The Met Office has severe weatherwarnings in place for the South and West for today.

The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for the South-west and warned of surface water on roads and flooding rivers across parts of the North-west, Midlands and Wales

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/339832/Flood-alert-as-70mph-gales-roar-in

[Slowpoke]

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/roads-shut-as-floods-hit-fylde-1-4835834

This is after the massive downpour that occured from like 1530-1550 today...

[Essan]

So first it was summer floods now we are onto Winter Floods

http://www.express.c...he-soggy-summer

Well yes, according to Nathan Rao - the world's leading expert on making up weather stories

[Summer Sun]

FORGET THE STORMS, BRITAIN TO SWELTER FROM FREAKY FRIDAY

A SCORCHING sub-tropical blast from the Continent will send temperatures soaring by the weekend, forecasters said last night.

Britain will swelter in “intense, searing heat†and extreme humidity as a freak surge of hot air blows in from Spain and France tomorrow.

Experts said temperatures will rocket to 93F (34C) but it will feel like 104F across the South by Saturday.

The record UK high temperature of 101.3F was set in Brogdale, near Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

Although the North will be cooler, the mercury could hit the mid-70s across the region with the scorching weather likely to last into next week.

Jim Dale, of British Weather Services, said the UK was braced to be hit by a “mini Spanish plumeâ€

“Because of the humidity, in the sunshine it could feel as hot as 104F. It is going to be incredibly hot.â€

Netweather said humidity could make temperatures feel as high as 102F by Sunday.

Spokesman Ian Michaelwaite said: “It is going to be incredibly humid and we are expecting extreme temperatures. It’s going to be a very sticky weekend.â€

http://www.express.c...m-freaky-Friday

Edited August 16, 2012 by Summer Sun

[knocker]

Weather Eye: a medieval cold snap

Paul Simons

Published at 12:01AM, August 16 2012

A recent archaeological dig in London uncovered the skeletons of 10,000 who died during the unendurably cold winter of 1258

This summer’s weather might have been depressing, but the summer and autumn of 1258 was far worse. That year was thoroughly wet and cold, leading to floods and a poor harvest. Famine in the countryside drove thousands of villagers into London, where many of them perished from hunger. The scale of the disaster was revealed by a recent archaeological dig that uncovered a mass burial pit in Spitalfields market, containing more than 10,000 skeletons — about a third of the population of London at the time. It had been thought the bones dated from the Plague of the mid-1300s, but radiocarbon dating has showed that they were from a century earlier. The medieval English monk and chronicler Matthew Paris wrote that “the north wind blew without intermission, a continued frost prevailed, accompanied by snow and such unendurable cold, that it bound up the face of the earth, sorely afflicted the poor, suspended all cultivation, and killed the young of the cattle to such an extent that it seemed as if a general plague was raging amongst the sheep and lambs. An awful and intolerable pestilence attacked the people, especially those of the lower orders, and spread death among them in a most lamentable degree.â€

The cold and rain afflicted much of Europe and led to widespread famine and disease. It may be no coincidence that these troubled times saw the rise across Europe of self-flagellation, a fanatical religious movement that began in 1260.

The cause of this weather is now known to have been a huge volcanic eruption somewhere in the tropics, the exact location of which remains unknown. Ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica have revealed huge amounts of volcanic sulphur from this time — eight times more than was spewed out by Krakatoa in 1883 — in possibly the world’s largest volcanic eruption for more than a thousand years. A fog of sulphurous gases and dust from the eruption swept across the globe and blocked out sunlight, cooling the world’s climate and sending weather patterns into turmoil.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/weather/article3508840.ece

[knocker]

If it's of any interest more on the volcanic eruption.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/341497/title/13th_century_volcano_mystery_may_be_solved

[nodrog]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-19280220

TORNADO IN BOLTON... near me! Cool, glad everyone okay! 8-)

[NL]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...hester-19280220

TORNADO IN BOLTON... near me! Cool, glad everyone okay! 8-)

It wasn't a tornado but strong straight line winds from a squall line that passed through many counties yesterday.

'Quote'

A spokeswoman for the Met Office said there had been no reports of tornadoes in Bolton, but that the area had been hit by a "squall line" on Wednesday afternoon.

"It can create similar conditions to a tornado, as intense rain combines with extremely strong gusts of wind," she said.

Edited August 16, 2012 by NL

[Summer Sun]

NOW BRITAIN WILL ROAST FOR A WEEK

A SCORCHING week of summer sunshine will see Britain roast in the hottest temperatures of the year so far, forecasters said last night.

A blast of blisteringly hot air from the Continent will send the mercury soaring into the mid-90s today with it set to turn even hotter from tomorrow.

The weekend heatwave will bring highs of 95F (35C) with high humidity making it feel closer to 100F.

It could even smash the UK record of 101.3F set in Brogdale, near Faversham, Kent, in 2003.

Though the South will suffer two days of “almost debilitating†heat, the North will be cooler, though still warmer than recently.

Jim Dale, of British Weather Services, said the warm weather was likely to continue until the end of next week. “In the South-east it will probably be Wednesday before it starts to tail off a bit.

“We could well see the hottest temperatures of the summer so far.â€

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, warned: “We are going to see fierce, crippling heat on Saturday and Sunday.

“We are certainly looking at intense heatwave conditions. It will be incredibly humid with searing heat making it very uncomfortable, almost debilitating.

“Although it looks slightly cooler next week, the South-east will hold on to the heat and temperatures in the 70s and 80s all week are not impossible.â€

The Department of Health warned the elderly and those with long-term illnesses to keep indoor areas cool and drink plenty of cold water. Meanwhile in the South-west the Met Office last night issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain and floods today.

Forecaster Dan Williams said more than two inches of rain and 50mph winds could lead to flash flooding and travel disruption.

http://www.express.c...oast-for-a-week

Never mind the torrential rain... tomorrow could be the hottest day of the year: Temperatures set to soar to 88F across UK

Met Office forecasts heavy rain across much of the country today

But temperatures are set to rise again by Saturday and Sunday, with the sun expected to stay into next week

Sunday will also be hot, with temperatures reaching 29C (84F) in the south east and close to that elsewhere.

Early indications suggest the dry, warm weather will last into the early part of next week.

http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz23mYXF84T

[knocker]

Weather Eye: disappearing glaciers

Paul Simons

Published at 12:01AM, August 17 2012

In the depths of the Little Ice Age the Aletsch glacier was growing larger at an alarming rate but now it is in retreat

For centuries the villagers of Fiesch in Switzerland prayed for a massive glacier overlooking their village to retreat. In the depths of the Little Ice Age, three centuries ago, the Aletsch glacier looming high on a mountain above was growing larger at an alarming rate as the climate turned colder. The ice swallowed up fields of pasture, threatening the livelihoods of the local people and in 1678 the villagers were so desperate that they turned to the Catholic Church for help. They set about praying and making sacred vows to lead virtuous lives in exchange for safekeeping from the glacier. And ever since then a group of the villagers has made an annual pilgrimage to the glacier to pray.

But their prayers have been answered in ways that would have been inconceivable 300 years ago. In the 1860s the glacier began to go into retreat and now temperatures are rising so fast that the ice is retreating at a great pace, by about 23m (75ft) a year. Not only is there the risk of floods from melting ice, but rockfalls are a growing menace, and the dwindling ice is putting a strain on water supplies for drinking, farmland and hydroelectric power generators. The glacier is a Unesco-designated site and a key source of Europe’s fresh water, as well as an important tourist attraction.

Faced with potential disaster, the parish council and local bishop petitioned the Vatican to allow a change in the prayer, for the glacier to grow larger again. The Holy See agreed, and this summer the pilgrims began their new prayer for the glacier to stop its retreat.

Other Swiss glaciers are also shrinking, on average by 10m (33ft) a year. This has even forced the Swiss and Italian authorities to renegotiate their frontier, which has been fixed since 1861, when Italy became a unified state. Much of the mountainous border is defined as the highest point on a particular glacier, or the spot at which water would flow to one side or another. The glaciers, permanent snow cover and permafrost straddling the border have been shrinking steadily, and especially over the past five years.

http://www.thetimes....icle3510193.ece

Edited August 17, 2012 by knocker

[Summer Sun]

HAPPY SUN-DAY

BRITAIN will put the Caribbean in the shade today with temperatures expected to soar above 91F (33C), writes James Fielding.

It would be the warmest August day for nearly 10 years since 2003’s all-time UK record of 101.3F (38.5C) at Brogdale, Kent.

Thousands packed beaches and seaside resorts yesterday as the temperature reached 88F (31C). In what is likely to be the busiest weekend of the year, 200,000 people thronged Brighton beach with another 200,000 expected today, while Blackpool and Bournemouth beaches welcomed more than 100,000 visitors each.

Brother and sister Roan and Genevieve Strange, pictured above, had fun in the sun at Great Yarmouth.

Shoppers spent millions of pounds on barbecue food and icy treats like music fan Holly Billson, left, trying to stay cool at Chelmsford’s V Festival.

Tesco expect to sell 5.2 million ice lollies, 500,000 tubs of ice cream, 650,000 burgers and 350,000 sausages this weekend. Enjoy it while it lasts.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/340623/Happy-Sun-day

[Slowpoke]

The weekend heatwave will bring highs of 95F (35C) with high humidity making it feel closer to 100F.

It could even smash the UK record of 101.3F set in Brogdale, near Faversham, Kent, in 2003.

Wtf

[Methuselah]

Wtf

To be fair to SS, it was the Daily Express that said that...And we all know what that means!