I don't want to give any "summer is over" posts on this forum even though this seems to how the latest model output is looking at the moment. Even with that though, I can't really complain about how the weather has been today. Earlier on today, I met up with a friend at the botanic gardens in Edinburgh, who was virtually convinced that it was probably going to be raining during that time based on what the forecast was like when that arrangement was made.

However, it was quite a number of days ago when this arrangement was made and as we all know, forecasts and model output tends to be more unreliable the further ahead that we look. Because of that, I knew that there was probably a chance that it wouldn't be raining, so I then explained that to my friend in as non-technical a manner as possible.

As it turned out, my perceptive that it might not rain turned out to be correct. This was a very interesting day out because without even looking for it, I managed to stumble across the very weather station that is situated there, which I use as one of my three local stations on this forum (and one of the two stations which report for on the monthly PW threads). This means that for the first time ever, I can now say that I have seen an actual official weather station and stood right beside it.

As I did so, the Sun shone for quite a large part of the time with the rain radar maps showing not a single bit of rain anywhere near here. That even allowed me to enjoy a meal outdoors at a restaurant which is situated within the gardens. On my way home, there was a bit of thunder and lightning in the distance which I then reported on the convective thread. However, the fact that the rain from that storm missed us meant that I had plenty of time to get home and still keep dry.

Later on, it eventually did rain but by that time, it didn't really matter as I was already back home and well indoors for the rest of the day by that time. The important thing here was the fact that the weather behaved itself during today at the most important time when that mattered the most when I wasn't really expected it to and so, this is a gloat from me rather than a moan.

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Credit where it’s due.

It has been a warm and pleasant weekend here with only a few splashes of rain. No complaints. 

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I agree, it's expectation. I've spent the summer so far in Wharfedale looking after poorly Mum. We've had what you would expect. Most days have been feeling warm with normal temperatures or above. We had 34 C in the Dale on hot Thursday! Yes we've had above normal rain but this has come as short intense downpours and cracking thunderstorms. Sunshine around normal. I've managed plenty of smaller walks around the Dales instead of my usual Lakes and Scotland hills. Evening's have been great for sitting out. No complaints from me!

Glad to see I’m not losing my mind. It’s been a perfectly decent summer in this part of the world, and as you say the rain has largely been from intense downpours - we had another thunderstorm yesterday evening! 

This week looks set to continue with the fine weather. Not going to get bogged down by what the weather might be like 10 days from now, just going to get out in the garden and make the most of it. 

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Glad to see I’m not losing my mind. It’s been a perfectly decent summer in this part of the world, and as you say the rain has largely been from intense downpours - we had another thunderstorm yesterday evening! 

This week looks set to continue with the fine weather. Not going to get bogged down by what the weather might be like 10 days from now, just going to get out in the garden and make the most of it. 

  Same here!  It’s been perfect summer weather!

We’ve missed out on most of the rain but what little we’ve had has been mostly at night, including our only storm on 24th July.  Hot Thursday was a bit too hot at 38.4c but was nice to experience.  Since the end of June it’s been weather for shorts with plenty of sunshine and temps rising early into the mid to high 20’s and staying warm in the evenings.  I’d take this every year!

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Manchester Summer Indices 

1954 143
1907 147
1956 155
1912 156
1924 158
2012 164
2008 168
1987 169
1946 170
1909 171
1931 173
1978 173
1980 173
1920 174
1923 174
2007 174
1927 175
1948 176
1938 177
1922 178
2011 179
1985 180
1958 184
1972 185
1916 188
1986 189
1965 189
2016 189
1910 190
1936 190
1988 191
2010 191
1966 192
1998 192
2017 192
1953 193
1963 194
1993 194
2009 194
1902 195
1915 196
1981 196
2019 196 (up to 5th August)
1928 197
1962 197
1964 197
2004 197
1952 198
2000 198 

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Credit where it’s due.

It has been a warm and pleasant weekend here with only a few splashes of rain. No complaints. 

 

Same here (and same yesterday - when I had a day off )

 

But it's like brief oases in a desert of low pressure-dominated showers and rain (no, actually that analogy really doesn't work)

It's the unsettled nature of it all. No chance of planning anything. The forecast 10, 7, 5 days out will be saying one thing consistently, then the day before the event you'd planned on the back of this, the forecast about-turns and it ends up raining most of the day.

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We have come out of the last few days quite well and seemed to have missed pretty much all the showers and storms. Still dry so far today too.  It's all very localised and just a few miles is the difference between a sunny, dry and warm day and heavy showers all day. The next couple of weeks look the same with a cooling trend after the weekend. Thursday is my birthday though and that looks OK so far 

I don't think I've ever known so many thunderstorms forecast as recently. Nothing has materialised directly above me but there's been quite a few forecast.

 

Looking at the Met Office maps, last August in your part of the world had average rainfall, average sunshine and above-average temperatures. And, if I recall, the first week of August was very warm to hot just about everywhere, with temperatures into the 30s down south - unless there’s a mysterious microclimate over your house.

If you were looking at things objectively then you’d be singing a different tune but unfortunately like many people on here you’re just seeing what you want to see. Or maybe your poor luck with choosing holiday dates is just skewing your opinion - especially if you’re holidaying in Devon which will always be more prone to Atlantic influences. Maybe you should go to Margate instead?  We had no rain on 15-18 August with temperatures in the low 20s so a camping trip to Yorkshire should have been in order. 😉

Anyway, today was on the cloudy side but at 25C it was very warm still. Tomorrow looks similar. Next week is cooler but still low 20s on the current forecast. Time will tell but those stupid GFS rainfall maps are absolutely rubbish and I’ll bet good money on them being wrong as they usually are.

I spent the first week of August in Yorkshire last year and to be fair it was reasonably decent, a couple of wet days but also plenty of sun. I was meant to be going back to the same place (Swaledale) last weekend for the same event, but we know what happened to that!

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Yet another mid 20s mostly sunny humid day here. Still awaiting Autumn. 

 

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We have come out of the last few days quite well and seemed to have missed pretty much all the showers and storms. Still dry so far today too.  It's all very localised and just a few miles is the difference between a sunny, dry and warm day and heavy showers all day. The next couple of weeks look the same with a cooling trend after the weekend. Thursday is my birthday though and that looks OK so far 

I don't think I've ever known so many thunderstorms forecast as recently. Nothing has materialised directly above me but there's been quite a few forecast.

Yes, that’s how it’s been here too.  Thunder storms heard but not seen several times as they seem to be skirting round us.  Same with the rain and even today it’s been sunny and dry but I drove through rain a few miles from home this afternoon. 

Happy birthday for Thursday!  That’s my daughter’s birthday too and she’s hoping to barbecue in the evening!  So let’s hope this weather keeps up. 

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Beatiful weather this week down here.

Another festival cancelled due to the weather: the Boardmasters music event in Cornwall has been called off due to forecast storms and heavy rain.

You have to be a real optimist to organise an outdoor event in Britain in August these days, unless it’s bog snorkelling.

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Does anyone take out Pluvius insurance these days or is it no longer cost-effective?
It used to be a "must have" in the ancient days when I organised such things.
Seems the goal posts may have been moved.
Anyone know?

See: https://www.rivaeventinsurance.com/blog/what-pluvius-insurance

Roger

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Well, so much for today being the best of this week as far as our weather is concerned!!

Today started off OK with a nice looking sunrise, but it then soon clouded over and it is now, it is raining here in Edinburgh once again as I write.

The rain isn't anything like as heavy as it was yesterday but for what is supposed to be our best day of this week, this is still rather abysmal.

With the way that our weather is now turning out as well as with the general outlook being as poor as it is for the immediate future, I will just be glad to see the back of this summer now.

Then, we can look forward to seeing what the coming winter has in store for us although based on our most recent experiences, I won't be surprised if there wasn't really anything to look forward to there either, at least from the cold and snow perspective.

 

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Not looking forward to the expectations of strong wind in the next few days. Might topple all mt Tomatoes -Beans and Peas.   Do not want an early harvest.

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Not looking forward to the expectations of strong wind in the next few days. Might topple all mt Tomatoes -Beans and Peas.   Do not want an early harvest.

Same here Art. Daughter’s having a shed delivered tomorrow and was hoping to get it up at the weekend.  Although, we have a yellow warning of wind on Saturday, yet the Met Office phone app says max wind speed is 24 mph.  So here, it may be a case of wait and see!  

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Not so worried about windfall apples as for windfall trees.😑

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Another festival cancelled due to the weather: the Boardmasters music event in Cornwall has been called off due to forecast storms and heavy rain.

You have to be a real optimist to organise an outdoor event in Britain in August these days, unless it’s bog snorkelling.

The Reading and Leeds festivals have never been cancelled as far as I’m aware.  That being said, getting muddy and wet is pretty much the classic British festival-going experience. Glastonbury is often a sodden affair. Surely that’s all part of the fun? 

Also, the Boardmasters festival has been taking place since 1981 and I think this is the first time it’s ever been cancelled. Early August is probably the best time of year to organise outdoor events on average, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

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Not looking forward to the expectations of strong wind in the next few days. Might topple all mt Tomatoes -Beans and Peas.   Do not want an early harvest.

Calm right now but I have some pots with various tallish plants that will topple/break unless I bring them into the shed for the duration.

The sunflowers just coming to bloom look like they will face the snap tomorrow or Saturday. I hate gales in August.

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Just before I thought it couldn't get worse than this it actually has done!! heavy drizzle for 8 hours and light rain followed by heavy drizzle and so mild here now and humid at 19c and it's almost 1am!! This is horrible!

At least in the 'heat wave!' we had night time temps of 15 to 17c here in the south west.

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