https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2022/driest-july-in-england-since-1935

Driest July on Record for East Anglia,South East and Southern England 🏜 

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2022/driest-july-in-england-since-1935

Driest July on Record for East Anglia,South East and Southern England 🏜 

Has anybody else in the region had less than the claimed average of 5mm? Just 0.3mm here.

 

Has anybody else in the region had less than the claimed average of 5mm? Just 0.3mm here.

I don’t have a gauge but Blackbushe airport a mile up the road has recorded 4mm for July and just 207mm for the year so far. 

Looking at other nearby stations, Odiham had zero recorded rainfall (just trace amounts) for the whole month. The 24hr total from 6am on the 1st was 6.4mm but all of that fell before midnight, and I think that all gets recorded for 30 June anyway?

Middle Wallop totalled 3.4mm, Farnborough had zero (not even a trace) up to the 12th when the station stopped working, and Charlwood had just 1.6mm.

The lowest I can see among the rest of the official stations is Andrewsfield with 0.8mm but I’m sure I missed some.

 

Has anybody else in the region had less than the claimed average of 5mm? Just 0.3mm here.

BBC presenters keep quoting Hurn (Bournemouth Airport) along with Odiham as zero.

 

BBC presenters keep quoting Hurn (Bournemouth Airport) along with Odiham as zero.

Yes I mentioned Odiham above. I'm a bit surprised it missed all the showers as we have had a few short sharp ones and we are not far from there.

I don't know whether Farnborough is permanently defunct - it seems to have been removed from the daily synop lists altogether now. 

I don't know whether Farnborough is permanently defunct - it seems to have been removed from the daily synop lists altogether now. 

The Met Office have confirmed that the South Farnborough station closed on 12th July. They say "There is another observations site at the airfield (Farnborough No. 2) which is still observing, but this data doesn't go onto our public website."

 

I don’t have a gauge but Blackbushe airport a mile up the road has recorded 4mm for July and just 207mm for the year so far. 

Looking at other nearby stations, Odiham had zero recorded rainfall (just trace amounts) for the whole month. The 24hr total from 6am on the 1st was 6.4mm but all of that fell before midnight, and I think that all gets recorded for 30 June anyway?

Middle Wallop totalled 3.4mm, Farnborough had zero (not even a trace) up to the 12th when the station stopped working, and Charlwood had just 1.6mm.

The lowest I can see among the rest of the official stations is Andrewsfield with 0.8mm but I’m sure I missed some.

  

Thanks Rob. I played golf at Puttenham last week which I think is near Odiham and it was extremely parched looking.

I believe Jersey had 0.7mm for July - another record for us. 360 hours of sun, second highest ever. Some month here!

I'm off to Guernsey at the end of next week so I hope summer hangs on a bit longer!

I believe Jersey had 0.7mm for July - another record for us. 360 hours of sun, second highest ever. Some month here!

That is an amazing amount of sun. 

Kent and Sussex will have a hosepipe ban from August 12th until further notice.

At least 1 million people will be banned from using hosepipes

I wonder how many sensible citizens will have already reduced or cut their hosepipe use?

We don't need laws or guidelines to know how to do the right thing.

Roger

 

I wonder how many sensible citizens will have already reduced or cut their hosepipe use?

We don't need laws or guidelines to know how to do the right thing.

Roger

 I don't think people feel like being sensible because the Water Companies have done little to increase storage capacity and lose as much in leaks as they want extra abstraction, Re: Southern Water. Plus, the unauthorized releasing of Sewage, who can blame anyone sticking two fingers up at them?

 

I wonder how many sensible citizens will have already reduced or cut their hosepipe use?

We don't need laws or guidelines to know how to do the right thing.

Roger

Thats a fair point in normal years but its been an unprecedented spell of drought here in East Sussex and I don't begrudge anyone wanting to continue watering poorly plants in their garden which in 49 of the last 50 years would have survived fine without assistance.

Its not just plants either, the amount of dead and dying bumblebees i've seen crisped up lying around the place is staggering.

I've never used a hose at home in 20 years of gardening, but this year I bought one and have used it sparingly simply to keep my mature plants and shrubs alive.

Thats a fair point in normal years but its been an unprecedented spell of drought here in East Sussex and I don't begrudge anyone wanting to continue watering poorly plants in their garden which in 49 of the last 50 years would have survived fine without assistance.

Its not just plants either, the amount of dead and dying bumblebees I've seen crisped up lying around the place is staggering.

I've never used a hose at home in 20 years of gardening, but this year I bought one and have used it sparingly simply to keep my mature plants and shrubs alive.

Bumblebees are quite numerous this year here but hoverflies are rare. Honeybees too but that's more to do with lack of hives perhaps. 

Greenbottles and other house flies numerous but I think the neighbours use of their 'garden waste' bin to store dog poo has something to do with that.

Two days on the trot now with some noticeable fine drizzle that's dampened the paths and vegetation. It's stopped now.

Thankfully up north in Merseyside weve had a couple of wet days. Whilst not fixing the issue our lawn has now returned from beige/straw to lush green. Trail running yesterday was muddy, and golf courses are soft again.

July had about 30mm of rainfall

I think weve had nearly the same so far in august by the 3rd day