"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
...
Yesterday's disaster reminds us what a flash flood really is.

To use the expression to describe 12 inches of water under
the local railway bridge after a heavy shower is as daft --
even dafter, I reckon -- than the ubiquitous mini-tornado.

Philip Eden


Like most real flash floods it was extremely localised, a narrow band along
that part of the north Cornwall coast. Much of Cornwall was quite sunny mid
afternoon. I just hope there was someone recording rainfall in the right
spot.

On 13th November 2002, the day of the St Ives flood, the storm moved north
from Penzance to St Ives. I recorded 84.5mm, there was 61.7mm 2 miles NW of
me, 83.0mm at Hayle, 76mm at St Ives. I think the area behind Boscastle must
have received significantly more than this. It is on the west side of Bodmin
Moor, and therefore prone to heavy falls of rain, but nothing remotely like
this has happened before.

--
Graham
Penzance Weather www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/weather.html