Martin,

Yes, and yesterday's rain was a major event. Being in the far SW I was quite
surprised at it being dry when I got up. Greatly fearing the forecast
imminent downpours and near gale force winds I dashed out quickly then . . .
the sun came out. It wasn't completely dry, we did have 0.6mm by 18:00, and
it was blustery, but I don't think the holiday makers couldn't quite believe
it after the forecast. The wind did gust to an awesome 26mph at one point,
but somehow we coped. It would have been nice to hear some admission that
the forecast was wrong (unless you were on Scilly, where it did rain).

After overnight showers today has been a warm (21.3 max) breezy day with
sunny spells. All the heavy showers aligned themselves down the spine of the
penisula, fortunately well south of Boscastle, I think around 50mm fell near
Launceston.

I think it's worth pointing out that in Penzance this August is still
actually drier than July 2003, although it's not likely to stay that way.
Such is the nature of summer rain.


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

"Martin Rowley" wrote in message
...
" The quaint little town of Bracknell, where once boffins steeped in the
black arts of 'forecasting' the weather (as they used to put it), was
last night visited by strange drops of water falling from the sky in an
almost continuous stream. The good residents, fresh from a night of
peaceful slumbers awoke to freak rainfall totals of almost 8mm;
residents were stunned to find small pools of water on minor roads which
had long lain under a thin film of dust and ash, fresh from the heath
fires of the Surrey woodlands. Sometime overnight, the total rainfall
for August passed the magic "100%" mark - 'normal' rainfall, and the
Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Borough Council put the emergency
plan into operation. With fresh violent downpours today of a staggering
0.7mm, the town council offices were besieged by the media: motorists
were advised to avoid the town unless their journey was absolutely
essential. "



--
Martin Rowley: data via -
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/booty.weather/metindex.htm
Bracknell (Wooden Hill/Tawfield), Berkshire
NGR: SU 854 667 Elev: 80m
Lat: 51DEG23MIN30SEC(N): Long: 00DEG46MIN28SEC(W)