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Edmund Lewis · August 26th 04, 02:16 AM posted to uk.sci.weather

(Nick Whitelegg) wrote in message . com...
Many messages suggest this is the wettest August since 1912 but I'm
wondering how does it compare against 1992? snip

This August IMHO is more reminiscent of 1997 or (especially) 1999, in
this area (Shropshire) at least. The latter was the wettest August on
record thus far in places around here, the rain mostly coming from
short-lived but intense downpours, often thundery. I can't remember a
month so thundery as August 2004, so although it may turn out to be
record-breaking I wouldn't call it the 'worst'! (read 'least
interesting').
Yes, 1992 was (subjectively) an absolutely dreadful August. Front
after front as you say, but zero thunder. What I remember about that
month is that many days started sunny, then right on cue another band
of steady rain arrived in the afternoon.
Here's some figures from this area (Shawbury) from the Metoffice site:
August Meanmax rain sun
1992 18.9 107.9 165.5

1997 23.4 91.0 195.7
1999 19.9 128.1 153.2

1986 17.0 93.2 121.8
1980 19.7 75.0 118.8
1957 18.8 127.5 117.2

and finally:
1995 25.2 7.8 273.5

Sadly it doesn't give thunder statistics, but this August is certainly
a warm one like 97 and 99- mean max so far 22.1 according to
Weatheronline. August 1957 is interesting, it's way way before my time
but having searched around a bit it seems to have been thundery, with
lots of localised downpours around here ('The Severn was 10' over
normal at Shrewsbury on the 12th' according to Trevor Harley's weather
pages), and there was apparently a big flood in Cornwall that June-
anyone recall this summer?

As it is, subjectively speaking, since 1980
Don't remember much about bad 80s summers except for the appalling
July 1988 (just remember the snowy winters!).