On 18/07/2013 09:05, exmetman wrote:
I would like to update my post of the 10 July when I said "6 on the trot", I now reckon that for many of us that should now read 14 straight sunny days.

Yes, 14 sunny days 'on the trot' here bringing the monthly sunshine
total to 220 hours (1st - 19:15 18th).

As for a drought, well no water shortages but the reservoir levels are
now starting to drop quickly. But there is an environmental drought in
that everything is shrivelling up. The Devon Bank is usually ablaze with
knapweed, scabious, betony etc etc at this time of year but they have
all gone to seed. One spark and the whole lot will go up!

My lawn is now straw but the recompense is that it no longer needs
mowing. The allotment is a not all good - small spuds and the cool
climate plants bolted. But have been picking toms and cucumbers in
abundance for the last two weeks. Should get a good crop of aubergines
and butternut squashes and even the watermelon looks promising! Needs a
lot of watering though. Runners are OK(ish), should be picking them soon.

A Mediterranean style summer making the countryside resemble the
Mediterranean at this time of year, i.e., brown.

A lot of people are saying that 'compared to this time last year......'.
Well, they'll have to stop saying that because from tomorrow onwards,
the weather in July 2012 improved markedly from the 19th onwards and was
the start of much drier, sunnier and warmer weather.

--
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
20 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk