I have been away for the past 10 days or so in Austria amongst the mountains
where the weather was almost too good. By this I mean every day was sunny
with very little cloud and all way above summits. Winds were light and the
max ranged from 23C-27C in the area where I was staying some 80 miles or so
south west of Vienna at a height of 700 metres. But even at 2,000 metres it
was very warm in the sun. At night it was gin clear and you felt you could
reach out and touch Mars. It did fall to 5C on one night so a chill in the
air by dawn. However as I hinted it was perhaps too good- excellent for
mountain walks but very unusually not a flicker of lightning anywhere during
the evening and night, a sight that can be quite spectacular amongst the
peaks. And, as indicated stable conditions prevailed by day.
After hot and sunny weather persisting for much of the summer river levels
were becoming very low and in some areas pastures looked very much worse for
wear. However around where I was staying in spite of the persistent dry
weather it is amazing how lush some of the pastures still looked with a
myriad of flowers in bloom as water was channelled from mountain springs.
The night time dew also helped to keep things fresh.
At least my garden received some welcome rain in Coulsdon as I returned
home - 19.7mm in 30 hours and I marvelled at the text book landing of my
plane at Heathrow on Thursday in very heavy rain and cloud almost at ground
level.

Ian Currie- Coulsdon,Surrey
www.Frostedearth.com

Yes most of my area was at the 700-1200 metre level and part well over 2000
metres so that translates down to the 110 metre level where you stayed Don
in line with your readings. Indeed it was 30C when I flew out of Vienna. It
was lucky with showers at times earlier in the summer and is excellent for
winter skiing where they had a good season this year lasting into April. It
also provides water for Vienna in a remarkable pipeline built in the1900s,
bored through the mountains. Willing to send you a picture or two to show
how lush the pastures were.
I actually went there, apart from having a family holiday, to research a
weather related topic which I will be explaining to readers of Weather eye
in a forthcoming issue for it has a very interesting weather phenomenon
which I was able to observe with excellent results so I am being a little
coy about the precise area.
Now I am off to read the min. temperature in the Chipstead Valley, Surrey,
after a calm , clear cool night it is going to be pretty low.

Ian Currie-Coulsdon
Weather eye- www.frostedearth.com


"Don" wrote in message
...
"Ian Currie" wrote ...


I am very surprised at your report. I have just spent 6 weeks in Slovakia
and Hungary on the plains 30 miles to the east of Vienna at 110 metres and
in the mountains about 100 miles to the north east of Vienna and at around
350 metres.

Temperatures between 32 and 35 degrees every day with thunderstorms in the
mountains every third day or so. Sometimes less frequently. But with
little
or no precipitation.

Pastures dry and browning. Trees withering and dying in the heat. Birds
numbers falling. Crops harvested early but with little substance since
there
was no water to allow grains and fruit to fatten. Rivers suffering from
poisoning due to little flow. Fish dying. Lakes at all time low levels. It
was an ecological disaster.

In the mountains our water supply was rationed as the well would
completely
dry up for a day or too at a time.

The raspberries on the mountains were good and very sweet, but a law was
passed when we were there to prevent the picking of mountain fruit and
fungi
so that there would be enough for bears and other wildlife who can't go
shopping at Tesco's.

Were you in some kind of lucky micro climate unaffected by the unusual
conditions the whole of the rest of central Europe is experiencing?

What is more pertinent, are we to expect these conditions more frequently
now?

regards
Don

p.s. you aeroplane was probably on an automatic approach.

================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

I have a theory that if global warming continues then the mountains will be the
best place to live. We have seen this in miniature in UK this summer. At my
modest height of 1000 feet I have enjoyed a wonderful summer with highest
temperature of 29.0 deg C and many many days (not counted yet !) of days over 21
deg C. But also just enough rain to keep going and the grass has stayed green
all summer (just as in Ian's experience) whereas, as we all know lowland
southern Briatin, particularly the SE is parched and suffering.

Ian the Alps are a wonderful place aren't they ? Glad you had a super holiday.

ATB,

Will.
--
" Love begins when judgement ceases "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ian Currie wrote in message ...

Yes most of my area was at the 700-1200 metre level and part well over 2000
metres so that translates down to the 110 metre level where you stayed Don
in line with your readings. Indeed it was 30C when I flew out of Vienna. It
was lucky with showers at times earlier in the summer and is excellent for
winter skiing where they had a good season this year lasting into April. It
also provides water for Vienna in a remarkable pipeline built in the1900s,
bored through the mountains. Willing to send you a picture or two to show
how lush the pastures were.
I actually went there, apart from having a family holiday, to research a
weather related topic which I will be explaining to readers of Weather eye
in a forthcoming issue for it has a very interesting weather phenomenon
which I was able to observe with excellent results so I am being a little
coy about the precise area.
Now I am off to read the min. temperature in the Chipstead Valley, Surrey,
after a calm , clear cool night it is going to be pretty low.

Ian Currie-Coulsdon
Weather eye- www.frostedearth.com


"Don" wrote in message
...
"Ian Currie" wrote ...


I am very surprised at your report. I have just spent 6 weeks in Slovakia
and Hungary on the plains 30 miles to the east of Vienna at 110 metres and
in the mountains about 100 miles to the north east of Vienna and at around
350 metres.

Temperatures between 32 and 35 degrees every day with thunderstorms in the
mountains every third day or so. Sometimes less frequently. But with
little
or no precipitation.

Pastures dry and browning. Trees withering and dying in the heat. Birds
numbers falling. Crops harvested early but with little substance since
there
was no water to allow grains and fruit to fatten. Rivers suffering from
poisoning due to little flow. Fish dying. Lakes at all time low levels. It
was an ecological disaster.

In the mountains our water supply was rationed as the well would
completely
dry up for a day or too at a time.

The raspberries on the mountains were good and very sweet, but a law was
passed when we were there to prevent the picking of mountain fruit and
fungi
so that there would be enough for bears and other wildlife who can't go
shopping at Tesco's.

Were you in some kind of lucky micro climate unaffected by the unusual
conditions the whole of the rest of central Europe is experiencing?

What is more pertinent, are we to expect these conditions more frequently
now?

regards
Don

p.s. you aeroplane was probably on an automatic approach.

"Will" wrote in message
...

================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

I have a theory that if global warming continues then the mountains will
be the
best place to live. We have seen this in miniature in UK this summer. At
my
modest height of 1000 feet I have enjoyed a wonderful summer with highest
temperature of 29.0 deg C and many many days (not counted yet !) of days
over 21
deg C. But also just enough rain to keep going and the grass has stayed
green
all summer (just as in Ian's experience) whereas, as we all know lowland
southern Briatin, particularly the SE is parched and suffering.

Will,

I am delighted to read your theory. I moved from the lowlands of SE Britain
to a West Wales mountain four years ago. I am a little below you at 750 feet
and my experiences have been the same as yours this summer. I was already
convinced that I had made a great move but it is good to see that others are
of a like mind.

Regards

Howard Neil

In article , Will
writes

================================================= ===================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================= ===================

I have a theory that if global warming continues then the mountains will be the
best place to live. We have seen this in miniature in UK this summer. At my
modest height of 1000 feet I have enjoyed a wonderful summer with highest
temperature of 29.0 deg C and many many days (not counted yet !) of days over 21
deg C. But also just enough rain to keep going and the grass has stayed green
all summer (just as in Ian's experience) whereas, as we all know lowland
southern Briatin, particularly the SE is parched and suffering.

Ian the Alps are a wonderful place aren't they ? Glad you had a super holiday.

ATB,

Will.

Will,
I would have thought that your location on the western fringes was a
more important factor than altitude. I spent last week in SW Wales (at
low level). Everything there was lush and green, in stark contrast to
what we currently have in South Bucks. Only 3.9 mm here last Thu/Fri but
it did turn the grass a tad greener.

Norman.
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
Chalfont St. Giles
Buckinghamshire

On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 20:19:52 +0100, Norman Lynagh wrote:

I would have thought that your location on the western fringes was a
more important factor than altitude.

Altitude makes a great difference. During the hot spell I hated going
down to the lower levels, just too hot and sufocating. We got over 30C
and a couple of occasions, highest was 31.1C. It was bearable, always
a bit of air movement and pretty low humidity.

Everything there was lush and green, in stark contrast to what we
currently have in South Bucks.

It's mostly still green up here but hasn't grown anything like it did
last year. The mower has been broke for the last couple of months and
I've only had to get the strimmer out once in that time. In normal
years, before the mower, the strimmer came out every two weeks.

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL. pam is missing e-mail

================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

Norman, yes obviously the western aspect has some effect. But even round here it
is noticeable how much browner the grass has been in lowland places like Newton
Abbot and Torquay. Above 250m the grass definitely is more lush.

Will.
--

" Love begins when judgement ceases "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Norman Lynagh wrote in message ...
In article , Will
writes

================================================ ====================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================ ====================

I have a theory that if global warming continues then the mountains will be
the
best place to live. We have seen this in miniature in UK this summer. At my
modest height of 1000 feet I have enjoyed a wonderful summer with highest
temperature of 29.0 deg C and many many days (not counted yet !) of days over
21
deg C. But also just enough rain to keep going and the grass has stayed green
all summer (just as in Ian's experience) whereas, as we all know lowland
southern Briatin, particularly the SE is parched and suffering.

Ian the Alps are a wonderful place aren't they ? Glad you had a super holiday.

ATB,

Will.

Will,
I would have thought that your location on the western fringes was a
more important factor than altitude. I spent last week in SW Wales (at
low level). Everything there was lush and green, in stark contrast to
what we currently have in South Bucks. Only 3.9 mm here last Thu/Fri but
it did turn the grass a tad greener.

Norman.
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
Chalfont St. Giles
Buckinghamshire