Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain. I have had to water the garden
endlessly since mid spring and over in Rotherham some trees seem to
think its autumn due to water stress. Digging the garden it seem to be
dry to quite a depth. I guess we are in a rain shadow again. Norman
are you getting all our rain? Seems the fronts from the west give
nothing more than drizzle and the thunderstorms are always to the
east. There also seems to have been some frequent spells of very
drying wind rolling down from the peaks just to make things worse.
Unfortunately the sunshine has not been around to go with all this dry
weather.

Simon S (South Yorkshire)

On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:29:14 -0700 (PDT), Simon S
wrote:
Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems
to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain. I have had to water the garden
endlessly since mid spring and over in Rotherham some trees seem to
think its autumn due to water stress. Digging the garden it seem to
be
dry to quite a depth. I guess we are in a rain shadow again. Norman
are you getting all our rain? Seems the fronts from the west give
nothing more than drizzle and the thunderstorms are always to the
east. There also seems to have been some frequent spells of very
drying wind rolling down from the peaks just to make things worse.
Unfortunately the sunshine has not been around to go with all this
dry
weather.


Simon S (South Yorkshire)

It's a similar story in Shropshire. The wettest months this year have
had totals that just reach the average for that month. April was
especially dry, with less than 3mm. Vegetation across the county
appears very jaded and stressed.

--
Freddie
Bayston Hill
Shropshire
102m AMSL
http://www.hosiene.co.uk/weather/cumulus/

Simon S wrote:

Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain. I have had to water the garden
endlessly since mid spring and over in Rotherham some trees seem to
think its autumn due to water stress. Digging the garden it seem to be
dry to quite a depth. I guess we are in a rain shadow again. Norman
are you getting all our rain? Seems the fronts from the west give
nothing more than drizzle and the thunderstorms are always to the
east. There also seems to have been some frequent spells of very
drying wind rolling down from the peaks just to make things worse.
Unfortunately the sunshine has not been around to go with all this dry
weather.

Simon S (South Yorkshire)

Hi Simon,
Rainfall totals for Tideswell for each of the months this year and percentages
of ELTA a

Jan 75.9 mm (65%)
Feb 164.4 mm (200%)
Mar 14.6 mm (16%)
Apr 15.1 mm (18%)
May 91.1 mm (123%)
Jun 68.3 mm (96%)
Jul 72.4 mm (92%)

Overall, we're therefore on about 87% of average for the first 7 months of the
year. August has been dry with only 21 mm of rain in the first 13 days.

As you say, sunshine has been in short supply. By quite a margin, April has
been the sunniest month of the year so far with 154.6 hours. The first 13 days
of August have produced only 28 hours of sunshine.

--
Norman Lynagh
Tideswell, Derbyshire
303m a.s.l.

On Aug 14, 4:29*pm, Simon S wrote:

Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain.

It is a similar story in the rain shadow down here in Coventry, Simon.

In the first two weeks of August, we have recorded just 28% of the
normal rainfall for this period over the past 30 years or so, while in
2011 so far, the rainfall total so far is 41% below average.

As for summer, the rainfall total so far is just 57% of the 30 year
average.

I have been watering the garden all day today as a result, as even
deep rooted shrubs are struggling - the lawn will have to look after
itself however!

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station
Coventry UK
www.bablakeweather.co.uk

On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 at 16:59:27, Norman wrote
in uk.sci.weather :

Hi Simon,
Rainfall totals for Tideswell for each of the months this year and percentages
of ELTA a

Jan 75.9 mm (65%)
Feb 164.4 mm (200%)
Mar 14.6 mm (16%)
Apr 15.1 mm (18%)
May 91.1 mm (123%)
Jun 68.3 mm (96%)
Jul 72.4 mm (92%)

Overall, we're therefore on about 87% of average for the first 7 months of the
year. August has been dry with only 21 mm of rain in the first 13 days.

Here, 10 of the last 11 months have had below average rainfall, and the
11th was only about 5% above normal.
--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham (change 'invalid83261' to 'blueyonder' to email me)

On Aug 14, 4:29*pm, Simon S wrote:
Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain. I have had to water the garden
endlessly since mid spring and over in Rotherham some trees seem to
think its autumn due to water stress. Digging the garden it seem to be
dry to quite a depth. I guess we are in a rain shadow again. Norman
are you getting all our rain? Seems the fronts from the west give
nothing more than drizzle and the thunderstorms are always to the
east. There also seems to have been some frequent spells of very
drying wind rolling down from the peaks just to make things worse.
Unfortunately the sunshine has not been around to go with all this dry
weather.

Simon S (South Yorkshire)

Down in Penzance it's also been dry, with the exception of June,
though not so dry. Even so it's been the driest 1st 7 months of the
year since 1992. (Norms are for 1981-2010)

Jan 136.9 mm (99%)
Feb 91.4 mm (90%)
Mar 34.6 mm (38%)
Apr 26.5 mm (33%)
May 53.6 mm (75%)
Jun 91.3 mm (130%)
Jul 50.0 mm ( 66%)

Year to end July 81%

Seeing Norman's post, the dry weather seems pretty widespread. Plenty
of Atlantic fronts in the last few weeks, but generally so weak. Going
by the vegetation it seemed particularly brown on Scilly when I was
there recently. It is a good deal drier on average in summer than
mainland Cornwall. In summer you can often be under cloudless skies on
Scilly with Cb clearly visible over mainland Cornwall.

E.g.
1961-90 Average for Tresco 49mm June, 46mm July.
1961-90 Average for Penzance 64mm June, 59mm July (just 40 miles to
the east)

Beautiful cloudless day (once the residual sc had gone by around
10:00) on windward beaches today. Pleasant change from the large
amounts of cloud on recent days. Sennen 10:00 http://www.sennen-cove.com/today2.htm.
OK wave & sunshine for the Boardmasters at Newquay.

Graham
Penzance

On Aug 14, 6:48*pm, Paul Hyett wrote:
On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 at 16:59:27, Norman wrote
in uk.sci.weather :



Hi Simon,
Rainfall totals for Tideswell for each of the months this year and percentages
of ELTA a

* * * Jan * *75.9 mm *(65%)
* * * Feb * 164.4 mm *(200%)
* * * Mar * *14.6 mm *(16%)
* * * Apr * *15.1 mm *(18%)
* * * May * *91.1 mm *(123%)
* * * Jun * *68.3 mm *(96%)
* * * Jul * *72.4 mm *(92%)

Overall, we're therefore on about 87% of average for the first 7 months of the
year. August has been dry with only 21 mm of rain in the first 13 days.

Here, 10 of the last 11 months have had below average rainfall, and the
11th was only about 5% above normal.
--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham (change 'invalid83261' to 'blueyonder' to email me)

No measurements, but judging by the grass colour (very green)
Hampshire doesn't appear to have been especially dry. Not especially
wet either, but there was a notably wet spell during much of June and
(apparently, I was away but that's what I heard) for a week beginning
July 16th. Frequent cool temperatures and cloudy skies have probably
restricted any browning of the grass.

Nick

On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 at 12:51:22, Nick wrote in
uk.sci.weather :

On Aug 14, 6:48*pm, Paul Hyett wrote:

Here, 10 of the last 11 months have had below average rainfall, and the
11th was only about 5% above normal.

No measurements, but judging by the grass colour (very green)
Hampshire doesn't appear to have been especially dry. Not especially
wet either, but there was a notably wet spell during much of June and
(apparently, I was away but that's what I heard) for a week beginning
July 16th. Frequent cool temperatures and cloudy skies have probably
restricted any browning of the grass.

We've had just enough rain here for the grass to be green, albeit with
yellow patches.

--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham (change 'invalid83261' to 'blueyonder' to email me)

On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 at 11:41:21, Graham Easterling
wrote in uk.sci.weather :

Down in Penzance it's also been dry, with the exception of June,
though not so dry. Even so it's been the driest 1st 7 months of the
year since 1992. (Norms are for 1981-2010)


Year to end July 81%

Just 63% here!

Seeing Norman's post, the dry weather seems pretty widespread. Plenty
of Atlantic fronts in the last few weeks, but generally so weak.

For 'weak' read 'virtually non-existent' here.
--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham (change 'invalid83261' to 'blueyonder' to email me)

On 14/08/2011 16:29, Simon S wrote:
Not sure on the statistics but here in SE Sheffield and over in
Rotherham it seems to have been a very dry year so far. This seems to
be a local effect and over in Doncaster and up over the peaks there
seems to have been plenty of rain. I have had to water the garden
endlessly since mid spring and over in Rotherham some trees seem to
think its autumn due to water stress. Digging the garden it seem to be
dry to quite a depth. I guess we are in a rain shadow again. Norman
are you getting all our rain? Seems the fronts from the west give
nothing more than drizzle and the thunderstorms are always to the
east. There also seems to have been some frequent spells of very
drying wind rolling down from the peaks just to make things worse.
Unfortunately the sunshine has not been around to go with all this dry
weather.

Simon S (South Yorkshire)

Hi Simon,

Totally agree with you - our garden is bone dry yet visited someone on
the Manchester Road - Sheffield and their garden was very damp. They can
only be 7 or so miles away, as the crow flies.

The leaves on our silver birch has been yellowing for a good few weeks.

We have noticed the drying wind and hardly any sunshine and consequently
have only had the opportunity to dine al fresco on a small number of
occasions. Hey ho!

--
Wendy Tinley
Sheffield