Constant switching between drought and deluge?

[reef]

Going through my records for 2007 it seems there is a perculiarity. Throughout the year we have had long dry spells, followed by long wet ones. Some exceptionally so:

January 25th - 7th February - No measurable rain.

February 8th - 23rd March - 82mm rain.

March 24th - May 7th - Only 1.5mm rain, no measurable rain for 23 days.

May 8th - May 30th - 54mm rain, including 20mm on the 13th.

May 30th - June 12th - No measurable rain for 13 days.

June 13th - July 26th - 335mm rain, including 98mm and 41mm on single days.

July 27th - Present - No measurable rain for 13 days

Has anyone else in the country observed this? Being in the east we've missed out on the majority of the shower activity in recent weeks. The current pattern however is bizarre, I cant remember a year like it.

Edited August 8, 2007 by reef

[Bobby]

I've noticed this but I'm not sure if there is anything to it. It could be just a freak, it could be quite normal - just haven't noticed it as much in the past - or perhaps our climate is acting increasingly erratically.

[The PIT]

As you can see here http://www.sheffieldweather.co.uk/Stevenson-2007.htm not really. April was very dry and we're now back in a dry period thank god. probably stop next week when I have a holiday.

[Eugene]

The flood affected areas of the past two months will be very happy with this dry spell, i cant believe on other forums people are actually saying we need some rain

Where have they been the past few months, we don't need any at all here in the midlands, everything is green and lush with high river levels and full reservoirs.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Eugene

[saint]

we dont need more rain but i bet you that in late september if it has been dry through august and september there will be a house pipe ban

[osmposm]

.......there will be a house pipe ban

Oh dear, as bad as that........no pipes allowed in houses? !!

[SP1986]

I've noticed this but I'm not sure if there is anything to it. It could be just a freak, it could be quite normal - just haven't noticed it as much in the past - or perhaps our climate is acting increasingly erratically.

Probably is quite normal in essence, afterall there has to be, on the face of things be a dry spell preceding a wet spell or following it. Nature aint freaky though, it seems to 'know' what its doing, ie balancing itself out.

Well everything on this planet runs in cycles, nothing runs terminally, so I imagine this is an evening out ie, 100mm rain might = a 10 days dry spell..

well Makes sense to me

[dallas]

Just seen the ensembles for Dublin, the precipitation marker for Wednesday shoots up like the Empire State Building!

[Stratos Ferric]

Oh dear, as bad as that........no pipes allowed in houses? :o !!

Indeed, they'll be taxing windows next!

Just seen the ensembles for Dublin, the precipitation marker for Wednesday shoots up like the Empire State Building!

Notwithstanding the fact that GFS tends to overreact more than an American Border Marshall, next week's chart for midweek suggests a potentially interesting passage of weather. Someone will be starting a thread about early signs of winter if that one comes off.

[reef]

And so it continues... After a wet 9 days in the middle of August, we havent seen any measurable rain since the 20th, so no rain for 21 days now.

This year we have had:

January 25th - 7th February - No measurable rain.

February 8th - 23rd March - 82mm rain.

March 24th - May 7th - Only 1.5mm rain, no measurable rain for 23 days.

May 8th - May 30th - 54mm rain, including 20mm on the 13th.

May 30th - June 12th - No measurable rain for 13 days.

June 13th - July 26th - 335mm rain, including 98mm and 41mm on single days.

July 27th - 11th August - No measurable rain for 15 days.

August 12th - August 20th - 37mm of rain.

August 21st - Present - No measurable rain. (21 days and counting).

Normal or not, its certainly bizarre.

[davehsug]

I think the main difference that I notice, purley from my sensing of things, is that the dry spells seem to be "drier" & the wet ones "wetter".

From my recollections, it would be quite common to have spells of a couple of months of largely dry & then largely wet weather. These days however it seems that those 2 months could be almost exclusively wet (meaning rain on virtually ever day, May-July this year), or exclusively dry (not more than 1 or 2 noticeable rain events).

We also seem to have longer spells of up to 6 months of predominately wetter weather & sometimes even longer predominately dry spells.

I have no figures to back this up, it's based purely on my perception of weather.

Dave

[SP1986]

And so it continues... After a wet 9 days in the middle of August, we havent seen any measurable rain since the 20th, so no rain for 21 days now.

This year we have had:

January 25th - 7th February - No measurable rain.

February 8th - 23rd March - 82mm rain.

March 24th - May 7th - Only 1.5mm rain, no measurable rain for 23 days.

May 8th - May 30th - 54mm rain, including 20mm on the 13th.

May 30th - June 12th - No measurable rain for 13 days.

June 13th - July 26th - 335mm rain, including 98mm and 41mm on single days.

July 27th - 11th August - No measurable rain for 15 days.

August 12th - August 20th - 37mm of rain.

August 21st - Present - No measurable rain. (21 days and counting).

Normal or not, its certainly bizarre.

I think the way to describe it, is bizarrely 'textbook-like' or a little too normal for ones comfort!

[The PIT]

Well September is looking to be very dry as some predicted. Going to be easy to fill in the rainfall card this month.

[The PIT]

Ah well still no rain of note. 1.9mm so far this month. No measurable rain since the 2nd.

[reef]

Still no rain here either since August 20th (28 days). At this rate September could end up being drier than April, a month which only recorded 1.5mm.

Interesting that such a remarkably wet May-Aug has been sandwiched between two dry months.

[Angel15]

I live in Bromley and the ground where the grass is in my garden has cracked thru the dryness. Unbelievable!!! But it is a chalk based soil

[The PIT]

Bone dry here in contrast to June July where any weed came striaght up. Sadly it became to wet and the garden just grew and grew. Eight Garden sacks and one Wheelie bin so far in five hours.

[saint]

i havent had any rain since the 20th of august unberliverble :blink:

saint

[The PIT]

Well I'm topping the ponds up again now. Yet another day goes without measurable rainfall. Ground either rock hard or just plain dust.

[Gray-Wolf]

At least we're not suffering the same as Africa ( under the ITCZ) with terrible floods at present......give it time I hear you say!

I'm topping my pond up but that's more to do with Jamie 'pinching' the waters (and contents) for further studies........

[ANYWEATHER]

Yep, totally agree with everyone its very dry in the vale about 12mms of rain in four and a half weeks! Im a firm believer that nature balances it self out and after such dramatic rainfall this summer , its not suprising its gone somewhat dryer than average!

[The PIT]

Despite a unsettled week forecast it's been rather settled again so far. Most notable feature has been the breeze and the one coldish night so far.

[DR Hosking]

yeah, the BBC had heavy frequent showers for my area today, seen none yet, this so called unsettled week is turning out suprisingly dry so far! No measurable rain for a month now, the drought continues!

[saint]

had rain today, damn i was going for a record

saint

[saint]

yes it is always changing

saint