Drought Watch

[Methuselah]

19 minutes ago, Nick L said:

It is a bit daft. They could bring in overzealous Covid restrictions at the drop of the hat, but stopping someone filling up a swimming pool? Nah, 2 weeks of legal wrangling. Bonkers.

God, I almost forgot about Covid; a mere trifle that took away more than 200,000 souls!

[seb]

9 minutes ago, Skullzrulerz said:

So 14 days from now? Suppose it's needs to go through legal stuff before enforcing it?

 

4 minutes ago, Nick L said:

It is a bit daft. They could bring in overzealous Covid restrictions at the drop of the hat, but stopping someone filling up a swimming pool? Nah, 2 weeks of legal wrangling. Bonkers.

It's a bit baffling. Where a drought has been declared, the water companies in that region do not have to go through the whole "request" process.

[Skullzrulerz]

40 minutes ago, Nick L said:

It is a bit daft. They could bring in overzealous Covid restrictions at the drop of the hat, but stopping someone filling up a swimming pool? Nah, 2 weeks of legal wrangling. Bonkers.

Strange world we live in eh?

[mountain shadow]

Some rain on the way for all over the next ten days if the ECM is to be believed. Potential flooding in parts of France and Germany maybe? 

This chart scale maxes out a 70mm which seems a bit low to me, as some areas might be getting plenty more than that..

[Earthshine]

To be fair, the Covid situation during the waves was quite a bit more serious than the current drought situation.  1000+ a day aren't dying because of a lack of a hosepipe ban.  Of course the situation will grow more serious the longer the drought continues.

[minus10]

1 hour ago, seb said:

 

It's a bit baffling. Where a drought has been declared, the water companies in that region do not have to go through the whole "request" process.

Yes Thames water have stated that if a drought was declared for their area then a ban could be introduced immediately...

 

 

[Summer Sun]

A drought has been declared in parts of South West, Southern and Central England and East of England

[minus10]

These areas to be in drought according to the Guardian..

"The Environment Agency will move into drought in eight of its 14 areas: Devon and Cornwall, Solent and South Downs, Kent and south London, Herts and north London, East Anglia, Thames, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, and the east Midlands."

Edited August 12, 2022 by minus10

[h2005__uk__]

27 minutes ago, Earthshine said:

To be fair, the Covid situation during the waves was quite a bit more serious than the current drought situation.  1000+ a day aren't dying because of a lack of a hosepipe ban.  Of course the situation will grow more serious the longer the drought continues.

True, but the Covid situation showed how quickly things can be done if necessary. Never again should we put up with being told that things will have to take ridiculous amounts of time due to legal issues or whatever. We've seen how quickly it can be done!

[Earthshine]

Just now, h2005__uk__ said:

True, but the Covid situation showed how quickly things can be done if necessary. Never again should we put up with being told that things will have to take ridiculous amounts of time due to legal issues or whatever. We've seen how quickly it can be done!

Oh absolutely.  Although it does concern me how much a government can impose on the population.  Illegal to see family members?  Absolute madness.  

[h2005__uk__]

Just now, Earthshine said:

Oh absolutely.  Although it does concern me how much a government can impose on the population.  Illegal to see family members?  Absolute madness.  

Yes. They should instead invest their extra power into things like improving the country's infrastructure and so on - that famously takes ridiculous amounts of time to sort!

[Earthshine]

2 minutes ago, h2005__uk__ said:

Yes. They should instead invest their extra power into things like improving the country's infrastructure and so on - that famously takes ridiculous amounts of time to sort!

Something something world leading!

[Methuselah]

52 minutes ago, mountain shadow said:

Some rain on the way for all over the next ten days if the ECM is to be believed. Potential flooding in parts of France and Germany maybe? 

This chart scale maxes out a 70mm which seems a bit low to me, as some areas might be getting plenty more than that..

Is that a marguerita? Cos it ain't either a pepperoni or a Hawaiian!

[PaulPaulchard]

The image shows a complete lack of forests over England.

[seb]

Official drought areas (Sky News)

 

[Mapantz]

Excellent, no problems  for here!

[minus10]

5 minutes ago, seb said:

Official drought areas (Sky News)

 

Looks like Bedfordshire has escaped...

Also sussex has a ban from today i think however is not included on the drought list.

[seb]

49 minutes ago, minus10 said:

Looks like Bedfordshire has escaped...

Also sussex has a ban from today i think however is not included on the drought list.

I think Sky  couldn’t  place the Solent & South Downs area

Part of Sussex is included in that... I think!

 

EDIT: Here's the EA area map whic kind of explains the confusion https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/549638/Environment_Agency_areas_map.pdf

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by seb

[Methuselah]

My main worry is that should we experience another drier-than-average winter (not impossible) next spring & summer would be potentially catastrophic?

[seb]

4 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

My main worry is that should we experience another drier-than-average winter (not impossible) next spring & summer would be potentially catastrophic?

Page 14 onward... 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1097885/Water_Situation_Report_for_England_July_2022.pdf

We need 120% of the average rainfall between now and end of March for a refill of rivers. Average still leaves many below normal; 80% leaves us roughly where we are now and 60% put more or less all rivers at exceptionally low by March.

 

[Methuselah]

1 hour ago, PaulPaulchard said:

The image shows a complete lack of forests over England.

Crikey, those cracks look scary!

Anywho, I've just noticed that several places, in various parts of England, were recording 32C at midday -- so, I wouldn't go ruling out a36C (or, at a stretch, even a 37)) max occurring somewhere, just yet?

PS: That's not to say as I could tell the difference anyway: once temps surpass 33-34C, it's just bloody 'ot!

Edited August 12, 2022 by Ed Stone

[minus10]

12 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

Crikey, those cracks look scary!

Anywho, I've just noticed that several places, in various parts of England, were recording 32C at midday -- so, I wouldn't go ruling out a36C (or, at a stretch, even a 37)) max occurring somewhere, just yet?

PS: That's not to say as I could tell the difference anyway: once temps surpass 33-34C, it's just bloody 'ot!

Yes cambridge and chalwood now at 33 as per netweather live...

[Methuselah]

Either the heat or the vodka is addling my brain. Is the toilet hippo any better than 1976's toilet brick?

And don't forget the ladybird plague: 

[minus10]

2 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

Either the heat or the vodka is addling my brain. Is the toilet hippo any better than 1976's toilet brick?

And don't forget the ladybird plague: 

Is the heat driving you to vodka Ed?

I 'm just sitting in the garden in the shade...flaked out and just had yoghurt with fresh fruit...dont work when temp over 30...actually feels like work just keeping all the plants watered

[legion_quest]

58 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

My main worry is that should we experience another drier-than-average winter (not impossible) next spring & summer would be potentially catastrophic?

It really would be, but mentioning that just gets you looked at dirty because 'we always have rain' and 'the sky is always so grey' and you get told to make the most of the 'lovely weather.' 

People dont care until it's too late, then they blame others for not warning them 'properly.'