Drought Watch

[al78]

18 hours ago, HighPressure said:

A couple of things to note today, SES water don't plan to introduce a hose pipe ban, which is interesting that they rely primarily on ground water via boreholes and wells, it seems to suggest that groundwater levels must be reasonable.

The other thing I have leant today is that the great Thames Water desalination plant at Beckon opened just after I left, is not in operation and will not be used in the event of a drought order. This is because it doesn't actually work properly, engineers forgot to factor in that salt levels rise and fall during the day making the plant completely unreliable, and unable to yield anywhere near the 150Mld promised. I can only continue to hope that companies like Thames are exposed for the shambolic way they run our water supplies.

Money is that matters to them!

Ha ha, southern crapness again. Why am I not surprised.

[damianslaw]

I'm waiting for the hosepipe ban in the NW, as it will signal the start of a long deluge.. the last few have!

[Weather Enthusiast91]

It may be hard to imagine at the moment, but frontal rain will be back for all areas of the UK eventually. I can see autumn being wetter than average this year, and perhaps winter too. The weather always seems to balance itself out in the end.

Autumn 1976 was wet and September 1995 was fairly wet. And let's not forget about the notorious 2012, which became very wet after the hose pipe ban was announced in the spring.

Edited August 4, 2022 by Weather Enthusiast91

[ChannelThunder]

First day of the hosepipe ban down here. 

Last night, our neighbour power washed his two cars for the second time in a week, and then proceeded to power wash his patio and all its furniture. Taking the **** much?

[minus10]

1 hour ago, ResonantChannelThunder said:

First day of the hosepipe ban down here. 

Last night, our neighbour power washed his two cars for the second time in a week, and then proceeded to power wash his patio and all its furniture. Taking the **** much?

Year...dont you just love people like that......

[dryfie]

Apologies if this thread for England only.  Please delete if so.

Water scarcity | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

WWW.SEPA.ORG.UK

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Water scarcity and drought information for Scotland

 

[minus10]

1 hour ago, dryfie said:

Apologies if this thread for England only.  Please delete if so.

Water scarcity | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

WWW.SEPA.ORG.UK

---

Water scarcity and drought information for Scotland

 

No it isnt just for England only although obviously that is where the most severe conditions are. Your post shows that the general dry theme applies accross the uk with many parts of south east scotland also drier than average....as well as the nw highlands oddly..

[Nick L]

7 hours ago, ResonantChannelThunder said:

First day of the hosepipe ban down here. 

Last night, our neighbour power washed his two cars for the second time in a week, and then proceeded to power wash his patio and all its furniture. Taking the **** much?

I've never understood those who obsessively wash their cars multiple times a week. 

[Methuselah]

15 minutes ago, Nick L said:

I've never understood those who obsessively wash their cars multiple times a week. 

I asked that very question, some 45 years ago; and was told (in all seriousness) that it reduces air-resistance. Just how fast that person expected to go, in a 1300CC Ford Cortina, is anyone's guess!

Edited August 5, 2022 by Ed Stone

[SnowBear]

Things getting really serious in France. 

France drought: Parched towns left short of drinking water

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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Trucks are supplying many parched French towns with drinking water after an exceptionally dry July.

 

[cheese]

On 03/08/2022 at 13:29, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Grasses over here are turning into that lovely lush green colour again as we have had quite a bit of rain over the last few nights, sometimes heavy. Just goes to show that the grass does quickly revive itself once the rains arrive.

Yeah, the grass turned green again very quickly here after we had 20mm of rain in the final 10 days of July. Yorkshire Water are still discussing the possibility of a hosepipe ban though - no surprise given how low reservoirs are.

There’s no rain in the forecast at all here now so we’ll see if the grass starts turning yellow again. GFS shows 0mm between now and the 15th, so a very dry first half of August looks likely. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by cheese

[ChannelThunder]

I've enjoyed various family members' takes on this over the last few weeks! First it was 'August will be a washout now, I guarantee it'. Me saying 'I look at the models and know that isn't going to happen' wouldn't have been the response they were looking for.

Now, I'm told that we'll have one of the wettest autumns ever, like in '76 and other drought years. While I hope it's true, at least to some degree, just because it's been incredibly dry for the last few months, that's never a guarantee that nature will come in all guns blazing to level it out. It's probably just as likely these conditions go on into the autumn, but I really hope they don't.

[mountain shadow]

Lovely green grass over here. Personally I'm looking forward to some warmth and dry weather.

The Azores High has done the North West no favours so far.

[stainesbloke]

3 hours ago, ResonantChannelThunder said:

I've enjoyed various family members' takes on this over the last few weeks! First it was 'August will be a washout now, I guarantee it'. Me saying 'I look at the models and know that isn't going to happen' wouldn't have been the response they were looking for.

Now, I'm told that we'll have one of the wettest autumns ever, like in '76 and other drought years. While I hope it's true, at least to some degree, just because it's been incredibly dry for the last few months, that's never a guarantee that nature will come in all guns blazing to level it out. It's probably just as likely these conditions go on into the autumn, but I really hope they don't.

The UK has experienced quite a few periods of prolonged dry weather and the rain always returns in due course to balance things out. Sometimes with severe and tragic consequences. It’s the UK so despite things being very dry in much of southern Britain currently, I reckon it’ll flip around mid autumn and there’ll hopefully be a few wet months to top up groundwater levels.

Edited August 6, 2022 by stainesbloke

[richie3846]

7 minutes ago, stainesbloke said:

The UK has experienced quite a few periods of prolonged dry weather and the rain always returns in due course to balance things out. Sometimes with severe and tragic consequences. It’s the UK so despite things being very dry in much of southern Britain currently, I reckon it’ll flip around mid autumn and there’ll hopefully be a few wet months to top up groundwater levels.

Met office scientists published an article examining rainfall 1971 to 76 and found it was the driest spell of 5 years in England and Wales. Dry spells don't always necessarily end quickly with lots of rain. With the current uncertainty in our climate, I wouldn't bet my grandma on a wet late autumn quite yet! Though it would be gratefully received if it did happen, it'll take 3 months average rainfall just to saturate the soil, more if the rains start before the end of the growing season. 

[stainesbloke]

40 minutes ago, richie3846 said:

Met office scientists published an article examining rainfall 1971 to 76 and found it was the driest spell of 5 years in England and Wales. Dry spells don't always necessarily end quickly with lots of rain. With the current uncertainty in our climate, I wouldn't bet my grandma on a wet late autumn quite yet! Though it would be gratefully received if it did happen, it'll take 3 months average rainfall just to saturate the soil, more if the rains start before the end of the growing season. 

It’s a good point that climate change may well be messing with normal rainfall. We don’t know when the dry pattern will break but it will break at some point, as it’s not quite southern California here just yet. I’m also hopeful of a wet autumn as it’ll massively help agriculture and growers. Hopefully not too much in the way of flooding though.

[ChannelThunder]

There is actual rain on the GFS. It's all in FI, but it's something to cling to!

[Weather26]

2 minutes ago, ResonantChannelThunder said:

There is actual rain on the GFS. It's all in FI, but it's something to cling to!

I've been thinking for weeks that the GFS Needs the plug taking out and putting back in again.

[Methuselah]

2 minutes ago, Weather26 said:

I've been thinking for weeks that the GFS Needs the plug taking out and putting back in again.

What if we were to pull your plug out and stick it in again? Would you make any sense?

[Northernlights]

Although its been a mostly dry summer here too we have had showery days like today. Just allow us farmers in the north of Scotland a nice dry fortnight at the end of August  beginning of September to collect the harvest and then it can pour down. Heavy days rain about two weeks ago turned al the crops green again but they are now nicely ripening.

[stainesbloke]

Would be nice if September turns very thundery, been very poor for storms across much of the country so far

[Wold Topper]

1 hour ago, Weather26 said:

I've been thinking for weeks that the GFS Needs the plug taking out and putting back in again.

Have you thought to check if your 'plug' is wired correctly  

[Polar Maritime]

Dug all my King Edward's up today a total of 72 kg from the veg patch. No point keeping them In any longer what with such dry weather on the horizon... Will make place for 20 odd January King cabbages in pots I've grown on for the winter.

[SnowBear]

20 minutes ago, Polar Maritime said:

Dug all my King Edward's up today a total of 72 kg from the veg patch. No point keeping them In any longer what with such dry weather on the horizon... Will make place for 20 odd January King cabbages in pots I've grown on for the winter.

Farmers I've spoken to reckon the spud crop this year is up to half what it should be. 

[damianslaw]

On 05/08/2022 at 00:22, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

It may be hard to imagine at the moment, but frontal rain will be back for all areas of the UK eventually. I can see autumn being wetter than average this year, and perhaps winter too. The weather always seems to balance itself out in the end.

Autumn 1976 was wet and September 1995 was fairly wet. And let's not forget about the notorious 2012, which became very wet after the hose pipe ban was announced in the spring.

1995 summer was early on in a 24 month very dry period mind.. Sept was wet, but the rest of autumn was very dry and this theme dominated 1996 and first part of 1997 except Feb. However, the current dry weather started back in Nov 21, and much of 2021 brought notable length drier periods so in terms of timing more on a par with 1976 and likewise 2012.