The Great Meteorological Thread

We could split the water into hydrogen and oxygen. Re-oxygenate the planet and send the hydrogen into space as fuel for our inter-galactic conquest.
I'll put the wine down.
 
I do love storms .. we're supposed to get rain tonight but looking at how the weather has been I think we'll see a trickle at the most. Storms are a great photography challenge too, I'm still working on that lightening shot .. it's going to happen one day!! :)
 
I actually welcome the early start of summer. april is known for having showers, but we have been let off. I mean come on we complain when theres too much rain, now we are getting concerned that there isn't any. i think having a nice summer after yet another harsh winter is quite rewarding.
 
Wait for july and august. You could well need a boat to get anywhere
 
Carter64 said:
We could split the water into hydrogen and oxygen. Re-oxygenate the planet and send the hydrogen into space as fuel for our inter-galactic conquest.
I'll put the wine down.
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Strangely that all makes perfect sense to me, and I've not been near
any alcohol all evening :D
 
Just rained a little bit where I am. Not for long though but better than nothing
 
I was slightley but now need to find brolly that is wet out there now
 
It's chucking it down outside here. Hope it clears up soon as it'll seriously impact the numbers that come to dog training today which will reduce my potential dog portraiture sittings.
 
Ian D J said:
:D There is that, but this is the ex-farmer and amateur meterologist in me talking. ;) Old habits die hard.

Indeed it is nice to have a drop of sunshine - but when it drags on for nearly five weeks straight along with no rain at all and everything is wilting around me, it's time to be just that little bit aware of it, especially if a house is built on clay-based soil and subsidence start to show up.

And this is still only mid-Spring. If this trend continues into the Summer, then perhaps it may be too little too late.
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Ian's comment about clay-based soil is relevant if you're trying to buy/sell houses - you can find major problems with foundations and drains. :eek:

Ian D J said:
Hi Jean! Indeed, I was eight years old at the time but it was that very Summer which sparked off my interest in meteorology and it kinda grew from there.
Regarding that infamous Summer, it wasn't so much the heat (even though there were a few days which saw to temperatures rising above the 90 F mark and remember feeling how pavements where often hot to the touch), but the constant dryness with well-below average rainfalls that started in the previous summer and kept going through the winter and into 1976 that caused the problem.
I can also remember how it all very quickly broke down with heavy rain and thunderstorms in about the third week of August and it lead to the wettest September for 200 years.

Am very interested to see how the Summer of 2011 will turn out. Although I am still recovering from August 11th 2003 when it reached 99.8 F at my location . . . and what did I used to do at the time? I was working in a greenhouse as a tomato farmer. :gag:
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We'd never lived so far from the sea and I can remember longing for sea breezes and the beach!

I seem to remember 26 June 1976 temperatures over 100 F were recorded at Wimbledon - I only remember this because the butter cream icing on my son's birthday cake literally melted!

Working in a greenhouse in 2003 must have been a nightmare - no wonder you remember it so well. The tomatoes must have been going to market ready cooked! :lol:


But - it's finally raining here. I believe we need about a week of constant downpour to 'catch up', and I promise not to moan - well not too much! ;)

Jean
 
And over here, the summer-like feel continue as the sun is out and the eternal dryness drags on unimpeded (all we had was a tiny spitty bit of rain at 5.30 am that didn't even touch the sides. Since it hadn't shown up on the rain gauge so this makes today the 34th straight day with no measurable rainfall).
 
Cat not too fond of thunder and lightning so didn't sleep too well last night and if she don't sleep, neither do we!
 
Raining now, great hope it pours all day even though we are racing today, need loads of it to make the crops grow to make our money :D
 
Raining here. Well it was bound to rain this w/e as Worcester races have their first race meeting and it always rains on Worcester race days.

There was a cartoon done once depicting Worcester races and it was two horses in boats rowing against each other with the jockeys at the helm.
It was very good.
 
Looks like we had a drop in the early hours
mildly damp now but thats about it.


Mike Jackson said:
It's chucking it down outside here. Hope it clears up soon as it'll seriously impact the numbers that come to dog training today which will reduce my potential dog portraiture sittings.
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And "we" as a race can't resist in moaning about the the weather No matter what its doing :D
 
Raining quite heavily in central Warwickshire currently which is a bit of a PITA if I am honest as I have to load and unload 1/2 a ton of equipment into the car and perform an outdoor site survey within the next couple of hours

And I want it to be dry for the TP Brandon Marsh meet tomorrow ;)

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Having caught up on this thread, I think I have put a jink on things! :eek: :naughty:

I have a feeling that in time it'll only be a "in my back yard" thing as it's still bone dry and rain-free over here.

But this is only a small blip in what will probably be a long dry summer. We need at least weeks and weeks of "useable" rain (as in soft and light rain to soak into the ground rather than the harsh thundery stuff that will just wash away) to get things back to normal, at least for the South and East of the UK.
 
Ian D J said:
And over here, the summer-like feel continue as the sun is out and the eternal dryness drags on unimpeded (all we had was a tiny spitty bit of rain at 5.30 am that didn't even touch the sides. Since it hadn't shown up on the rain gauge so this makes today the 34th straight day with no measurable rainfall).
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Ian D J said:
Having caught up on this thread, I think I have put a jink on things! :eek: :naughty:

I have a feeling that in time it'll only be a "in my back yard" thing as it's still bone dry and rain-free over here.

But this is only a small blip in what will probably be a long dry summer. We need at least weeks and weeks of "useable" rain (as in soft and light rain to soak into the ground rather than the harsh thundery stuff that will just wash away) to get things back to normal, at least for the South and East of the UK.
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At least we've got somebody to blame then, Ian. :lol:

After a decent half inch or so overnight, we've only had slight showers today and enough sun to dry the grass in between. Lots of standing water in the Forest, though, because I guess it's too dry for the rain to soak in. :(

My son and family in Sandhusrt are hoping the rain will help put out the Swinley Forest fire. :eek:

Jean
 
Bloomin wet here last night and raining again although it quite warm, rain started late afternoon so we had a nice run out in the car top down earlier. For those of you wanting to water the garden but are metered try washing the dishes in a bowl and throwing the waste water onto the garden after use, if you're really keen you could also siphon the bath/shower water into buckets/bowls and splash that about too. Did this years ago when we last had a hosepipe ban.
 
After the mile walk back from the gym I can safely say we have some rain. Drowned rat isn't even a suitable description :lol:
 
jeangenie said:
Ian's comment about clay-based soil is relevant if you're trying to buy/sell houses - you can find major problems with foundations and drains. :eek:



We'd never lived so far from the sea and I can remember longing for sea breezes and the beach!

I seem to remember 26 June 1976 temperatures over 100 F were recorded at Wimbledon - I only remember this because the butter cream icing on my son's birthday cake literally melted!

Working in a greenhouse in 2003 must have been a nightmare - no wonder you remember it so well. The tomatoes must have been going to market ready cooked! :lol:


But - it's finally raining here. I believe we need about a week of constant downpour to 'catch up', and I promise not to moan - well not too much! ;)

Jean
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I have memories of the hot summer of 76- I gave birth to my youngest son on a very hot day- a labour ward- about the only place worse than a greenhouse on that day!:)
 
ladysue said:
I have memories of the hot summer of 76- I gave birth to my youngest son on a very hot day- a labour ward- about the only place worse than a greenhouse on that day!:)
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Oooo, Sue - I really sympathise! My youngest was born on a very hot day (in April!) the previous year, but I don't think it was quite as hot as most of '76. ;)

Jean

Edit - It's raining again! :-)
 
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We had 4.1mm of rain overnight, which brings my annual total up to 82.3mm, that's 50% down on the same period as last year.

I know we all love nice weather, but getting serious for a minute. I live in the middle of one of the UK's major food growing areas and believe me the farmers do need rain and not just the odd shower, which does very little for parched soil. I for one am very pleased to see some rain at last.:thumbs:
 
killwilly said:
I know we all love nice weather, but getting serious for a minute. I live in the middle of one of the UK's major food growing areas and believe me the farmers do need rain and not just the odd shower, which does very little for parched soil. I for one am very pleased to see some rain at last.:thumbs:
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I agree about how potentially serious the dry weather is at this crucial stage of crop growing. I just hope we have enough rain to catch up.

Jean
 
Mornin' all. Woke up to laden grey skies an hour ago but now the sun's out again.

And still no rain has been observed nor recorded on my electronic rain gauge yesterday and into last night, and so the dryness continues unimpeded.

Yours Ian D J, from the Gobi Desert . . . I mean, Kent.
 
It's positively pizzling in Stoke. Has been since last night. Soil was rock hard, did try digging it the other day but had to water it first to even make a dent!
 
Been pishing down for the last 28 or so hours here. Major storm last night and also we had some thunder on Friday night.
I reeseded the lawn over Easter and until friday there wasnt even a hint of a sprout.. Now we almost have a full lawn again!!

God bless the rain!!
 
It started here Saturday evening and rained steadily into the night.
And like TCR I now have a few green shoots on the seeded "patches"
 
Still no rain . . . but got this shot earlier on today while riding the bike home from a friend's house.

Taken at Radnor Park, Folkestone.

Altostratus%2Bundulatus.jpg


A quick explanation on what this cloud type is and how it forms; It usually appears when moist and warm upper air try to shift the cooler and drier surface air but instead the warmer upper air rides over it and this cloud layer just happened to have got caught up in it.
Think of warm water sitting on top of chilled cooking oil and you stir that warm water around (but not the cooking oil below).
This cloud effect is usually very short lived as the warmer upper air finally wins out, or the sun heats up the cooler surface air and the lot breaks down, as indeed that's exactly what has happened here. The sun is out and feels very warm indeed.

Anyway, thanks for taking part in this fast-growing thread! Makes me feel like I'm really a part of TP! :thumbs: :cool: :lol:
 
Ian D J said:
Anyway, thanks for taking part in this fast-growing thread! Makes me feel like I'm really a part of TP! :thumbs: :cool: :lol:
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b****r! another failure
:lol::lol::lol:

Thats one ugly looking sky Ian, thanks for the explanation :thumbs:
 
I think that it was Ian that posted this link ages ago, (Thanks Ian :thumbs:)
I find it quite useful but its only a "short range" thing.

WILL IT RAIN? (linky)
 
Not me Ian, each one of the 25 houses in our rank has a well outside the back door, the gardens never dry up :D Ahh!! the Summer of 76, I can still hear the cold tap knocking like a Donkey`sback leg when you turned it on :lol:
 
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u8myufo said:
Ahh!! the Summer of 76, I can still hear the cold tap knocking like a Donkey's back leg when you turned it on :lol:
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:D :lol:

Cobra said:
b****r! another failure
:lol::lol::lol:

Thats one ugly looking sky Ian, thanks for the explanation :thumbs:
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:naughty: :wave: :razz: :lol:

I find that this one is better for showing short range/time rainfall as not only does it superimposes the cloud on it, but it shows up the lightning strikes . . .

http://www.meteox.com/h.aspx?r=&jaar=-3&soort=satradar

In the meantime, the blue skies are back. This photo was taken only ten minutes ago at the front of my house, straight out of my D3100, no adjustments, etc, etc.

BlueSky-1.jpg
 
Ian D J said:
I find that this one is better for showing short range/time rainfall as not only does it superimposes the cloud on it, but it shows up the lightning strikes . . .
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Another one book marked thanks :thumbs:
 
The difference in the sky between Post 73 and Post 77 is amazing - and all without shedding a drop of rain. :eek: Are those sunflowers in the second picture? They look as though they're about to flower - about a month early!

If I'm reading the info on the meteox link correctly, rain doesn't look very likely in Kent, Ian. We're back to bright sunshine and no rain-bearing clouds. :(

Jean
 
jeangenie said:
The difference in the sky between Post 73 and Post 77 is amazing - and all without shedding a drop of rain. :eek: Are those sunflowers in the second picture? They look as though they're about to flower - about a month early!

If I'm reading the info on the meteox link correctly, rain doesn't look very likely in Kent, Ian. We're back to bright sunshine and no rain-bearing clouds. :(

Jean
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:D They're budding roses, they're quite close to the foreground and in focus so they do look like sunflowers in the distance. :naughty:

But regarding our weather, that's just it and I'm glad you have observed that very well. That has been the general weather pattern in the past few months, any rain bearing clouds that does reach our area just fizzles out and we're constantly being left high and dry. I guess our close proximity to the continent probably isn't helping matters much.
Either that or some comic-book type baddie had erected an invisible weather shield over our town without us realising it. :naughty: :cuckoo: :lol:
 
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