Today much of the UK is basking under the hottest day on record and, indeed, even the Isle of Lewis has managed into double figures (I recorded 19.3ºC although I wasn't in all day to keep an eye on it) and only the occasional thunderstorm with flash floods in Stornoway:
 |
| Dark skies over Stornoway |
 |
| A thundery orange tinged sky looking South down the Minch to The Shiant Isles |
However May and June combined show that for Stornoway they were just about the worst months for weather overall since records began in 1873 as a
post yesterday by Dr Eddy Graham stated:
Posted by Dr. Eddy Graham on 30 June 2015, 8:59 PM
It is official, May and June 2015 together will go down in the met history books as two of the most awful months (of their namesakes) ever recorded in Stornoway.
Overall, the May+June 2015 period was the 2nd wettest on record since 1873 in Stornoway, the 4th dullest (lack of sunshine) and 10th coolest since 1900. Put altogether, these are by far the worst weather statistics for May & June combined since records began in Stornoway in the mid 1850s
I agree that the weather this year is a royal pain. In our case, it's been unusually dry, with almost no rain, and several days of scorching heat. The big danger is wildfires - there've already been some, including one east of the mountains which raged for two days before being contained and burned about 3,000 acres and destroyed 28 homes. We have friends who live near to the fire zone, and they spent one night sitting up in their living room chairs, waiting for the fire dept. to tell them to evacuate. Fortunately the call never came and they -- and their home -- are still safe. Miraculously, there were no deaths or serious injuries. So the idea of a little cool weather and rain sounds pretty good right now! love to you and John, xoxo DeeDee/Carol
ReplyDeleteWell DeeDee I know which sort of weather I would rather have even if I do complain about it. I have grown used to beautiful weather over the last ten years because I've lived a constant summer but the climate in Hawkes Bay in New Zealand, though very warm and sunny, rarely gives rise to huge fires on the scale you have described. I hope that you and your friends all stay safe.
DeleteWoe, that is some pretty tough stats there. I meant to type "wow" for that first word but I think I'll leave it as typed!
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, it will surely improve after all that weather!
Hope the weather in July will improve for you especially since you have your brother with you!
Thanks Kay. It would be very good if the weather did improve both from the point of view of enjoyment but also so that the vegetables and flowers grow!
DeleteWe have had a particularly dry wet season this year ~ virtually non-existent ~ and an unusually wet dry season. Go figure! So in my little part of the world I know this year is different weather-wise to last and the one before. Does that mean the sky is falling in Chicken Little? Perhaps it is just the way things happen over time as your meteorologists have shown.
ReplyDeleteNo, Carol, it's nothing as mundane as natural change over time. It's the fact that the end of the world is nigh. I know that. I read it on a sandwich board that a chap used to carry as he walked up and down the main shopping centre in Liverpool when I was a child. Chichen Licken has a point.
DeleteThe pictures are great and the weather here in the Kingdom of Fife is SCORCHIO.
ReplyDeleteAdrian I am not, repeat not, envious.
DeleteI hope you are getting all the bad weather out of the way and that it is much improved for CJ's visit and stays improved in August. I can start counting sleeps in two days! Family rule is no counting until a month to go. Excited much? Me?
ReplyDeletePauline by the time you arrive here the weather will be beautiful and you will see Scotland and the Islands in all their glory!
DeleteOur weather has been its usual mix all year so far, but we had an unusually mild winter which meant an early start (about 4 weeks) for many plants compared to other years. This week, we've had two days over 30 Celsius already, and are in for a true scorcher this weekend with temperatures reaching as high as 38 Celsius. I love it!
ReplyDeleteMeike I'm not sure that 30ºC has ever been recorded on Lewis or even the Scottish Highlands.
DeleteGraham, the British Isles always manage to,produce the wettes, coldest, snowiest, hottest etc for x years astonishingly often. If sporting records were broken that often, someone would be running the minute mile by now.
ReplyDeleteFrances the minute mile? Oh how we can dream! Actually I can recall exactly where I was when Dr Roger Bannister achieved that: 6 The Lynxway in the great City of Liverpool.
DeleteThe weather sure has a mind of its own...we just have to make the best of it, but it can be so annoying sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWe're still experiencing severe drought conditions here on the island with no rain to really talk about. We are in June which brings some rainfall, but El Nino has certainly capsized the weather pattern.
Yes Virginia El Nino has really played havoc with the whole of the Atlantic region.
DeletePoor old Lewis! To have had such bad weather in May and June! You poor things! Yesterday was the hottest July day in Sheffield since records began back in 1882 and my own electronic thermometer recorded 35 degrees late yesterday afternoon. Sweltering!
ReplyDeleteIn Napier, YP, I'd be delighted with 35ºC but here (where it never happens of course) or in the UK it tends to be quite humid at that temperature and I'm not sure that I'd be so happy with it.
DeleteI was in Stornoway briefly on Monday, yes, for that Red Arrows display. 5 minutes before the display time I was standing with Red10 looking at some VERY heavy low cloud which had just drawn in and at that stage it was extremely uncertain whether they would BE a display. Thanks to the nature of Hebridean weather being that it tends to change extremely fast, the boys gave it a go and as we now know they got the entire flat display in in the end. When the date was originally announced I felt quite hopeful that at least the end of June gave us the best shot possible at good weather, but there you go!
ReplyDeleteIt's quite strange to think, Robyn, that had I been on Lewis and had I gone to see the Red Arrows we might unwittingly have bumped into each other. As for good weather I would have said the same. Seems we were both wrong!
DeleteSweden too had unusually low average temperature in May and June, I think. Coldest since... I've forgotten when, but never mind :) Anyway July is off to a warmer start.
ReplyDeleteWell, Monica, it's a bit warmer on Lewis but the weather is not pleasant really and because it's warm (ish) damp, overcast and windless the midges are hell.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI had to delete that. What I meant to say was: Every time you mention the midges, I'm thankful to be living a more or less midge-free town life. (I hope the spill-chucker gets it right this time.)
DeleteToday (Friday) has been a sunny almost hot (for Lewis) day. And there have been no midges: perfect gardening weather.
Delete