I was woken at 3.00am on Friday morning by our cat, who obviously wanted some fuss and attention. Rather than wake Sue, I took the cat into our spare bedroom, where I opened the window to help cool the room. I then played with our cat until she decided that she'd had enough, at which point I sat on the bed trying to keep cool ... and the next thing I remember was waking up at 8.00am!
Sue and I went shopping during the morning, and the air temperature gauge in our car registered 31°C. It looked as if we were in for another hot day ... but by later afternoon dark clouds were massing on the horizon and the rumble of thunder could be heard. At 4.45pm the local forecast was for rain at 5.00pm ...
... and almost bang on time, the rain started!
The rain was not too heavy at first, but at 6.30pm the rainstorm hit us, and in a matter of minutes a river of rainwater was running down the road outside our house.
The rain stopped by 7.00pm ... and re-started just over thirty minutes later, although it was far less torrential. By 9.00pm the storm had passed, and we were left feeling much cooler, but with a smell of damp in the air.
Overnight the air temperature has dropped to something much closer to normal, and we have a cooling breeze from the west that is helping to make things feel fresher. As I write this just before 9.00am, it looks as if we will have a warm day, with the possibility of the odd shower of rain. With luck this will be the beginning of a more moderate spell of weather.
Sue and I went shopping during the morning, and the air temperature gauge in our car registered 31°C. It looked as if we were in for another hot day ... but by later afternoon dark clouds were massing on the horizon and the rumble of thunder could be heard. At 4.45pm the local forecast was for rain at 5.00pm ...
... and almost bang on time, the rain started!
The rain was not too heavy at first, but at 6.30pm the rainstorm hit us, and in a matter of minutes a river of rainwater was running down the road outside our house.
The rain stopped by 7.00pm ... and re-started just over thirty minutes later, although it was far less torrential. By 9.00pm the storm had passed, and we were left feeling much cooler, but with a smell of damp in the air.
Overnight the air temperature has dropped to something much closer to normal, and we have a cooling breeze from the west that is helping to make things feel fresher. As I write this just before 9.00am, it looks as if we will have a warm day, with the possibility of the odd shower of rain. With luck this will be the beginning of a more moderate spell of weather.
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Bob,
ReplyDeleteGreat you are getting some relief via the Rainy Storm. We sometimes in Summer have a series of very hot days -followed by Storms...same type of pattern your having now. I often say "It cannot get that hot without Storms arriving"- and it usually does. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteHot weather followed by storms is the normal pattern here as well, but the hot weather usually lasts a week rather than closer to a month. The recent storm was just what we needed, and everything feels much fresher this morning.
All the best,
Bob
No sign of rain here in Scotland but I'm going to my two year old grandsons birthday barbeque this afternoon so it's bound to rain then.
ReplyDeleteJim Duncan,
DeleteI hope that the weather stays fine for this afternoon's barbecue. We were supposed to have rain this morning (that was the forecast at 10.00pm yesterday), but at present there is no sign of it arriving.
Who'd be a weather forecaster these days? At present it must be a thankless task.
All the best,
Bob
I assumed that last evening and nights thunderstorms were intended to stop Londoners viewing the lunar eclipse. We were also forecast rain this morning (I'm on the very southern edge of London) which has not arrived but we are getting the promised wind so at least the temperature is finally temperate.
DeleteMike Hall,
DeleteAfter weeks of clear night skies, the first time there is something worth watching, there are clouds!
We've had no rain today, but it has been forecast for tomorrow ... but who knows it it will appear. The breeze has been very welcome, and has helped to cool our house down.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteI've only just seen your reply as I've been distracted by a family problem. However, the delay has at least allowed me to confirm that the forecast of rain on Sunday was correct: I'm sitting at my PC looking at the rain lashing down on the North Downs.
Actually, there has been something to watch during those clear nights as Mars was well positioned for all the amateur astronomical photographers. Pity that Martian weather is currently serving up a global dust storm so there is no detail to be seen. When the weather on two different planets conspires against you ...
Mike Hall,
DeleteI hope that your family problem has been resolved successfully.
We've just got back from a quick trip over the Thames into Essex, and it seems to have been raining on and off pretty well all day. It makes a pleasant change from the heat ... but it would be nice if it was just a few degrees warmer.
Because of the position of our house, we cannot see Mars as the top of the hill obscures that part of the horizon. I just wonder if there will ever be a manned mission to Mars during my lifetime; I hope so.
All the best,
Bob
We had cloud in Edinburgh last night so no moon of any colour for us.
ReplyDeleteWe've had the tiniest of showers this morning and the air is much cooler so although the food will be cooked on a barbeque we may well be eating it indoors.
Jim Duncan,
DeleteI'm sorry hat you didn't get a chance to see the moon last night. Due to the amount of cloud that was around last night across the UK, I wonder if anyone managed to see it.
I hope that the weather is warm enough for you to enjoy eating your food outside. It would make the day that little bit special.
All the best,
Bob
Barbeque went ahead as planned although breezier than we would have liked.
DeleteNo sign of rain.
Jim Duncan,
DeleteThat's great! I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves ... in spite of the wind.
All the best,
Bob
I have a particular fondness for thunderstorms; even when I was small, they filled me with a profound sense of well-being. Unfortunately, although I have seen some spectacular thunderstorms in Christchurch, they are very rare here. Great relief after a hot day (we get 30+ degrees here, too, in summer).
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteHave you ever seen a thunderstorm at sea? We have, and it was spectacular, with the lightening seeming to roll along the horizon. One could almost feel the energy.
All the best,
Bob
No: I have never been at sea long enough. I envy you. I have seen an enoprmous boly of lighhtning that began somewhere almost overhead and stretching off SW towards the Port Hills, some ten kilometres off. I don't know how high the thing was, but it must have been a couple of yards thick at our end. Huge!
DeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteThat sounds as if it was incredibly impressive!
On one cruise our ship was 'followed' by a waterspout for nearly twenty minutes. The captain - who was a member of the Royal Geographical Society - filmed it because it was such an unusual intensity, size, and duration.
All the best,
Bob