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2007 The Year of Extraordinary Weather
• Year of extremes hits the UK
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By
Lady Tek-ee, Technology correspondent
Wednesday,
4 July, 2007
What an extraordinary year it has been for weather in the UK, so far!
Gale force winds in January, one of the warmest Aprils on record and now, officially the wettest June which saw unprecedented flooding in parts of the West Country, Midlands and North of England.
Many areas are still under water thousands of homes, businesses and farms ruined and flood damage running into billions of pounds.
In Eastern Europe there is a ferocious heatwave and droughts. There are major floods in Asia and forest fires in California.
Currently we are told there is a depression over the UK, a kink in the jetstream, which is holding back the normal incoming high pressure which brings fine weather at this time of year and dumping the contents of the oceans upon us.
Currently the two fronts are slugging it over the UK skies out like two heavy weight boxers with the weather changing violently from stormy to sunny several times each day.
On 3 July London witnessed one of its largest thunder storms in years (see separate full report in London Outdoors) as two weather fronts fought it out and the weather swung violently from storm to sunshine and back: one minute lightning and hail halting play at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in South West London, the next white fluffy clouds skidding across blue skies with the sun peering out briefly to wonder at all the commotion in the heavens.
The bishops say it is divine retribution for our wicked ways. Tennis fans lament being rained off on Number one Court when Nadal was 7-7 in a tie break. And how will the Tour de France riders fare when they set off on the race this weekend as it makes a rare UK appearance? In France a few weeks ago they race had to be curtailed when the riders were hit by giant hailstones.
Is it global warming? The experts can't agree what to predict except more of the same. Unpredictable.
The Naked Reader 2007
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