Summer's rainfall the highest for 100 years in Leicestershire
This summer has been the wettest for 100 years.
Rain has consistently battered the county over the past three months – with a freak storm in June alone causing almost half a month's worth to fall in just an hour.
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The summer ended as it began, with heavy rainfall, this time affecting a Tigers supporter
Yesterday, Mercury weatherman Dave Mutton said 373.2mm (14in) of rain had fallen in Leicestershire during June, July and August, making it the soggiest summer since 1912. A typical summer would see about 170mm.
He said: "We had the wettest April since records began and now the wettest summer for 100 years.
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"It's hard to say why, but some might argue global warming – it'll be interesting to see if this kind of weather becomes the norm."
In June, extreme weather saw fire crews rescuing several motorists who had climbed on to the roofs of their cars to escape gushing floodwaters.
The anomalies continued with a tornado which ripped through the county and hailstones the size of golf balls which peppered homes and cars.
On one day alone, the fire service dealt with more than 400 incidents related to wet weather.
A fire service spokesman said: "The service dealt with an unusually high volume of calls because of storms in June and July.
"Our fire control operators dealt with more than 400 calls on June 28, when the wet weather was at its peak."
Met Office spokesman Dave Britton confirmed that rain had been unusually high and said: "We're more likely to see these sorts of extremes due to global warming."
The uncharacteristic weather has affected more than just the sales of umbrellas and wellies.
Many businesses have reported financial losses.
Alan and Carol Ludlam, who run a pick-your-own fruit business at Cattows Farm, in Heather, said they had lost about £50,000 due to the extreme rainfall.
Carol said their entire crop of strawberries and asparagus had been destroyed.
"It's been a horrendous season," she said. "I haven't eaten one bowl of our strawberries.
"At the start of the season they weren't getting enough sun when they were in the white stage, so they never ripened.
"Then, the strawberries were being constantly peppered with rain so they bruised and went brown – they were ruined.
"That income usually supports us for the year, but we've not had anything from it."
While the rain has meant a gloomy summer for some, water companies said the excessive downpours had bolstered reservoir supplies.
Severn Trent said Swithland Reservoir was full – almost double the level it would expect at this time of year.
Its other site in Cropston is 86 per cent full, compared with the usual 67 per cent.
A Severn Trent spokeswoman said: "We're way above our target water levels for this time of year.
"Cropston is very healthy and Swithland is at capacity."
Anglian Water, which operates Rutland Water, said it was 96 per cent full.
A spokesman said: "We would expect somewhere between 85 and 88 per cent going into this time of year – the back end of summer – so for us it's good news that we're holding more than usual."
Comments
by 4_Stroke
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 2:57PM
“karinfall1955.... how often is warm weather used as proof of global warming (hottest June etc etc) you can't have it both ways. Every time we have mild weather in the UK global warming is touted as the cause. Back in 2003 when global warming hysteria reached a zenith that was last time we had a decent summer in the UK we were told this was the trend and to expect increasingly hotter dryer summers and milder wetter winters. This was followed with several Met Office predictions of record summer temperatures, the famous BBQ summers we never had. A run of mild winters and there were Met office predictions of extra mild winters, the same year we had record cold temperatures in the UK. The bottom line is that hot weather is continually used to justify global, and when it's cold the global warming pundits go into hibernation waiting for the next warm weather to arrive. Trying to latch on to extreme wet/dry/windy weather events is the new incarnation to try and keep the alarmism alive whilst the planet fails to get ay warmer. Public confidence in manmade global warming is declining because the forecasts that were made based on that theory are just not happening and enough time has passed now to show it one way or another. We have occasional extreme weather just the same as we always had and always will.”
by 4_Stroke
Saturday, September 01 2012, 9:34PM
“I see the met office can't resist giving global warming a plug. They should concentrate on trying to forecast the weather, something they have been incapable of doing over recent years.
So if this is due to global warming (sorry climate change) what was the reason 100 years ago?”
by karinfall1955
Friday, August 31 2012, 10:55AM
“I do wish when people described the weather they wouldn't use the term' global warming' but instead use 'climate change'. Global warming always leads people to point out unseasonably chilly days as their argument against the changes which even experts acknowledge are happening. The only question is - are we responsible or is it a natural phenomenon?”
by City_C10
Friday, August 31 2012, 9:32AM
“It has been a wet summer this year. It happenes from time to time look over the record books.”