SE England-centric weather forecasts!

[chadspad]

Had huge thunder storm and fat rain drops here this morning M3! Helped fill the water butts a little but not enuf for the temperatures we have had of late. Our lake dried up completely last year, losing 30 or 40 huge carp (obviously we tried to save them by putting them in make-shift tanks etc but the shock must have been too much). Fortunately we did manage to save a couple of tiddlers and they appear to be doing just fine.
Are u on a hosepipe ban M3?

[Millymollymandy]

Actually, I've just been looking at the website for the secheresse and our dept seems to be in situation normal. Can't think why. Rennes (30 km south) has an average rainfall for June of 50mm but has had only 2mm!!

We have a large pond/small lake with carp and perch and other fish. We got very worried last summer as the level dropped about 130cm, but it must be about 2.5 metres deep in the deepest bit so the fish survived luckily. It was very murky and brown/green though. Really depressing to look at. Anyway I'm really sorry about your pond and the poor fish. How deep is your lake?

Anyway we haven't had any rain to speak of since about mid May, and we had way below average rainfall that month too. My silver birch are yellowing and dropping their leaves. I can't believe we are having another drought when the water companies keep saying the situation is normal and the reservoirs are all full!!!

One thing that REALLY REALLY bugged me is that the town lake never dropped its level at all last summer. Perhaps that's why our water bills are sky high in this area! Grrrrrr.

Here's a photo of my pond in mid Sept - it got worse than this before it filled up in the October rains. The water level when full should be up to the right side of the photo.

[chadspad]

We havent got a hosepipe ban here either at the moment but even then we have our own source so the ban doesnt apply. The source is where we get all our home water from & the overflow from the source & our grey water feeds the lake. The problem last year was the source practically dried up, we were lucky that there was just enuf for our house usage, altho washing clothes & showers etc were on an only when completely necessary basis!

I have a couple of before and after photos but I havent got a clue how to put them on here - could u help me out please or shall I ask on a separate topic?


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[Martin]

we've just had a swift crash bang wallop down here in the baking desert of the south - hefty deluge- sun now back out, atmosphere resembling turkish bath - but waterbutts overflowing!

[wulf]

Photographic evidence (I decided that prudence dictate taking a slightly longer lunch break and grabbing some photos rather than walking back to work and getting soaked):



Wulf

[Stonehead]

Fog is settling rapidly here. We had fog all morning, clearing about 1pm leaving a grey overcast until 3.30pm-ish when we had some sun! But by 7.30pm or so, the fog was back.

Still, we've got a lot of the vegetable beds weeded (again), sprayed the potatoes with Bordeaux mixture against blight, cut vast swathes of grass, cut out the rust in the rear sill and bumper of the OH's Discovery, repainted the the rear chassis and towbar of the Disco, cut most of the planks for two more muck boxes, entertained two small boys, and done all the usual chores. Phew!

[Shirley]

went a bit murky for a while here but hazy sunshine persisted til quite late on... beautiful pink sky at the moment... I can sense another camera moment

[Stonehead]

Very thick fog now - can barely see the cottage or the steading, while the road and the neighbours' houses have all vanished into the murk.

[Millymollymandy]

I have a couple of before and after photos but I havent got a clue how to put them on here - could u help me out please or shall I ask on a separate topic?

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Have a look at this which Muddy kindly posted:

http://selfsufficientish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=626

Hope it helps.

[Millymollymandy]

Yippee I woke in the night to - guess what? - THUNDER, LIGHTNING and then RAIN, RAIN and yet more RAIN. We got

20mm

of it, which is a whopping great amount all in one go! Our first thunderstorm in this house too!

So now my lawn will green up again and the fruit trees will be fertilised with the wood ash I'd sprinkled around, which was sitting forlornly waiting to be watered in!

[chadspad]

Thats great news M3 - I always think I can almost hear the plants sighing with sheer pleasure at the rain

Ive learnt how to use photos, thanks to that link - there will be no stopping me now!

Heres how our lake should look - (my house is the limestone one at the bottom, the farmhouse at the top is my parents). The lake doesnt appear to be as big as yours but is probably a couple of foot deep in parts (when its full).


This was how it looked last summer.


Doesnt seem there will be a problem this year as the water levels havent been affected yet. My farmer friends have also told me that this summer wont be as hot and dry as last year, which is a relief!

[Millymollymandy]

I'm glad you worked out how to post photos. Really depressing that bottom picture. Not just the lake but the browness everywhere. It's not all fun in the sun, is it?

[chadspad]

No its not all fun! Always wanted to live somewhere hot but think theres a definite difference in sitting by a pool in the heat on holiday and actually living in it, day to day. I remember last year going to do gardening at 7am and by 10am it was just too damn hot to be outside anymore - that wasnt much fun at all! Dont think its been anywhere near as hot yet this year, still it is only early July, so theres plenty of time to heat up.

[ina]

Btw, a couple of days before Stonehead started this thread, we had groundfrost... And the news full of the heat wave!