All hail the British summer: Freak weather batters the UK

 

By DAVID DERBYSHIRE - More by this author » Last updated at 00:31am on 4th July 2007 Comments

Just when you thought the weather couldn't get any worse, Britain was bombarded with huge hailstones yesterday.

As thunder and lightning swept across the UK, an inch of rain fell in less than an hour in parts of England, overwhelming drains and triggering floods.

At the peak of the storm, parts of the country were peppered with hailstones the size of 50p pieces.

Battersea in South London was blanketed in white in a scene more like winter than the height of summer.

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The snow-like scene in Clapham, South London, after a hailstorm yesterday

 

 

Only four miles away the tennis at Wimbledon was rained off yet again as the weather was blamed for a big fall in this year's attendance.

 

 

Last night the Met Office warned that more heavy showers and storms were on their way today and issued severe weather warnings for the South West.

The wet weather is expected to last at least until the weekend.

'There have been heavy, thundery showers across the whole of Britain,' said a spokesman. 'When you get showers at this time of the year, they are inevitably dramatic. We saw hailstorms across the UK too, which happens sometimes in the summer, but which can be surprising for the people involved.'

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The snow-like scene in Clapham, South London, after a hailstorm yesterday

 

 

Two girls aged 13 and 15 were treated for serious burns after being struck by lightning at the end of the school day at Ipswich High School.

The East of England Ambulance Service said the strike had blown the girls' shoes apart.

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Dramatic: Thunder clouds and lightning over London last night

 

 

'They were struck simultaneously,' said a spokesman. 'They both had entry and exit wounds on their arms and feet.' He said the girls, who remained conscious throughout their ordeal, had not suffered life-threatening injuries.

The stormy start to July follows the third wettest June on record.

According to Met Office statistics, 105.3mm or 41ins of rain fell last month. Only 1912 and 1982 were wetter.

It was also the dullest June for ten years, with just 33 hours of sunshine recorded at Jersey Airport - 15 hours below the average for the month.

But despite the cloud and rain, it was the 11th consecutive month to be warmer than average.

 

Chilly: A handful of hail yesterday

 

 

Although the rain is forecast to continue, the Environment Agency has removed its last severe flood warnings from the River Don, which warned of imminent threat to life and property. Last night, there were 13 less serious flood warnings and 48 flood watch alerts.

Around 280 people are still in temporary accommodation after their homes were flooded in Yorkshire more than a week ago. They have been told it could be many months before they return.

Doncaster Council said it will take another three or four days before water can be pumped from their homes in Toll Bar.

Firemen from 26 brigades have been brought in to help clear the floods.

The insurance industry says 27,000 homes and 5,000 businesses were hit by last week's floods. It believes the repair bill will top £1billion.

I blame global cooling.

 

Not Global Warning.

I blame nothing.

 

We just need to get on with it and stop complaining about every single weather event. Sure, we have had a lot of rain but when we have a lot of sun the reaction in the media is the same "Oh no, how awful are lives are!!!" They need to get a grip.

 

And with regard to the flooding in the UK............bulid on flood plains and your gonna get floods!

 

Also, the government removing a large chunk of the money for flood defenses also didn't help.

I hate it when it's wet like this, means I can't cut the grass.

 

Which is getting longer by the day due to the mix of rain and sun we're getting.

I blame nothing.

 

We just need to get on with it and stop complaining about every single weather event. Sure, we have had a lot of rain but when we have a lot of sun the reaction in the media is the same "Oh no, how awful are lives are!!!" They need to get a grip.

 

And with regard to the flooding in the UK............bulid on flood plains and your gonna get floods!

 

Also, the government removing a large chunk of the money for flood defenses also didn't help.

 

I agree. People seem to have a habit of complaining whatever the weather. I'm not complaining at all because it's cool, and that's how I like it.

Give me that over 30 degree plus temperatures any day.;)

And yes - building on flood plains was just asking for trouble.;)

woahhh it's worst than here and here's winter.. :wacko:

 

what a weird world

Is hail that rare in the UK? I think it's commonplace for summer.

I hate it when it's wet like this, means I can't cut the grass.

 

Which is getting longer by the day due to the mix of rain and sun we're getting.

:laugh3:

Dunno why, but i just find that sentence funny

You would though

Looks like lovely weather over there..:)

Torrential rain sweeps across UK

 

Torrential rain is sweeping across the UK, with flash floods leaving some homes waterlogged and schools closed.

 

The band of severe weather has hit southern and central England and Wales, and will move north to reach Scotland and Northern Ireland over the weekend.

 

Several roads in southern England and the Midlands are closed, with many rail and Tube services badly disrupted.

 

Berkshire and south London are among the worst affected areas, along with Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

 

Rain has been falling at up to 24mm (1in) an hour and some areas could see levels reach 70mm (2.8in) in 24 hours.

 

Homes flooded

 

The Met Office has severe weather warnings for Wales and central England for Friday evening. Warnings are in place for north-west England and north Wales on Saturday.

 

The Environment Agency has two flood warnings, both in north-east England on the River Hull.

 

Flash flooding has hit many parts of Berkshire, forcing the closure of at least three schools in Windsor and one in Maidenhead, where about 30 homes have been flooded and a woman had to be rescued from her car. The town's main shopping centre, Nicholson Walk, was also shut.

 

The Glade music festival near Aldermaston, Reading, had to be suspended because of severe flooding.

 

A National Trust property - Basildon Park, in the west of the county - has been closed because shops and the car park are flooded, and homes in Newbury have also been flooded.

 

Three people trapped in a building cut off by floods in Barry, south Wales, were rescued by emergency services.

 

Residents in the town have requested sandbags and a fire service dinghy has been sent.

 

In south Northamptonshire, the villages of Syresham and Helmdon - where a junior school has been evacuated - have been worst affected.

 

People are being advised not to attempt inessential journeys in Herefordshire and Worcestershire as floods hit roads and rail services.

 

In Hereford, the council handed out Wellington boots to help motorists trying to rescue about 200 vehicles stranded in a car park.

 

The approach to Luton airport has been closed because of flooding, causing delays for passengers trying to reach the airport.

 

Firefighters were called to help rescue children from Cherry Orchard Primary School in Worcester after it was flooded by half a foot of water.

 

The city's roads have been badly hit, with police advising drivers to take care on the only four remaining routes which are affected by standing water.

 

In West Sussex, Worthing Hospital has been flooded by 18in of water, with many homes also flooded across the county.

 

And in Cumbria a 64-year-old man has died after suffering head injuries while trying to bail water out of the flooded basement of his home in Alston.

 

Travel disruption

 

The weather is hitting roads and rail services, with London Underground's Circle line suspended, the District line partially suspended and several Tube stations closed because of flooding.

 

Network Rail says rail services between London and the West Country have been badly affected, with no trains running between Paddington and Bristol or between Newbury and Reading.

 

The London to Brighton line is badly disrupted, as are services between Sevenoaks and London Blackfriars. Flooding has also hit train services between Cardiff and Birmingham and between Leeds and Doncaster.

 

First Great Western advised passengers not to travel by train because of the extreme weather conditions.

 

Flooding is causing widespread problems on the roads in Surrey, Berkshire and south-west London, which the BBC Travel service described as "still badly flooded". The M40 in Warwickshire and the M50 in Worcestershire are closed due to flooding and there are reports of a landslide causing disruption on the M4 in west Berkshire.

'Extraordinary rainfall'

 

BBC weather forecaster Kirsty McCabe said: "We have had some quite extraordinary rainfall."

 

The Highways Agency has warned rain and spray can reduce visibility and more than double the distance it takes vehicles to stop.

 

Greater numbers of motorists than normal are expected to take to the roads because it is the start of the school holidays in many areas.

 

Road users in the West Midlands particularly were advised that heavy rain could affect their journeys.

 

North East Lincolnshire council is on a state of alert ahead of possible heavy rain this weekend, with thousands of sandbags being delivered to areas that suffered flooding in June.

 

Tory leader David Cameron is to visit an area of Lincoln on Friday afternoon to see the damage caused by the recent floods.

 

In June, four people died in floods which hit parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire, with more than 30,000 homes and 7,000 businesses affected.

 

Maidenhead: Around 30 homes flooded, main shopping centre closed.

Windsor: Two schools closed

London: Flash flooding hits parts of south and west London. Severe disruption to rail travel between London, Oxford and Bristol. Some Underground stations closed.

M4 motorway : Partially flooded between junctions 12 and 13

Barry, South Wales: Parts of the town are underwater. Three people trapped in a building rescued by emergency services.

Northamptonshire: Villages of Syresham and Helmdon hit by flash floods

North Yorkshire : Several villages affected by floodwater, including 30 homes evacuated in Gilling Beck

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/6907316.stm

Motorway landslide causes chaos

 

 

A landslip onto the M4 caused by heavy rain has led to traffic delays and flooding on the eastbound carriageway.

 

Deep water next to the collapsed bank reduced traffic flow to one lane between junctions 12 and 13.

 

The Highways Agency is advising motorists to avoid the area after severe weather caused floods and road problems across Berkshire.

 

The A34 at Chieveley has been closed because of flooding at the point where it passes under the M4 at junction 13.

 

Diversions are in place and traffic is moving slowly.

 

A Highways Agency spokesperson said: "At this stage the M4 is not closed but there may be some obstructions where debris has come out of the drains.

 

"There are quite a lot of incidents on the road and that is causing congestion."

 

She added: "Our advice is to avoid the area if possible."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/berkshire/6908862.stm

Off course the effects of the flooding has been made worst because it's the great getaway weekend, as many schools in this area have broken up for Summer.

 

So it took my 1 hour to get from London Road park & ride in Salisbury to Tesco on Southampton Road, a 3 mile trip, due to very heavy travel on the next to useless Salisbury Inner "Ring-Road", as soon as the council get around to getting the A36 Salisbury By-Pass built it will be better.

Off course the effects of the flooding has been made worst because it's the great getaway weekend, as many schools in this area have broken up for Summer.

 

So it took my 1 hour to get from London Road park & ride in Salisbury to Tesco on Southampton Road, a 3 mile trip, due to very heavy travel on the next to useless Salisbury Inner "Ring-Road", as soon as the council get around to getting the A36 Salisbury By-Pass built it will be better.

 

I suggest you get a bike. Three miles is well within range.;)

What about the first 13 miles from my house to the park & ride site?

 

Then the last 14 miles from the Tesco back home?

What about the first 13 miles from my house to the park & ride site?

 

Then the last 14 miles from the Tesco back home?

 

Buy a fold-up bike to put in the car, buy a bike rack, or move somewhere a bit nearer the amenities.;)

And cycle in the rain?

 

Where was I suppose to put my shopping from Tesco?

And cycle in the rain?

 

Where was I suppose to put my shopping from Tesco?

 

There are special bags you can buy to fix on the bike. Easy peasy.

And the rain won't kill you.:rolleyes:

And the rain won't kill you.:rolleyes:

^That depends... when the road is wet, you can easily fall down of your bike or motorbike when riding it.. :thinking:

Can those special bags hold large amounts of cans?

 

It will be easier than they open up the 5th (and final?) park and ride site, right opposite Tesco :)

 

Also it would be easier if I could remember the roads to take for the short-cut, one way it's easy, the other way is harder.

^That depends... when the road is wet, you can easily fall down of your bike or motorbike when riding it.. :thinking:

 

Or crash your car.

Can those special bags hold large amounts of cans?

 

It will be easier than they open up the 5th (and final?) park and ride site, right opposite Tesco :).

 

Won't that be defeating the object?

Your more likely to survive a car crash hitting something than hitting the same object on a bike.

Or crash your car.

... you are right....

Won't that be defeating the object?

 

The object of the park and rides is to keep cars away from the main city centre, as parking is limited & expensive...

 

...blah blah blah, link - http://www.salisbury.gov.uk/transport/park-and-ride/