Strands #263 “You're Getting...
Quizzes & Puzzles0 min ago
This spring and early summer has been cold and a washout. Can anyone remember a worse one?.
We had our warmest May on record, and it reached 30c in June in some parts of the country. By way of comparison in 1962 the temperature never got above 27.8c in the entire year. So, yes there have been plenty of worse ones
People have too high expectations of British summers. Bear in mind we have 3,000 miles of ocean to our west
The 'warmest May on record' was only because it was a fraction warmer at night! I can remember snow at Easter; I can remember hailstorms during Summer months; a cricket match at Queensbury was snowed off in June once in the 1950's (I think)- but I cannot remember a colder and wetter Spring and Summer. Remember that Lammas (1st August) is traditionally the beginning of Autumn!...... the seasons have moved around a bit since then, I know and August is generally considered Summer - but still!
I live in a chalk valley over a vast prehistoric underground lake and springs are common wet areas every year. They usually arrive about February and have gone by the end of April so the fields can be grazed and planted. They came up by December last year and after about 4 or 5 weeks dry in the fields - they are back!
The Gypsey Race doesn't always flow (a sort of drainage chalk river from the Howardian hills through to Bridlington) It is still running - since early December! Known as 'The Woe Waters', it presages tragic and momentous events. It ran in 1914 and 1939 for a start.
On top of this a sheep-farmer I know is struggling to shear his sheep! It is too wet and cold. He had orphan lambs living in his kitchen in the Spring - it was too cold in the barn.
No, I can't remember a worse one.
You should be careful quoting 'hottest day ever'.
Measurements and places are not always the same, for instance many measurements are taken in large concrete areas and simply dont reflect the true temperature.
Yes, I remember plenty of British summers like this, often simply to do with the Gulf stream that tends to affect us a fair bit depending on where it is.
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