SE England Drought

[P.K.]

It has been very dry here the last 19 months or so. Last month had above average PPN but it is the wrong time of year to replenish ground supplies. Some drought orders have been issued and others may be given. Worryingly it has been drier than it was before the 1976 drought where stand pipes had to be set up in the streets and water supplies were cut at times every day.


First drought order takes effect

The order comes even though it has been the wettest May since 1983
The first drought order in England and Wales in 11 years has come into force, affecting 650,000 people.

The order by Sutton and East Surrey Water extends an existing hosepipe ban to add restrictions on sports grounds, parks, car washes and window cleaners.

Other water companies have been given permission to bring in further orders, but do not plan to use them yet.

Forecasters have said despite it having been the wettest May since 1983 it will do little to affect the dry conditions.

BBC meteorologist Jay Wynne said: "It's been wet in May but it's not going to have an impact on the current drought."

Mr Wynne said it would take a prolonged spell of above-average rainfall to make up for the 18 months of dry weather.

Mike Hegarty, director of operations at Sutton and East Surrey Water, said the recent rain would be largely soaked up by plant life that had endured several dry months beforehand.

"It is winter rainfall that matters to us," he said. "Spring, summer rainfall doesn't really affect the situation. It takes months and months to re-fill the aquifers."

The drought order affects both domestic and business properties in the South East.......... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5022690.stm

More stories on this can be found on the right hand side of that page.

[ChaserUK]

just like to add that in Jersey its been wall to wall sunshine for 2 weeks now - temps have been rising nicely with temps well over 80 today as they have been most of this week.

This is great apart from where I work has reached 90F on 5 consecutive days now with NO ac - which is not fun!

[tropicana]

Sooo thats where the hot weather has gone?
Certainly not in Ontario. Apart from a heatwave that lasted about 3 days from May 29-31 in Southern Ontario..its been relatively comfy. This weekend is unseasonably chilly, even by Canadian standards.

But I saw London's Heathrow hit 29.4C 85F today!

woohoo

-justin-

[KWT]

Hottest temp in the UK this year so far has been 32C, or 90F, somewhat cooler now but still not cool by any means.

[TexasStooge]

The Dallas/Ft. Worth area is also experiencing the worst drought. Some areas are already under Stage 3 water restrictions (meaning you're forced to reduce watering to once a week).