The Isle of Wight is finally receiving a meaningful soaking today (Wednesday) after around 10 weeks of remarkably dry weather, bringing some much-needed rain for gardens and the countryside – as well as helping to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Rain has been falling across the Island throughout this morning, bringing an end to an exceptionally dry period which has seen little more than tiny smatterings of rainfall since early June.
Local forecaster Jamie Russell, of IW Met Service, has confirmed that the last notable rainfall was back on 10th June, when 4.6mm was recorded.
Since then, there has been very little in the way of measurable rain, making today’s persistent wet weather the first meaningful rainfall the Isle of Wight has seen in some 10 weeks.
The soaking will be particularly welcome for gardens and the wider countryside following the prolonged dry spell, while the rainfall will also help to reduce the risk of wildfires.
What’s perhaps more surprising is just how much rain has fallen in some areas. At IW Met Service’s weather station in Lake, as much as 18mm had already been recorded this morning – considerably exceeding initial expectations.
Jamie says that different computer forecast models had struggled to pin down exactly where the rain would fall and how much would be recorded…
“We have been looking through a few models this morning and only one of the models we use has even come close to the rainfall location and also the amount of rain we have seen!
Article continues below this advertisement “We expected 3-5mm of rain when using a blend of both models, but instead we have seen 18mm of rain so far at our Lake station!”
However, the wet weather isn’t expected to last all day. IW Met Service says the morning rain will clear eastwards, with brighter spells developing behind it and the possibility of an odd shower later. Temperatures are expected to reach 20-21c, perhaps 22-23c in northern and eastern parts of the Island.
Further showers are then expected tonight, some of which could be rather heavy, with another 1-3mm of rain forecast – although totals will be localised.
Soon be an extreme danger to life rain warning from the government,stay indoors get as high as possible in case of flooding.
Logic will suggest the best time to clean the gulleys and drainsis in the dry weather, but the IOW council is involved so logic goes out the window, when the downpours happen and they will will unless the tofu eating knit your own clothes brigade are right then flooding will occur , the council will blame everyone and anything for their own shortcomings, ceratinly in the last eight weeks I have not seen one gulley cleaner out and about, do we have one on the island or do we hire them in after the event.