I'd just like to let you know that the weather here has been pretty rubbishy for what seems like ages. Down here we're not getting the floods they have oop north, just lots of rain, and indeed yesterday some hail too.
This has a vaguely serious side. Clearly, one summer (or lack thereof) doesn't make for a trend; but its one answer to those who say "global warming; oh good Blackpool will be like the french riviera". It might just get warmer; but more likely weather patterns will shift; and who knows it could shift to excess summer rain.
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It's been bad all across the UK. Here in Scotland we have had many heavy showers, some with thunder and lightning. Normally this sort of weather only lasts a day or two, but this has been over a week now.
Down in Tewkesbury they had som fields flooded that had never been flooded before in June, at least as far as anyone could remember. This is important because over 2,000 re-enactors and maybe 10,000 members of the public were going to hold the re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury (1471) in those flooded fields.
Fortunately alternative arrangements have been made.
The Hadley centre are predicting that the UK will have more rain in teh winter and less in the summer, generally, and what we get will be more concentrated. (Thats as far as I can remember, its a while since I read their stuff on it)
Just to give you an idea. In Holland, June had a fifth place in warmth despite it's rainy and cloudy character. What greenhouse effect?
Problem is, a lot of people are saying "so much for global warming". The fact that June was over 1C over the 71-00 average doesn't matter as people are no longer remembering the average, plus add the lack of sunshine and extra rain and it "feels" cooler.
The quote I recently read from the Hadley Centre (it was quoted by someone else) was for more rain in winter and no clear signal for summer. My thinking was that if the PF moved northward we'd get, on average, warmer drier weather, but as the amount of northward movement would be far less than the general jet variability, you'll still get "bad" summers. Not that I know anything though.