No Indian Summer on the horizon - sorry
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THERE is no Indian Summer on the horizon to help vanquish the memory of the current doom and gloom over Badenoch and Strathspey.
Forecaster James Madden, of Exacta Weather, has just told the Strathy that he expects there to be more cloud and rainy weather for the remainder of the summer.
The Grantown Show takes place this Thursday and organisers the Strathspey Farmers’ Club will be keeping their fingers crossed for some respite.
If the rains continue and come in heavier as forecast for Wednesday then it could turn the Heathfield Showground into a quagmire.
Of course, it will be nothing new for spectators who in recent years have still turned out in their thousands despite the wet weather and muddy foot conditions.
Mr Madden told the Strathy today: "August will have to show a major improvement to avoid a cold and wet UK summer this year.
"As it stands at present with more unsettled weather in store, a colder than average summer with above average rainfall is looking extremely likely.
"The torrential downpours and severe flooding that we have seen in early August, have already seen parts of Yorkshire receive more than one month’s rainfall in just 12 hours.
"Parts of north-east England and Northern Ireland also experienced severe conditions due to localised flooding, with further flood alerts also put in place across Northern England and Scotland."
He cvontinued: "With the very little that is left of summer, the UK is likely to see more spells of unsettled weather in August with the possibility of some very severe rainfall as I originally forecast back in January, and as we are seeing at present.
"It will feel much more like autumn than summer at times with dominant grey skies, regions such as Scotland and the north-east could once again bear the brunt of what has already been a below average summer in terms of temperature with above average rainfall.
"The summer as a whole is shaping up to be one of the coldest in decades based on Central England Temperature (CET)."
There has not been a hot summer in the strath since 2006 and despite some warm sunshine in April once again there has been little to encourage locals to get their barbecues out.
However, it has been a smiliar picture across the UK which will be some comfort.
Mr Madden said: "June turned out to be very wet and unsettled across the UK. Rainfall was largely above average, with many areas seeing more than 150% of their normal rainfall amounts, including drought hit eastern areas.
"June was also the coldest in the UK for 10 years, with Northern Ireland experiencing their coolest June in 25 years. The mean CET data for June was -0.4C below average.
"July also turned out to be relatively wet and unsettled across many parts of the UK. Certain parts of England and Scotland received 200% of their normal rainfall amounts, with rainfall amounts elsewhere more near average overall.
"The minimum temperature resulted in the coldest July across the UK in over 30 years. The minimum CET data had a significant anomaly of -1.1C.
"Although it has felt more pleasant at times with less rainless days during July in certain regions, the mean CET data for July was -0.8C below average.
"Other long range forecasters failed to consider the intensity of the rainfall when it occurred or the minimum temperature, just as they will underestimate the intensity of snowfall and below average temperatures this winter.
"Many regions across the UK have also experienced notable grey skies due to above average cloud cover.
"I expect this trend to continue due to the low levels of solar activity that we have experienced in recent years."
