22/06/2005 - After the
South has experienced the second driest winter
in over 100 years and some of the warmest
temperatures on record, the Environment Agency
is warning of the possibility of summer flooding.
Torrential rain led to the horrendous flooding
in North Yorkshire earlier this week. The
bad weather was caused by the heat and humidity
we’ve experienced in the South East bumping
up against cooler air from the North East.
This mixing of air often leads to these types
of summer storms and, as the humidity increases
over the next 36 hours, the sort of conditions
which gave this extreme rainfall are likely
to occur across the South tonight and tomorrow
Summer storms like this do occur in the South
and indeed the heaviest recorded rainfall
in England was just across the Hampshire border
at Martinstown in Dorset where in July 1955
over 280mm (11inches) of rain fell in one
day. Environment Agency flood forecasters
are watching these conditions carefully, we
all need to keep an eye on the weather and
flood warnings over this period.
Heavy rainfall can cause floods even when
water levels are low. This is because drier
and more compacted soils don’t soak up water
as easily and most just runs over the ground
and straight into rivers and streams. People
living close to rivers or streams that are
known to respond quickly to heavy rainfall
should be particularly aware over the next
36 hours.
At the other end of the weather spectrum,
continued dry weather in the South is having
serious impacts on the aquatic environment.
Across the region we are already seeing rivers
and streams beginning to dry up. The Wallop
Brook in Hampshire is dropping sharply, the
Lavant in West Sussex has not flowed at all
through Chichester and carp have had to be
rescued from a failing lake at Greenhithe
in Kent. Water temperatures in rivers and
streams are rising rapidly, which can only
mean further problems in the next few weeks.
Howard Davidson, Regional Director for the
Environment Agency in the South said:
"The weather in the South can change
very rapidly. At the moment we are in the
grip of one of the severest drought periods
in the last 100 years. Against this background
we must all do our bit to conserve water if
we are to preserve the environment of which
we are so proud. Fish, otters and a host of
other river life are dependent upon us using
water wisely.
"With the advent of possibly much more
stormy conditions we must all keep an eye
on the weather and flood forecasts if we are
to help protect lives, businesses and property
against what could be a very wet few days."
Anyone worried about the risk of flooding
or who would like to register with our Flood
Warning service should call 08459 881188.
