·

RAF called in to stop the flooding in Lincolnshire after UK hit by 1, 2 or close to 3 times the average June rainfall

lincolnshire-uk-flood-june-2019

580 homes north and south of the River Steeping in the town of Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire are evacuating after the river burst its bank at Thorpe St Peter. Some places across the UK recorded 1, 2 or close to 3 times their usual June rainfall in just a couple of days.

"Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th were particularly wet days, especially in the east and southeast England and northeast Wales, where some places recorded almost two months' worth of rain in one day," the UK Met Office said June 14.

Flintshire in northeast Wales is the wettest region so far this month, receiving 140.5 mm (5.53 inches) or 225% of its average June rainfall. This is followed closely by Lincolnshire, which recorded 111.2 mm (4.37 inches), or 198% of average June rainfall.

The wettest place relative to average this month is Wainfleet (Skegness) recording nearly three times (287%) its normal June rainfall so far.

In Ham Hill, Kent, 94.6 mm (3.72 inches) of rain fell within a 24-hour period – twice the June average of 47.6 mm (1.87 inches) for Kent.

While some areas in Britain have seen their full amounts of monthly rain, 'so far we don't think we're on track to beat the 2012 record as a wet June,' the UK Met Office said. June 2012 registered 150 mm (5.9 inches).

The map below shows the rainfall so far this month as a percentage of the June average. The dark blue areas are those that have already received more than twice their normal June rainfall. In contrast, Scotland has received just over half its normal June rainfall in the first half of the month so is much closer to what we might expect for this point in the month.

YouTube video

YouTube video

The Met Office issued a series of National Severe Weather Warnings for heavy rain and thunderstorms during this period, with amber rain warnings for London, southeast England and southeast Scotland. The Environment Agency issued numerous flood warnings and alerts, with significant flooding in Lincolnshire where over 100 properties were flooded by June 14.

On June 15, 580 homes north and south of the River Steeping in the town of Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire are evacuating after the river burst its bank at Thorpe St Peter.

Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopters have been deployed to drop sand in an attempt to repair deteriorated flood defenses.

According to the Met Office, the unsettled weather and heavy rain is a result of an omega blocking pattern, with low pressure in the western Atlantic, high pressure in the mid-Atlantic and low pressure in the eastern Atlantic.  The UK has been stuck under this latter area of low pressure, allowing weather fronts to continually feed across the UK from the east.

Featured image credit: Loyalty 3‏ @ 3SqnRAF

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *