Ilkley Baptist

Yesterday's rain exceeded an inch, the fourth such day this month, so June 2007 is in second place behind August 2004 in the rainfall stakes. We're at 7.93 inches today, 8.32 is the target to beat, and we have until 9am on Sunday morning to get there!

I've been comparing the two top months. August 2004 had two very wet spells, well spaced out, whereas the bulk of this month's rainfall has fallen from the 13th to the 25th; more than 5 inches in that 12 day period, so considerably more concentrated than August 2004. Yesterday I tried to drive to Harrogate, taking the back way from Otley, up Leathley Lane. We drove through many floods, one of them alarmingly deep, and began to regret setting out! A surprisingly good tempered police officer, standing by his car in six inches of torrent, turned us back before we got to the Otley Road turn. I didn't fancy risking the deep flood twice, so headed back via Fewstone, which was a bit better. But everywhere we went the gutters were awash, often the whole road was submerged, and stones were scattered across the tarmac. All very exciting for a weather geek!