2022 SUMMER RAINFALL COM PARISON FOR NORFOLK, SUFFOLK & EAST ANGLIA

In Britain, rightly, or wrongly, we have a reputation for being obsessed with the weather and this year we have had plenty to talk about. The series of storms and heavy rainfall in February, in an otherwise very dry first four months, lead us to an equally dry second four months with record breaking temperatures in July and the sunniest, shorts and t-shirt summer, for ages.

A look at the group rainfall figures (above) shows much reduced levels of precipitation, especially in July with only 10% of the expected average and the rainfall we have had has been a hit and miss lottery of heavy showers. At the same time the sunshine hours have been well above average apart from a rather dull and cloudy May.

We gardeners are having to give a lot of thought to the composition of our gardens as in the last few months many treasured plants have only been kept alive by using bath and washing up water. My own rainfall total for the year to date, 205.7mm, is only 54% of my average over the last twenty years. However I suspect that it is not going to be as simple as just growing more drought tolerant plants.  Rain deluges across the globe are becoming as frequent as drought induced wild fires.

Peter George

06/09/2022