Summer: Delayed!
July is when most people would expect be getting out their sun-tan lotion, picnic baskets and heading out to soak up the summer sun. Whilst it has always been risky to plan outdoor events in Britain due to the capricious nature of the weather, holding a wedding or party outside from the end of June onwards was seen as a slightly safe bet. However, after experiencing the wettest June in history this year, with many parts of the country left with devastation from the floods resulting in a billion pounds worth of damage, most people have now rather given up on a glorious summer. Weather commentators are predicting that the rain could last well into August.
Once again, it brings us back to the issue of what is causing such stark changes in our weather patterns. It is not just a heavy shower these days, it is a torrential downpour of sometimes monsoon proportions. When the sun shines, it is not just warm, but rivals the temperatures in the Mediterranean. Everyone is now more aware of what they can do to help combat climate change and politicians are helping to raise the profile of the issue. Offsetting your carbon footprint is now relatively simple by looking on one of the many websites dedicating to reducing the level of carbon emissions. Most councils across the country have specific recycling policies to reduce reliance on environmentally damaging waste disposal sites. We can only hope this is enough to try to prevent further extremities in the future.
The advice to heed in terms of the weather in Britain for the foreseeable future seems to be “rely on the unreliable”.