Summer is it?

The forecast I read for yesterday suggested a bit of rain would fall around mid-day and there was a hint that some parts of the country would receive higher than average rainfall. Well, what happened to some areas was almost beyond belief. During the morning I had a conversation with a work contact from Telford who told me they had had a hail storm earlier. The skies were  beginning to darken, so I told him his weather had nearly arrived. During my lunch break I chose to sit outside and it got progressively darker until it seemed more like early evening. A thunder and lightening show ensued and I could clearly see a storm was raging to the west.  Initially the thunder growled on for ages. As a precautionary step I took my backside off the large metal beam I was sat on.

Luckily the storm passed by Stoney Stanton, where I was situated, with just a little rain. Meanwhile the gods had chosen to take their wrath out on others. In Burbage hailstones the size of golf balls and some even the size of tennis balls, but shaped more like the business end of a knights Mace, were wreaking havoc. Cars were damaged beyond repair, conservatories were demolished and roofs and guttering were punctured. Local businesses were flooded as were schools. In Earl Shilton and Barwell a similar story unfolded. My house survived pretty well, but one of my windows was found wanting and water flooded in through the seal. Luckily that soon dried out. It appears that many parts of Leicestershire were effected.

I have spoken to one person who has had two cars written off by the hailstones and many tiles on his roof destroyed.

One can only guess at the impact this has had on our already beleaguered wildlife. As I have said previously, the insect species especially butterflies are being hammered. Luckily by early evening the sun was shinning and I was out checking on some of the owls that I have been watching. Fortunately I found some of the juveniles seemingly none the worse for the experience.

For those that suffered at the hands of this freak weather, you have my sympathy. For others just watch this video that I found on youtube - CLICK HERE


This unusual weather was apparently created by warm air moving up from Spain and Africa, which met up with colder and damper air from the west. This meeting took place over Central England. A Tornado was reported from other areas in the county, but this has yet to be confirmed as the damage has to be investigated before official recognition can be given.