The fires I spoke about this morning have been contained. The Malden fire destroyed two structures. The fire between Colfax and Albion also destroyed two structures. Meanwhile, the evacuations in Spokane have been lowered and people have been returning to their neighborhoods. At least 1,000 homes were destroyed there.
All our windows are shut but there is still a strong smell of smoke. I’m not aware of any wildfires in the immediate area so am wondering which direction this one is coming from. There are a number of fires in South Wales at the moment. We’ll be losing a lot of trees this year to drought, quite apart from the fires. The pine trees appear to be particularly badly affected, but all except the very largest beeches and oaks are looking stressed.
All our windows are shut but there is still a strong smell of smoke. I’m not aware of any wildfires in the immediate area so am wondering which direction this one is coming from. There are a number of fires in South Wales at the moment. We’ll be losing a lot of trees this year to drought, quite apart from the fires. The pine trees appear to be particularly badly affected, but all except the very largest beeches and oaks are looking stressed.
We were in North Wales a couple of days ago and could smell the smoke from the fires in South Wales. We commented that the fields are the colour that they used to be when we holidayed in Europe decades ago and how refreshing it used to be to get back to green everywhere. Some of the deciduous trees are starting to look autumnal. I went for a ride on my motorbike yesterday. The heat from the roads was incredible.
In our area (Cambridgeshire) we were sitting cooling down in the back garden at about 22.00 The wind changed to NNE. Definitely smelled of smoke, says Mrs RR, who has a more sensitive proboscis than me.
Cooler this morning, PTL.
Strong smell of smoke yesterday evening, leading to much conjecture on local Facebook page. I think though it was from the big fires 20+ miles away, the wind was in the right direction. In other news, four 14-year olds have been arrested on suspicion of arson.
Opened the patio doors as usual and shut them straightaway. Distinctly cool, just 21c now with a maximum of 26c forecast. It feels downright chilly, and it’s a surprise to see that 21c is the average! Shows what we get accustomed to.
We have family over a wide area of South East Wales and there is a smoky smell everywhere with visible smoke in some areas.
And there are still barbecues going.
Despite the forecast, it's still stronry hot in East Anglia. And now muggy. We had our regular pilgrim's meeting in church this morning; this vast stone edifice was very warm too (first time ever in my experience) and gave no relief to this aged and doing his best not -to -be-grim pilgrim.
UGH! I just had a flashback to showers (after PE/Games) at school. A kind of short corridor with half a dozen cold water shower heads on each side. Driving through would have been better than running through at top speed! If I dream about those wretched showers tonight I shall know who to blame!
For the first time in ages I don’t think 30c was reached anywhere in the United Kingdom. According to the Met Office and my understanding it looks like the maximum was about 28c in various parts of South Eastern England.
Still pretty warm, but getting cooler and we’re promised rain next week!
For the first time in ages I don’t think 30c was reached anywhere in the United Kingdom. According to the Met Office and my understanding it looks like the maximum was about 28c in various parts of South Eastern England.
Still pretty warm, but getting cooler and we’re promised rain next week!
Wrong! Wiggonholt, nr Shoreham West Sussex, recorded 30.6c yesterday.
I'm on my way back south after a few days in pleasant temperatures in Orkney (~16°-20°). I did however get Very Wet on Thursday afternoon when the heavens opened and it came down in stair rods. According to the app on my phone, I was missing it being 27° in Linlithgow, which I'm very happy about.
It's cooler today, but still hot enough to hang white sheets outside the sunroom windows!
Good news - we are definitely getting air conditioning ready for next summer.
In October we are having a dormer extension to the second bedroom. The pipework for the air con will be laid then.
My brother is an air-conditioning engineer so he will fit it and the solar panels to run it.
I am not ready to go full air con, my boiler is out of guarantee so I am thinking when it finally goes phut I will get one of those heat pumps that cools as well as heats. In the meanwhile I am thinking exterior awnings / blinds - this sort of thing.
Exterior shutters are the most efficient way of keeping heat out. Once upon a time everyone had them in France but then they dropped out of fashion for a while. Some tenants have now started a movement called "no shutters, no rent".
Britanny is expecting temperatures in the low 20s this week and I can't tell you how relieved I am to be facing a week of Not Being Hot.
Houses without shutters in French towns and villages certainly look wrong IYSWIM.
Arkland is back to more usual August temperatures in the 70sF/20sC, with cool nights (O! bliss! ) and occasional showers. Still very humid, though, which is what I find most tiring.
Exterior shutters are the most efficient way of keeping heat out. Once upon a time everyone had them in France but then they dropped out of fashion for a while. Some tenants have now started a movement called "no shutters, no rent".
Years ago I made a small model railway set in Brittany. It wasn’t very good, but all the buildings had shutters (well, except the signal box and a couple of tatty sheds).
We've found for many years that a ceiling fan over the bed is one of the best ways to cope with the heat. The moving air keeps the skin cool and also discourages any insects that may get in. They use very little electricity and can be quite modestly priced.
We currently have no water due to a burst water main. Thames Water posted this on their website.
The hot summer has created hard ground which is causing issues with water networks across the country. As the ground dries and shrinks, it moves and this can cause pipes to shift and burst. We currently have teams working 24/7 to try to identify and resolve issues caused by these drought conditions.
It’s very aggravating to see water gushing from broken pipes - as in our next village a week or so ago - when we are collecting up all the odd half-pints of water we’ve washed veg or fruit in, to go on the garden!
I fear we face a very difficult Summer ahead in Australia. Spring has just begun here which is very pleasant, but the thought of extremely high temperatures and fierce bush fires yet again is alarming.
Yep 19C in cloudy Sydney this evening. No doubt we’ll be in for a long hot summer but at least in NSW there’s beenenough rain to fill the reservoirs ( for now, anyway)
Definitely cooler, but Teddington (West London) had 26.4c (79.6f) yesterday. Still warm in places.
Here it’s down to average temperature with light drizzle.
I nearly put jeans on again this morning, but didn’t need to, and then it rained! Not for long, but for longer than we have seen it, and not very much.
I have a Blue Badge (for disabled parking in the U.K.) and believe it or not, it entitled me to use a hose to water what purports to be our garden (note; this varies from one water company to another, but I’m okay).
I woke up in the small hours to find that it was actually chilly - about 8c - and I needed to shut my window for the first time in weeks! Although it's recommended to keep windows closed and blinds/curtains closed in hot weather, somehow keeping the window closed made my flat hotter (I have a small studio flat with just one big window) so I had the blinds down and the window open during the daytime.
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We were in North Wales a couple of days ago and could smell the smoke from the fires in South Wales. We commented that the fields are the colour that they used to be when we holidayed in Europe decades ago and how refreshing it used to be to get back to green everywhere. Some of the deciduous trees are starting to look autumnal. I went for a ride on my motorbike yesterday. The heat from the roads was incredible.
Cooler this morning, PTL.
And there are still barbecues going.
Shall daunt his spirit...
Good for you @RockyRoger!
Yes, muggy in Arkland the Beclouded, but down to 77F...
Rain? Wossat?
Little bits of water cut up all small falling out of the sky, or so they do say.
I blame Trump.
And Farage.
The only shower I know of is in the corner of our bathroom. We go there for blessed relief as much as personal hygiene.
Very jealous - Hampshire hasn't had rain in 58 days
Still pretty warm, but getting cooler and we’re promised rain next week!
Wrong! Wiggonholt, nr Shoreham West Sussex, recorded 30.6c yesterday.
Good news - we are definitely getting air conditioning ready for next summer.
In October we are having a dormer extension to the second bedroom. The pipework for the air con will be laid then.
My brother is an air-conditioning engineer so he will fit it and the solar panels to run it.
Indeed we do - but AIUI too much, too soon, can result in disastrous flash floods...
Arkland may see some rain on Thursday - up to a 60% chance, They say.
Yes, I'm very concerned about flash flooding - I live by the river so not just a theoretical problem either.
I am not ready to go full air con, my boiler is out of guarantee so I am thinking when it finally goes phut I will get one of those heat pumps that cools as well as heats. In the meanwhile I am thinking exterior awnings / blinds - this sort of thing.
Britanny is expecting temperatures in the low 20s this week and I can't tell you how relieved I am to be facing a week of Not Being Hot.
Arkland is back to more usual August temperatures in the 70sF/20sC, with cool nights (O! bliss!
Years ago I made a small model railway set in Brittany. It wasn’t very good, but all the buildings had shutters (well, except the signal box and a couple of tatty sheds).
The hot summer has created hard ground which is causing issues with water networks across the country. As the ground dries and shrinks, it moves and this can cause pipes to shift and burst. We currently have teams working 24/7 to try to identify and resolve issues caused by these drought conditions.
MMM
Here it’s down to average temperature with light drizzle.
* not that we had the searing heat you've had down south, but it was very warm for here.
I have a Blue Badge (for disabled parking in the U.K.) and believe it or not, it entitled me to use a hose to water what purports to be our garden (note; this varies from one water company to another, but I’m okay).
Looking at my cooler weather trousers I find, due to chemo weight loss, any without a drawstring or enthusiastic elastic tend to fall off.