In all kinds of weather ... whether it’s hot - or very wet
Local weather experts speak of reasons behind extremes
TWO local weather experts have shared their thoughts regarding the reasons behind the weather extremes which have hit the area over the last seven days.
Residents found themselves suffocating in record heat, only to see a deluge follow shortly.
Echo weather report contributor Phil Morrish told the Echo: “The amazing summer weather of 2019 continues. If you like it hot last week was your week.
The four day heatwave started on Monday with temperatures climbing into the 80s everyday with the Mercury on Thursday reaching a staggering 36.4c at Campbell scientific at Shepshed which is nearly 97F.
“At my station in Mountsorrel I recorded 35.2c, which beat my all time record of 35c set in August 1990.
“Nights too were sweltering hot with temperatures staying above 20c.
“The hot air was brought north as high pressure out to the east pumped up the exceptionally hot air from Africa and the Med.
“Some people enjoyed the heat but for many it proved too much and were glad on Friday when the hot air moved eastwards.
“Isn’t the British weather simply fascinating!
“After the heat disappeared heavy rain arrived. On Saturday morning the rain began and continued throughout Sunday.
“The warm front separating the really hot air we had experienced on Thursday collided with cooler Atlantic air and just sat in place over us for hours. 53mm was recorded between Saturday morning and Sunday evening which is again an entire month of rain falling in just 36 hours just as happened in June too.
“The most intense rain on Sunday morning brought severe flooding to properties in Loughborough Road, Mountsorrel as a blocked drain caused gallons of water to flood local properties. Leicestershire fire service spent hours pumping out the flooded properties. Flash flooding was very bad with storm drains unable to cope with the amount of water coming down!”
Steve Flood, retired American Meteorologist now living in Loughborough, also contacted the Echo: “The rainfall over the weekend (Saturday morning the 27th late Sunday evening the 28th) was 57.4 millimetres or 2.26 inches.
“Some interesting facts about this event: The rain originated from the same very hot and humid air mass that gave us record heat on the 25th (35C or 95F here in Loughborough).
“As cooler Atlantic air from the west tried to push the tropical air offshore into the North Sea, it ran into resistance from the retreating hot air.
“At about 15,000 feet altitude, tropical air from the east-southeast was lifted up over cool westerly flow at the surface providing long periods of moderate, sometimes heavy, rainfall.”