Fortune shines on West in tale of two Britains
THOSE who thought East-West splits disappeared with the fall of the Berlin Wall should contrast the fortunes of Belfast and Norwich this coming week. A persistent north-easterly wind will continue to bring cloudy and cold conditions all along the eastern seaboard right up to Wednesday, while over in Northern Ireland, and all down the western coast of Britain, there will be plenty of sunshine and temperatures up in the high teens.
Yesterday that cold wind extended its grip over a much wider area of England. But as it is pushed back today to the east coast, warm and sunny conditions will prevail anywhere from Cardiff 59F (15C) to Glasgow and Birmingham 61F (16C). Over in East Anglia, though, it will peak at 54F (12C) and just 50F (10C) in Newcastle.
And that wind-chill lingers around like a bad smell as a high pressure system continues to bring settled conditions into the working week. But by Wednesday, the lows heading our way from the Atlantic will begin to make their presence felt, with some clouds and rain finding their way into Northern Ireland. As next weekend approaches, prepare yourself for it to be more unsettled.
The human cost of our unseasonable weather is highlighted by two contrasting stories this week. In the seas off south-west Scotland, 22-year-old surfer Matthew Bryce was rescued after drifting for 32 hours. As well as exhaustion and hyperthermia, he is also being treated for sunstroke.
For our wine-growers, those chilly nights last month are exacting a bitter harvest. The delicate buds on their vines were killed off and producers of English sparkling wines are predicting an 80 per cent fall in output.