Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 261 . UTC These illustrate how the rain spread north- spread the rain how illustrate These of the during the morning westwards midnight. out around dying 20th before dur- radar beam attenuation Unfortunately, in the rainfall being resulted ing the day Figure 2. Synoptic surface analysis for 20 July 2. Synoptic Figure 2007 at 1200 20 July 2007 20 July on the 20th. The synoptic situa- The on the 20th. UTC The location of places mentioned in this mentioned in location of places The tion and the forecasts that were issued are issued are were that tion and the forecasts (2008). and Davies Grahame discussed by Temporal distribution Temporal the from Maps of rainfall intensity derived 3. in Figure given are radar network weather Meteorological context Meteorological a very from warm, moist rainfall resulted The southern and the air mass over front with an occluded , associated slowly that were pressure of low and area Embedded convective northwards. moving spatial variability. significant elements led to the surface 2 shows synoptic analysis Figure at 1200 the preceding unsettled weather, with over with over weather, unsettled the preceding the south rainfall across twice the average Midlandsand west and June. in May 1. article in Figure shown are The exceptional rainfall of rainfall exceptional The On 20 July 2007, many places in central in central places On 20 July 2007, many southern England and the south Midlands resulted This on record. day had their wettest often heavy, 18 hours of rainfall, up to from Thames the from stretching an area over north-westwards the Cotswolds across Valley high- The mid-Wales. to Valley and Severn in , recorded were est totals and adjacent Worcestershire, flooding soon affected Localized counties. thousands of homes and businesses and and rail transport road dis- caused severe sub- rivers Many a wide area. ruption across including the sequently burst their banks, and their Thames the upper Severn, lower by flooding was exacerbated The tributaries. National Climate Information Centre, Centre, National Climate Information Met Office, Exeter John Prior and Mark and Mark John Prior Beswick Figure 1. Locations of places mentioned in the text. of places 1. Locations Figure 262

Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 Rainfall of July 2007 south-eastern edge ofReadingisgivensouth-eastern in for Farm Marsh Pumping Station(PS)onthe Utilities ineastBerkshire andanexample ded atgaugesoperated by Thames Water 0700 forfall washeavy 8consecutive hours(from with over therain- 10mm.At Brize Norton, rain(>=4mm/h)including5hours of heavy the rain.At Pershore, there were 15hours illustrate thepersistence of andintensity (Oxfordshire) on20July. These histograms College (Worcestershire) andBrize Norton hourly rainfalldistributionatPershore sequence, Figures 4and5show the ties shown are onlyaguide. oftheCotswolds,over parts sotheintensi- insomeareas,under-estimated for example Figure 3.Rainfall intensitiesderived from 3hoursfrom theweather 0000 radar forevery network, 1100 herepeak intensity averaged 69mm/hat minutes to 48hours. 5minutes Over the in 20years ofrecords for durationsfrom 35 (), where thefallswere thehighest nearReading rainfall atStratfieldMortimer (2008) summarizes the ing ofthe20th.Burt duringthemorn- south-east sites further Table 1. for variousdurations are summarized in presented inFigure 6,andthepeakrainfalls upwards. The results for 15-minute totals are lysed interms ofdurationsfrom 5minutes for andthesehave Brize Norton beenana- rainfalldataare availablethose. One-minute To complement therainfallintensity Higher peakrainfalls wereHigher recorded at UTC UTC . Even heavier rainfallwasrecor- ) andexceeded 10mmfor 7of Figure (Oxfordshire) 5.Hourlyrainfalls on20July2007. atBrizeNorton Figure 4.Hourlyrainfalls atPershore College (Worcestershire) on20July2007.

Precipitation (mm) Precipitation (mm) 10 12 14 16 18 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 101112131415161718192021222324 1 1 23 23 4 4 Hourly rainfalltotalsatPershoreCollegeon20July2007 5 5 Hourly rainfalltotalsatBrizeNortonon20July2007 6 6 7 7 Hour ending( Hour ending( 8 8 9 9 UTC 01 21 41 61 81 02 22 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 on20July2007to0000 UTC UTC ) on20July2007 ) on20July2007 UTC on21July2007. Rainfall of July 2007 Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 263

Flood Studies Studies Flood /21st). The /21st). The rainfall UTC Flood Estimation Handbook Estimation Flood /20th) and the 20th (24-hour at a Climatological Observers at a Climatological . This rainfall event lasted for for lasted rainfall event This . UTC UTC UTC on the 20th. (Natural Environment Research Research (Natural Environment UTC ) recording over 50 mm and about 3800 over ) recording been have areas These 100 mm. over 2 2 The average frequency of occurrence frequency of occurrence average The The defining characteristic was the large defining characteristicThe was the large

most of the 20th and therefore fell over two two over fell most of the 20th and therefore 19th (24-hour period end- the days’, ‘rainfall ing at 0900 km of daily 5 km an analysis from calculated Spatial distribution Spatial made of rainfall are Daily measurements at 0900 Figure 7. Although this gauge is not regis- this gauge Although 7. Figure 84.2 of with the Met the total Office, tered with neigh- well agrees this event mm for 15-minute The gauges. bouring registered from been estimated have shown totals various for and the peak falls data 2-minute peak The 2. Table in shown are durations at this intensity rainfall recorded 2-minute of Reading others just east and several site 100 mm/h close to or exceeded approached 1100 of these falls may be estimated using the estimated be of these falls may methods of the durations 1999) for (Institute Hydrology, of and the of 1 hour or longer Report Brize shorter At 1975) for durations. Council, Norton, durations up to the peak rainfalls for periods less than 10 years 1 hour had return 3 hours did they durations over and only for typifiesThis plac- 1). (Table 100 years exceed es in the south Midlands it was the where of the heavy rainfall that nature prolonged It appears that the event was noteworthy. shorter notable for durations fur- was more the peak rainfalls by ther east, as illustrated 2) PS near Reading (Table Marsh Farm for 0630 between and a fall of 51 mm recorded and 0733 period ending 0900 is mapped days these two for accumulation 8. in Figure with rainfall, the exceptional by affected area 250 (28 Wales about 20% of England and km Link site in the western part in the western Link site of Maidenhead (Berkshire). 00:00

23:00 a b b

a a b b b a

b b b a a 22:00

90

100

21:00 (mm) on 19/20 July 2007. 8. Rainfall Figure

20:00

12:00

19:00

11:45

18:00 11:30

17:00 11:15

) Returnperiod (years) ) Return period (years) 16:00 11:00

UTC UTC 10:45 15:00

)

c c

10:30

14:00 UTC

10:15 13:00

1054

10:00

12:00

09:45

) 11:00

, 1999. , 1999.

09:30 UTC 10:00

09:15

09:00

15 minute ending ( 09:00

, 1975. , 1975. 08:00

08:45

07:00

08:30

06:00 1100 c 08:15

c

15 minute ending ( 05:00

08:00

04:00 07:45

15-minute rainfall totals for Brize Norton on 20 July 2007 Norton on 20 for Brize rainfall totals 15-minute

03:00 07:30

02:00 Flood Estimation Handbook Flood 07:15 Flood Estimation Handbook Flood Flood Studies ReportFlood Flood Studies ReportFlood

07:00 01:00

15-minute rainfall totals for Marsh Farm on 20 July 2007

06:45 00:00 06:30

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

10

06:15 Rainfall (mm) Rainfall 06:00 8 6 4 2 0

16 14 12 10

Estimated using the Estimated Estimated using the Estimated Estimated using the Estimated Estimated using the Estimated Estimated from 2-minute totals. 2-minute from Estimated Short depth-duration extremes Norton at Brize on 20 July 2007. period rainfall (Oxfordshire) Period Rainfall (mm) started Time ( (mm) Rainfall 5 minutes 3.2 0820 <1 4 hours 67.0 1031 190 1 hour2 hours3 hours 21.2 37.0 52.6 1335 1210 1113 10 35 95 15 minutes30 minutes 8.4 15.0 1340 1340 1 5 Short period rainfall depth-duration extremes at Marsh Farm PS near Reading (Berkshire) on PS near Reading (Berkshire) Short depth-duration extremes at Marsh Farm period rainfall 20 July 2007. Period Rainfall (mm) started Time ( 5 minutes 11.2 15 minutes2 hours3 hours 20.0 46.4 62.4 0922 0810 40 90 30 minutes1 hour 24.6 28.8 1052 1010 65 10 4 hours 73.3 0738 150 a b Table 1 Table a b c Table 2 Table Figure 6. 15-minute rainfalls (mm) at Brize Norton July 2007. on 20 6. 15-minute rainfalls (Oxfordshire) Figure Figure 7. Estimated 15-minute rainfalls (mm) at Marsh Farm PS, near (mm) at Marsh Farm 7. Estimated 15-minute rainfalls Figure Reading on 20 July 2007. 264

Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 Rainfall of July 2007 is shown in Table 3. The return periods ofall totals over 125.0 mm, those withtwo-day where over 75mmfell inabroad swathe. from the Thames Valley to the Welsh border, gridded rainfalls Table 5 Table 4 totalon the19thand102.8mm20th,giving of130.0mm). a2-day a: These are valuesfrom theprincipal(recording) raingaugewhichare ingoodagreement withthosefrom manualc aco-located Table 3 luetrhr uee og 147.0 Worcestershire Sudeley Lodge Gloucestershire ekhr atSefr 110.6 EastShefford Station Berkshire County dailyrainfallNew county records seton20July2007,forany month. (Oxfordshire) Brize Norton (Berkshire) Peasemore House (Gloucestershire) Shipton Oliffe (Berkshire) East Shefford (Gloucestershire) Tewkesbury atg,Bwr am(ekhr)S(1/8881. 0. 125.6 126.8 106.2 97.2 19.4 29.6 SU(41)/385828 SP(42)/018491 , Bowers Farm (Berkshire) Sheriffs Lench (Worcestershire) (Worcestershire) Pershore College (Gloucestershire) Sudeley Lodge esoe(ocsesie O3)930 48178132.6 136.5 132.7 139.6 NationalGrid 140.1 107.8 110.6 119.0 157.4 Station 163.1 27.6 oflongperiodstationsthatsetnewdailyrainfallA selection records on20July2007. 115.2 24.8 115.4 25.9 13.7 SP(42)/292067 SO(32)/973500 120.8 147.0 24.4 SU(41)/386738 SO(32)/891337 24.7 (Oxfordshire) Brize Norton Pershore (Worcestershire) Tewkesbury (Gloucestershire) SP(42)/002281 NationalGridRef. East Shefford (Berkshire) 36.6 SP(42)/241307 16.1 (Gloucestershire) Winchcombe, SudeleyCastle Langley (Gloucestershire) SO(32)/960447 Chastleton (Warwickshire) SP(42)/039270 Pershore College (Worcestershire) Sudeley Lodge (Gloucestershire) Station ofthewettestA selection rainfall stationson19/20July2007. A selection ofthewettestA selection stations, i.e. . The wettest area stretched O3)813 1. 70.6 119.0 SO(32)/891337 O3)904 2. 67.5 120.8 SO(32)/960447 U4)417 0. 71.7 104.1 SU(41)/461770 U4)363 1. 51.3 110.6 SU(41)/386738 P4)226 100.270.9 SP(42)/292067 P4)008 0. 69.3 107.5 SP(42)/040186 P4)097 4. 64.5 147.0 SP(42)/039270 Pershore College Ref. Rainfall 20July Rainfall P4)037 04177138.1 107.7 30.4 SP(42)/033277 Rainfall 20 Rainfall July 2007 2007 (mm) (mm) 120.8 sites withlongrecords thatsetnewrecords ous highestdaily fallonrecord –examplesof either exceeded orcamecloseto theprevi- Table 3are inexcess of200years. the 20Julyand19/20totals shown in At many places, thedaily total for the20th 22 September1992 daily rainfall(mm) Previous highest 24 June2007 24 Sept 1976 24 Sept 10 July1968 10 July1968 10 July1968 4 June1985 Previous highestdailyrainfall Winchcombe, SudeleyCastle 19 July2007rainfall and date Maidenhead 107.7mm Maidenhead Bewdley 101.3mm (mm) 31 May 1924 10 July1968 12 July1901 122.0 mm a Earliest year of record 1968 1961 1974 1964 1961 1957 1977 20 July2007rainfall 100.2 (mm) an area ofsome19 350 km exampleis 16/17August 1977with A further mm, withisolated fallsexceeding 100mm. andeast Midlands Wales over collected 50 and the Wash (32 525 km stretching from east Devon to Lincolnshire 50 mmfell across wide anarea about100km July 2007wasthatof101968whenover years thatappearsmostcomparable to 20 inthelast 46 affecting thesouthMidlands small area over 100mm.However, theevent Wales receiving over 50mm,again witha to across South thesouthMidlands km Sudeley Castle with122.0 mm. wettest day on record at Winchcombe, 1974; Salter, 1968, 1969). This remains the when 32 175 km Candidates 1976 include24/25September ing fallsofover 50mmandover 100 mm. considered, interms oftheareas record- events were andtwo-day Figure 1.One-day rainfall events thearea affecting shown in to identify any similarlywidespread heavy from 1961(>3000gauges)wasexamined national archive ofdigitized dailyrainfalls tive rainfall, whichtends to belocalized. The suchfallsthereMost are causedby convec- southern EnglandandthesouthMidlands. over 100mmto occur widelyover central - Gloucestershire and Worcestershire (Table 5). 20 July2007setnewrecords for Berkshire, 1986 to 2007 were analysed. The totals on counties on20July, dailyrainfallrecords from thisanalysis andassessthe wettestextend by from county order 1860to to 1985.In England. butmainlyNorthern Midlands fell ofthe duringanevent thataffected parts as recently as24June2007,when69.3mm Gloucestershire, theprevious record wasset gauge atShipton Oliffe, nearCheltenham in are given in Table 4.Interestingly, for the It isunusualfor dailyrainfallamounts It Webb (1987)liststhehighestdailyfalls 2 withover 100mm(Meteorological Office, a 2 centred onthewest 19/20 July2007rainfall heck gauge(27.2mm 2 ), including1450 2 127.8 (mm) stretching from Rainfall of July 2007 Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 265 First year year First of record Previous highest July Previous rainfall (mm) and year Monthly areal rainfall series are available available rainfall series are Monthly areal The impactThe of the flooding was long last- Monthly totals Monthly to 20th contributed rainfall on the The their wet- stations having some weather in particular stations July on record, test and Worcestershire in Gloucestershire, those with and examples of , 7. For Table in provided are long records July 2007 Worcestershire, College, Pershore in its calendar month was also the wettest record. 50-year the UK, for its constituent 1914 onwards for (pre- counties and historic regions countries, 1974 re-organization) upon 5 km based grid using the methods point rainfalls calculated July values for The and Hollis (2005). of Perry the Midlands Wales, England and 2007 for records set new English counties and several 8. Table in as shown July, for near Tewkesbury was flooded and had to be to and had was flooded Tewkesbury near 350 000 people across leaving shut down, supply for water without a Gloucestershire Electricity also were supplies 17 days. up to became vulner- as substations threatened, of a deployment The flood water. able to substation Walham temporary at the barrier cover in the front (visible near Gloucester the loss of sup- prevented photograph) 500 000 propertiesplies to but the Castle be had to Meads at Gloucester substation 42 000 without power leaving shut down, 2007). Office, (Cabinet some example, For households. many ing for eight months afterwards 2008), March (in late stillit was reported that 465 homes were with a further Tewkesbury, uninhabitable in 2008). News, (BBC in Gloucester 176 affected was due partlyThis the length of time prop- to erties dry to took out and partly a shortage to of skilled carry to labour out repairs. July average ) 2 % of 1961-1990 July 2007 rainfall (mm) >100 mm over north-east >100 mm over England. 2 ) (km > 100 mm Area 2 In the flooding of property addition to flows quickly followed in responsive streams streams in responsive quicklyflows followed as these fed Subsequently, and small rivers. inundations floodplain major rivers, into lasting and protracted, widespread were along flooding occurred Severe days. several Thames. and the upper Severn the lower and Worcester between On the Severn to comparable were conditions Gloucester extensive 1947, the most those of March in Wales flood episode in England and at Thames On the century. the twentieth level the peak river near Oxford, Eynsham, only on 24 July) was second (which occurred complete that of the flood of 1903. A more to Marsh by is given appraisal hydrological (2007) and Marsh (2008). and Hannaford were and rail routes road many Throughout, flooding example, For disrupted. severely and on the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire left stranded 10 000 vehicles Worcestershire on 20/21 July. overnight some of the critical and transport routes, On affected. infrastructure was adversely works the Mythe treatment water the 22nd, >50 mm and ~ 800 km ) includ- 2 2 quoted by Marsh and Hannaford, 2007. Marsh and Hannaford, by quoted with over 100 mm with over 2 2 was stated in British Rainfall 1968. (Meteorological Office, 1974.) Office, in British Rainfall was stated (Meteorological 1968. 2 Date 50 mm (km > Area 10 July 1968 32525 c d c, 1450 31 May 1924 1924 31 May 22500 a, b 1700 a, b Before 1961, a further 1961, was Before similar event The areas of England and Wales affected by affected Wales of England and areas The estimated from map in British Rainfall 1924. (Meteorological Office, 1925.) Office, map in British Rainfall from (Meteorological 1924. estimated 2250 km update to area of 3500 km area to update includes separate areas of ~ 6500 km areas includes separate calculated using 5km daily rainfall grids, available for 1961 onwards. for using 5km available calculated daily rainfall grids, Estimated areas of England and Wales with rainfall exceeding 50 mm and 100 mm during 50 mm and 100 exceeding with rainfall of England and Wales Estimated areas that affected the south Midlands. events 19/20 July 2007 28250 c e 3800 c, Tewkesbury (Gloucestershire)Tewkesbury (Worcestershire) College Pershore (Worcestershire) Park Hampton Buckland (Oxfordshire)Newbury (Berkshire) SO(32)/960447 SO(32)/891337 (Herefordshire)Shobdon, Ox House Farm (Gloucestershire)Staunton SP(42)/029447 SO(32)/409616 252.4 House (Herefordshire) Down Bromyard, 240.7 (Berkshire)East Shefford 194.7 245.0 SO(32)/671545 House (Berkshire)Peasemore SU(41)/343982 (Worcestershire)Malvern 513 (Gloucestershire) 531Taynton 220.5 SU(41)/501672 SO(32)/786283 (Gloucestershire)Sudeley Lodge 203.5 475 507 NortonBrize (Oxfordshire) SU(41)/461770 200.8Wynne (Herefordshire) 216.2Preston SU(41)/386738 130.0 - 1957 (Worcestershire) 115.4 - 1968 Lock Lincombe 446 477 SP(42)/039270 SO(32)/790461 187.5 113.5 - 19881988 123.9 - 199.4 SO(32)/742216 476 472 1957 1961 SO(32)/564476 283.5 194.6 SP(42)/292067 SO(32)/820693 137.7 - 1968 179.4 1971 1961 137.0 - 2006 427 428 173.2 177.8 177.3 88.4 - 1988 99.1 - 1988 384 410 1961 385 1964 107.9 - 1966 104.2 - 1992 367 383 363 1971 1977 1978 129.5 - 141.0 - 1915 153.2 - 1968 1961 1964 1968 129.1 - 114.6 – 1988 126.8 - 1936 1977 1900 1961 1952 1968 1921 Examples of stations for which July 2007 was the wettest July on record. July on record. the wettest of stations for which July 2007 was Examples Station National Grid Ref. 16/17 Aug 197716/17 Aug 19350 c 150 c c d e a b Table 6 Table Table 7 Table 24/25 Sept 1976 32175 c 750 c Impacts heavy rain- widespread, prolonged, The in thousands of homes and fall resulted the worst- businesses being flooded, being Gloucestershire, counties affected and Berkshire. Oxfordshire Worcestershire, there Initially, types of flooding occurred. Two flooding as drainage pluvial was localized sewers drains and particularly, and, ditches Extreme overwhelmed. were in urban areas that of 31 May 1924, with over 50 mm fall- 1924, with over that of 31 May some 80 km the ing in an area wide from Merseyside (16000 km to Cotswolds ing approximately 900 km ing approximately these events are summarized in Table 6, for 6, for Table in summarized are these events with the 19/20 July 2007 event. comparison (Meteorological Office, 1925). This remains remains This 1925). Office, (Meteorological Worcestershire at Malvern, day the wettest in began there records (96.9 mm) since Worcestershire Lock, 1900 and at Lincombe started in 1921. the record (91.4 mm) where 266

Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 Rainfall of July 2007 represents over thenormalJulyrainfall twice Highlands. oftheScottish and parts This most of Wales, thewestern half ofEngland fall, showing thatinexcess of150mmfell over Figurecontext, 9presents theJuly2007rain- 1828 (182.6mm). 1767 and1888,withthewettest beingJuly July. Allthewetter monthswere between wettestof 139.4mmisrankedfourteenth for et al., stationdata(Wigley based uponselected series for Englandand Wales from 1766, Figure 9.Rainfall totals(mm)in July2007. a Table 8 awcsie1733144mm/1915 161mm/1915 159mm/1939 117mm/1920 141mm/1936 303 129mm/1920 379 298 143mm/1936 136mm/1915 292 375 320 191a 335 157 135mm/1936 162 256 144 Worcestershire 182 218 Warwickshire 148 182 Shropshire 145 Oxfordshire Herefordshire Gloucestershire July2007rainfall 136 Berkshire Midlands England and Wales Area Rainfall values forareas experiencingthewettest Julyin2007,usingseriesfrom 1914. highestfor any calendarmonth. In order toIn provide thecomplete national There isalsoahistoric monthlyrainfall 1984). In thisseries, 1984).In theJuly2007total (mm) average Julyrainfall % of1961–1990 on the20thandsubsequentdays. contributed to theseverity oftheflooding to thewet ground conditions andhence 2007 (Figure 11). The preceding rainfallled rainfalls for Worcestershire from May to July sequence isillustrated by thedailyareal with somedays inMay alsobeingwet. This frequent wet days thatbeganinmid-June, 20 Julywastheculminationofaperiod (Figurelocally inthesouthMidlands 10). and south-east Wales andover four times three timesinmostofthesouthMidlands over large areas ofEnglandand Wales, over For therainfallof thesouthMidlands, Previous wettest July in seriesfrom 1914 average. Figure 10. Rainfall inJuly2007expressed as%oftheJuly1961–1990 Hydrology isalsogratefully acknowledged. Terry attheCentre Marsh for Ecology and at hissite inMaidenhead. Useful liaisonwith to RogerBrugge for detailsofrainfallrecorded data from Farm their gauge atMarsh PSand Ltd for permissionto reproduce the rainfall ular, we are grateful to Thames Water Utilities thy events suchasthisto bestudied.partic- In providing rainfalldatathatenablesnotewor- other organizations andprivate individualsin oftheEnvironment Agency,co-operation The authorsacknowledge, withthanks, the Acknowledgements long-lasting.in somecases, very wereinfrastructure severe, widespread and, and ofthisfloodingonproperty The impacts dations becamewidespread andprotracted. these fed into majorrivers, floodplaininun- and smallrivers were butas overwhelmed ing wasinitiallylocalized asdrains, streams totals were recorded. The resulting flood- the south-west where Midlands, thehighest more prolonged. lasted upto 18hoursover It rainfall wassomewhatlessintense butmuch the the morning, north-west whereas further ofthe over eastern parts Thames Valley in the monthofJuly. Intense rainfalloccurred bothonadailytimescaleandforMidlands, of central southernEnglandandthesouth duced record-breaking rainfallsacross much The weather situationon20July2007pro- Summary Rainfall of July 2007 Weather – September 2008, Vol. 63, No. 9 267

Int.

J. . 97:

having having Meteorol. Meteorol. : December : December 1974. British 1974. 2005. The genera- The 2005. The Surrey Weather Weather The Surrey Meteorol. Mag. Meteorol. 1–25. Weather 4:

1041–1054. 263–266. 1968. An exceptionally heavy 1968. An exceptionally 1969. A further on the note 25: . 1987. Britain’s highest daily highest . 1987. Britain’s

12:

92–94 J. Climatol. 98:

Meteorological Office. Meteorological HMSO. 863. London: Rainfall 1968, M.O. Council. Research Environment Natural Studies Report.1975. Flood NERC: Swindon. MC, Hollis DM. Perry a for datasets gridded tion of monthly the UK. over range of climatic variables J. Climatol. Salter PRS. rainfall in July 1968. 372–380. Salter PRS. heavy rainfall of 10 July 1968. Meteorol. PD. JM, Jones TML, Lough Wigley Mag. JDC Webb rainfalls: county records. and monthly in of precipitation 1984. Spatial patterns homo- and a revised Wales England and precipitation Wales geneous England and series.

Correspondence to: John Prior, to: John Correspondence National Climate Information Centre, Met Office, Road, FitzRoy EX1 3PB Exeter, Email: [email protected] with the 2008, published Copyright, © Crown of HMSO and the permission of the Controller for Scotland. Printer Queen’s DOI: 10.1002/wea.308

31/07/2007 ‘ & Currie’s and Davison ’ 24/07/2007

63: 17/07/2007 Flood Flood

London; over 100 mm fell between Maidstone and Reigate. and Reigate. Maidstone between 100 mm fell over London;

is fortunate that it occurred over the part over of the UK is fortunate that it occurred Weather Weather 10/07/2007 The 2007. 1925. British 1999. . 5 vols. with associated . 5 vols.

The Kent Weather Book Weather The Kent

274–279. 03/07/2007 ollary area densely populated that it hit a relatively of this was 63:

ain: 48-hour rainfall totals for 14 to 16 September exceeded 200 mm 16 September exceeded to 14 for ain: 48-hour rainfall totals 26/06/2007 overview 2008. A hydrological survived until that year in its traditional format, including a chronology of including a chronology survived in its traditional format, until that year

Weather 19/06/2007 to Met office customers. Met customers. to office of the summer 2007 floods in England and Wales. 269–273. of Hydrology. Institute Estimation Handbook NERC: Swindon. software. J. Hannaford TJ, Marsh Wales 2007 floods in England and summer for Centre appraisal. – a hydrological Wallingford. and Hydrology:Ecology Marsh TJ. Meteorological Office. Meteorological HMSO. London: Rainfall 1924, M.O.275. ‘East and West Molesey – Closed’ ‘East and West

Date 12/06/2007

British Rainfall 05/06/2007

by Mervyn by Jackson (January rain recording hourly rainfall maps from 1977 issue) who compiled 29/05/2007

Weather 22/05/2007

2008, Forecasting 2008, Forecasting 15/05/2007 24–26. 2007. The Pitt Review: Pitt The 2007.

63:

08/05/2007 2008. Thousands ‘still hit by hit by ‘still Thousands 2008.

2008. Prolonged day darkness day 2008. Prolonged

01/05/2007 Weather , both published by Frosted Earth). The seriousness of the situation was illustrated by an ‘AA’ temporary pictured road-sign ‘AA’ an by seriousness of the situation was illustrated The Earth). Frosted , both published by 0

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

BBC News. Office. Cabinet the 2007 floods lessons from Learning http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thepit- treview.aspx P. NS, Davies Grahame of summer rainfall events the exceptional messages of key 2007 and communication floods’. 24 March 2008 http://news.bbc. 24 March floods’. co.uk/1/hi/uk/7310867.stm Burt SD. and extreme rainfall in Berkshire, 20 July and extreme rainfall in Berkshire, 2007. Rainfall (mm) Rainfall 1992) and it was perhaps fortunate that rainfall events. severe Julian Mayes, Editor, Editor, Julian Mayes, Molesey, West Surrey The Surrey town of Molesey lies at the confluence of the Mole and the Thames. The Mole catchment bore the brunt of the rain; Mole bore catchment The Thames. of the Mole of Molesey and the lies at the confluence town Surrey The major these floods, After the evacuation of residents. to and leading closing most roads Molesey with water, became inundated flooding on this scale. the risk of future reduce carried out on the Mole to and the Medway were works flood-prevention ( weather of the year’s in a retrospect Bob Prichard by as noted rainfalls, intense for 1968 was a notable year rain developed after midnight, spreading west-south-west from east from west-south-west after midnight, spreading rain developed sea- by possibly encouraged Estuary, Thames the over formed thunderstorm on the 15th a separate this became less intense As the Chilterns. East Anglia and extended towards over rain developed persistent another band of more surface warmth. Later, and the Medway flooded Guildford Wey The north-west Kent and south-east London. widely in Surrey, flooding occurred Severe ‘ & Davison’s Currie (see Ogley, Tonbridge cut a swathe through

Continuing the flooding theme of this month’s issue, mid-September 1968 brought one of the most remarkable flooding events remarkable one of the most flooding events mid-September 1968 brought issue, this month’s the flooding theme of Continuing a series of thunder- south-east point for over England became the focal front occluded A slow-moving UK history. in recent r frontal widespread more into developing later storms, From the Archives – the weather of 40 years ago ago of 40 years – the weather the Archives From north to Tilbury as locally in East Anglia. as well Kent in Essex and surpassed 100 mm from around in was analysed event The It of operational rainfall radar. the days gauge data, this being before the greatest density of recording gauges; the unfortunate cor density of recording the greatest thundery continuous More than 25 mm in places. of more hourly totals Sporadic thundery of the 14th gave rainfall on the evening Book’ of the flood: accounts in many References Figure 11. Daily areal rainfall (mm) for Worcestershire for May to July 2007. (mm) for Worcestershire 11. Daily rainfall areal Figure