I can always tell how much it's been raining by two puddles that build up at the corner of the street where there is no drainage. Just had a look and the 2 puddles are almost touching which means we've had quite a lot overnight.

I blame myself because I washed the car yesterday. As I'm off till Monday it's safely tucked up in the garage

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Lets be careful out there !

***UPDATED CHRISTMAS EVE 2012 @ 1700 Hrs

I surely cannot be the only person wishing Kremmen would stop washing his car can I ?!

Well its with a heavy heart I left my very good friends and drove home from the South Coast this lunchtime. The weather was diabolical for much of the journey, torrential rain and poor visibilty on the whole of the M25 section but I have to say folk were driving sensibly and taking the conditions into account. I guess we all wanted to arrive home safely eh ?

I wish I could deliver some positive news weather wise but for the next few days at least the pattern is for the unsettled weather to continue. It won't be cold, and for London and The South East it certainly won't be a White Christmas.

A genuine Thank You to everyone who reads my posts, and I wish You and Your Families a Very Merry Christmas, and best wishes for The New Year. May you be Happy, Healthy and Lucky.

Moley

And a Merry Christmas to you Moley & a happy, healthy & prosperous new year !! Thank you for all you weather reports .... they really are appreciated xxxxx

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I do not suffer fools !!!!!

***UPDATED CHRISTMAS DAY 2012 @ 0930 Hrs***

Happy Christmas everyone.

There was something of a suprise wake up call for some places in London and The South East this morning, as a cluster of thunderstorms began forming in the early hours of the morning. Reports have been quite widespread so far, from Bournemouth on the South Coast, through Surrey and into South and Central London. These storms seem fairly localised at the moment, but if you do get one it will probably be accompanied by heavy rain, possibly hail and gusty winds for a time.

The radar is currently showing some heavy showers originating around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight area, moving approximately east/north east, so more on the way for London. These showers will break out just about anywhere in our region for much of the day now, but should begin to ease off by late afternoon and into the evening.

Looking further ahead, Boxing Day should see something of a brief respite from the WORST of the rain before it returns with a vengeance again on Thusrday and into Friday. Thursday in particular is showing further potential for thunderstorms to develop in a humid and unstable air mass.

The pattern right up to New Years Day is currently showing very little in the way of change so remaining unsettled, with showers and/or longer spells of rain for the next 7 days is how I see it.

Moley

I feel sorry for Cornwall and Devon, it's never ending for them

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Lets be careful out there !

I agree Kremmen, but its not just isolated to those two counties by any means. There's a whole swathe of the country thats now affected by flooding in one way or another, and its at least another 4-5 days before I can see even a hint of an end in sight to this Atlantic conveyor belt of rain.

**UPDATED BOXING DAY 2012 @ 1500 Hrs**

As I type the next band of rain is sweeping through our region and once that has passed some heavy showers are already forming behind it. Closer to home for the London area, The River Thames has today burst its banks at Laleham, near Staines so I would strongly advise folk living close to any kind of waterway, be it river or canal, to check the Environmental Agency website for updates.

In all the years I have been watching the weather as a hobby I think this is the first time I have ever seen a Met Office warning for Landslides, but thats possibly due to the fact the various agencies, and the general public are becoming more 'media savvy' ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weath ... walks.html

Although this warning refers mainly to the South West, its relevant to pretty much anywhere along the South Coast where cliff erosion is a problem, and it should be taken seriously.

Moley

We went to Swindon today and it was okay when we left Hayes .... as we reached Reading the rain came down so heavy it was hard to see So many fields were flooded either side of the M4, what are normally small waterways were flooded ... I can't remember seeing it this bad before. And my daughter said the local news have been warning there about mud slides

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I do not suffer fools !!!!!

With all this rain mudslides are inevitable.

it's certainly a warning that if you ever move check to see if your in a possible flood area.

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Lets be careful out there !

Thanks for the posts Jane and Kremmen. The Reading area has certainly seen some flooding in the last few days, and on Boxing Day the Fire Brigade were pumping out an electricity sub-station in that area. Thanks to their efforts thousands of folk avoided a power cut.

Thunderstorms again erupted along the South Coast this morning ( Thursday ), the majority of reports coming from Bournemouth through to Brighton and Eastbourne. Two major fires in the Bournemouth area are being investigated, and it seems at least one of them may have been caused by a lightning strike.

The Landslide/mudslide risk is still very valid, yet some folk seem either oblivious or just plain stupid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-20836450

Having said that, I must admit I am fascinated by extreme weather events, and this video of a landslide in Swanage caught my eye. There could well be many more like this as we hold on to this sustained pattern of very unsettled weather for the next few days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-20825271

Taking a quick look at the next few days for London and The South East its the same old story. Showers or longer spells of heavy rain, accompanied by some very gusty winds at times, especially over the weekend as a deepening Low Pressure System takes control.

Although its still a long way off in meteorological terms, I will be keeping a very close watch on potential developments for New Years Eve. If current signals pan out, December 31st could be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Moley

ps: What's happened to long drawn out freeze they told us about late November ?

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Lets be careful out there !