Wednesday 26 September 2012

Late September storm

We seem to have got off reasonably lightly compared to low-lying areas but the tropical storm remnnants gave  64.8mm over roughly 48 hours.
Up till then September had been relatively dry!
The Esk was very high and most fords were impassable during yesterday (25th).
As usual it soon went down here, once the rain stopped.

Since the prolonged rain event covered both the Moors and Pennines a great deal of water is now heading down the Ouse and trying to squeeze through York.
These autumn storms are not unusual but what makes them worse is times like this one when they become almost stationary in one place.
A good comparable event occurred in 1976. when Stokesley was badly flooded by the Leven.
That event resulted in the flood relief channel being built, which once again proved its worth yesterday.
http://www.nowandthenmag.co.uk/may1998/floods.htm

Just two years ago there was a similar amount of rain but with a brief respite on day two of three.