No Crap, Columbo

The release of official figures yesterday has shown that it has been one of the wettest and dullest summers on record in the UK.

And it is about to get worse.

Some of the most dramatic thunder and lightning storms of the year are expected tomorrow (Sunday), bringing the risk of flooding, large hailstones and even tornados.

Met Office statistics show rainfall this summer is already up to 50% higher than normal and August is on course to have the fewest hours of sunshine since records began.

The average rainfall across the UK from June 1 to August 26 is 317.7 mm, 40% more than normal, with five days of readings still to be considered. The wettest summer since records began in 1914 was in 1956 when 358.4mm fell, while last year 357.1mm was recorded.

This month is also expected to be one of the dullest since sunshine records began in 1929. The national average of 96.3 sunshine hours up to 26th August is already 40% below the month’s average. The previous dullest August was in 1942, with 111.4 hours.

*cranes neck to peer out of window*

Oh look, scorchio...