I like the quote ‘there is no need to give two sides of an argument about whether it is raining – just look out of the fucking window”. The fossil fuel industry, having spent $billions supporting spurious scientific claims about climate change is in retreat. However the Tory party is full of selfish pricks.
HURRICANE IDA
This hurricane has continued to wreak havoc as its wind intensity diminishes. Its capacity for rain though has caused multiple deaths in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile in the mid-Atlantic Hurricane Larry has already recorded wind speeds close to 130kph. Its course is too early for great predictions but could cause problems in a weeks time. At present it looks like it could cause problems in the Bermuda region and then then Canadas Atlantic provinces, having been deflected away from the USA coast by the jet stream. It is only the start of September so we can expect more activity over the next 6-8 weeks.
WEATHER
HURRICANE IDA
Is on track to hit New Orleans on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Sunday. A storm surge of 3m is expected in many areas and winds in excess of 130kph. Oil production has been ceased in many rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. And another depression developing in mid-Atlantic whilst Hurricane Nora hits the eastern Pacific region with high winds and rainfall near Puerto Vallarta and Baja California Peninsula.
WEATHER
Rather Autumnal for August. Cloudy without threatening rain, the breeze is from the north creating a chill. Seems to be set like this for a while with high pressure to the north of Scotland. It makes watering the garden a bit problematic, pots need watering, but as temperatures are lowish, how much and how often? The tomatoes are coming to an end – earlier than I expected. I also have something that nibbles them – it looks like a wasp or insect rather than mice.
The cold spring followed by wet summer and now a dry spell with warm (!!) days and cold nights could produce a riot of autumn colours this year, especially sycamore, wild cherry, hornbeam, small leafed lime and oak.
I was thinking about some brussel sprouts in the greenhouse? For Xmas? This year I need to take my glasses so I get sprouts not purple sprouting!
CUMULUS CLOUDS
Super day – blue skies with cumulus humilus gradually being depleted as the afternoon warms up. Temperature t-shirt weather – just nice to sit in garden. Montbretia and begonia adding an orange tinge, a few bees, hover flies and wasps around. A buzzard wheels across the sky – is it hunting or just enjoying the power of flight? I have huddles in flower, mints also in flower, I have left some stinging nettles, but still no sign of butterflies. The sun is out, bit of a breeze but not enough to deter a couple of damsel flies. I am pleased to see that the herbs in flower are attracting different types of bee and hoverfly.
Similarly the birds are missing from the feeders – this may well be because I stoped filling them up for a while as the pigeons and jackdaws where cleaning them out in minutes. It may also be because other sources are blooming – blackberries (especially those by Lee’s house) are blooming.
I need to sort the raspberries out – or at least weed out the nettles and ivy! Maybe even mow the path through the herbs in the front garden!. Thinking about propagating some mints – eau de cologne has long runners already. Maybe start with 3in. pots in greenhouse? Make sure I have labels!
COVID AUGUST
As we have seethe government is on holiday and has left a big ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ notice in Whitehall. However the covid virus seems to be on the rise again. Figures in Scotland have risen from 799 on 2 August to 3190 on Sunday, which coincides with the schools going back there. Deaths per day across the country have risen to their highest since 18 March, and hospitalisations are nearing the 1000 per day mark. Well below figures in the Spring but still too high.
WEATHER
I guess this has been a crap summer for those on holiday. I am reasonably happy as the garden has not needed a great deal of watering! A dry spell for the next week or so may not live unto the Daily Star headlines of a heat wave though, as the air is moving down from the north. To be honest this is the summer I remembered from childhood, showers, sunny periods, nothing spectacular!
RAIN IN GREENLAND
Be frightened – Guardian
WEATHER
I guess the weather may put people off a staycation next year. I am quite happy with the weather this year, plenty of rain for the garden and enough sun to ripen the tomatoes. Not great for sitting around outside though!