RAIN IN CORNWALL ... THE FACTS ... THE FIGURES ... THE FORECAST

Some of you will know that Paul (Director Estates, Wildlife and well known Bramble Maniac) is a keen amateur meteorologist. He has kindly provided the actual rainfall figures, as taken at his St Just weather station, for the last seven years.

We are all a bit guilty of allowing our weather memory to drift into myth and legend so it is interesting to see the actual figures and compare them with your perception of events. For instance, I was surprised to see that last July was wetter than July 08...but August was comparatively dry (less than half the rainfall of the preceeding month). If you were to choose a holiday on the strength of these numbers alone, then you would probably come in April, June or September. We have never had a completely dry month, but some of the readings include extreme weather events where perhaps a large amount of rain fell in just a few hours, but the rest of the month was reasonably dry.

And the forecast for 2010...well that is anybody's guess at the moment...but keep an eye on the Jetstream (the upper atmosphere wind that drives our weather systems). If it settles to the north of us, we are in for a good one. If it drifts to the south...its brollies and wellies time.

But in the final analysis, there are no guarantees. I am sitting here writing this in bright sunshine looking out at Paul (Director Estates, Wildlife and Bramble Maniac) wielding a scythe like a madman and working off the Christmas poundage with every swing of his arm. Mum has just phoned from the Midlands and it is -4c and snowing! The weather is the weather. Just get up in the morning, look out of the window and thank your deity of choice for it. Otherwise....what would we talk about!

.