UK Rainfall Totals Double Seasonal Average, Heaviest Since Late 18th Century - Guardian

Torrential downpours which hit last week and left swathes of England and Wales under water were officially the worst in more than 200 years of record keeping, according to figures released by the Met Office yesterday. Rainfall was more than double the seasonal average, with the early summer months of May to July witnessing 382.4mm (15.06 inches) of rainwater, topping the previous record of 349.1mm in 1789, officials said.

Deluges in 32 counties, covering the thousands of square miles stretching from Devon to Yorkshire, broke records dating back to 1914 by more than 25mm, the meteorologists added.

Forecasters predict the weather to remain unsettled until early August, with satellite images for the weekend suggesting a further 20mm of rain are possible across parts of the south-west.

Further analysis of recent data by Met Office scientists showed that in the past three months, Gloucestershire and neighbouring areas experienced more than 320% more rainfall than the average for the previous three decades. Met Office officials gave government and emergency services two days warning that intense rainfall was likely. During the worst rains, daytime darkness saw demand on the National Grid rise 3% as offices switched on more lighting.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/jul/27/1