Our soggy summer is gone with the wind (and the rain) prepare for the cold winter
By
Andrew Levy
Last updated at 11:23 PM on 05th October 2008
Mothball your shorts and push your sandals to the back of the wardrobe - there will be no Indian summer.
The Met Office yesterday ruled out a reprise of the briefly balmy conditions of last weekend before winter begins in earnest.
The depressing prediction came as torrential downpours swept across Britain yesterday.
Heavy rain: A car drives through flash flood water in Birmingham
Four inches of rain fell in 24 hours in some parts of the country - equivalent to a whole month's rain in a single day.
The miserable conditions marked the end of summer, although many Britons might argue that it never really began this year. The best we can hope for over the coming days is weak sunshine on Wednesday. Hopefully, this will provide a little respite from the grey skies and drizzle predicted for tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. The only crumb of consolation is that the cloud cover which comes with the wet weather should provide a 'blanket' over much of the country.
Puddle jumpers: Brothers Jamie and Charlie Walls were enjoying the conditions this morning
This is likely to ease the chilly weather and frosts which left much of the country shivering over the weekend. Kevin Hogg of the Met Office said: 'Temperatures will be milder this week and closer to the average. It might even feel warm.'
But his colleague Andy Bodenham added: 'The weather will remain unsettled with rain or showers. There is no chance of returning to the weather we had last weekend.'
The heaviest rainfall fell in parts of Wales, with Capel Curig in Snowdonia recording 3.6ins yesterday.
Winter wonderland: A woman shovels snow in Cairngorm after temperatures plunged overnight
By the early afternoon, the Environment Agency had issued 23 flood warnings across England and Wales amid fears homes and businesses would be flooded.
An additional 76 flood watches were in place warning of disruption to low-lying land and roads.
Fortunately, the danger of flooding swiftly receded thanks to the recent dry weather, which meant there was no surface water and river levels were low. However, on the South coast, a beach in Southsea, Hampshire, was evacuated after torrential rain unearthed a 100-year- old six-inch artillery shell, described as 'live and very dangerous'.
It was taken out to sea and then destroyed in a controlled explosion.
The Midlands and South-East also had up to two inches of rain as a thick band of cloud came in from the west on Saturday night.
Storms batter Essex: A homeowner in Billericay had two cars damaged when a large part of an Oak tree fell on them
It swept across the country before blowing out across the English Channel yesterday afternoon.
Patchy drizzle was due to creep in from the West this morning before clearing in the afternoon.
Tomorrow is expected to start with heavy rain spreading eastwards, with occasional showers in the afternoon.
a.levy@dailymail.co.uk
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Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
It wasn't a "surprise" snowfall in Scotland. BBC weather forecast yesterday said there would be snow today.
- sue, Darlington, UK, 04/10/2008 15:41
Last week, I saw Arsenal Manager Wenger wore a heavy coat on TV. I asked if England was so cold because it was only in September.
- Ms D.Lee, Hong Kong, 04/10/2008 14:51
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To those of you who love the cold - enjoy!
- Jill, Valencia, Spain, 04/10/2008 16:21