Pligget
Little to say for myself


Friday, August 06, 2004

Storm in a teacup

 
A lot has been made this week about the horrendous thunderstorms that hit London (more entertainingly, here), and the problems caused to the sewerage system. Londoners should count themselves lucky that it was such a mild shower.
In Washington three weeks ago, I heard on the local radio about the rainfall of the previous day a bit to the north in New Jersey. It was sufficiently intense to merit a mention at the tail-end of the local news report. I've just looked it up here.
The rain gage at Tabernacle recorded 13.2 inches, and the rain gage at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging station on Greenwood Branch at New Lisbon (01466900) in Pemberton Township, N.J., recorded 11.3 inches.
The most intense period of rainfall observed at the USGS rain gage was from 1700 to 2200 hours on July 12. The gage recorded 9.34 inches during that 5-hour period. The most intense hourly rainfall was observed during the 1-hour period between 1915 and 2015 hours, when 5.19 inches was recorded. During the 4-hour period from 1700 to 2100 hours, 8.77 inches was recorded.
Never mind raw sewage having to be pumped into the Thames, it would have been floating in through bedroom windows on Primrose Hill if there'd been the same sort of storm in London.
We should thank our lucky stars we have such clement weather here.

posted by Plig | 14:50 |


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