The London Weather Station

Is the forecast for the summer 2008 good or bad? Are we expecting more floods like the ones that left thousands of people homeless last year?

It is a possibility, but does not look likely at the moment. Although forecasters are predicting a "wetter and warmer" summer than average has a 40% likelihood.

According to newsreports Dr Brian Golding, who is the head of forecasting has refused to rule out another washout although he said it was "extremely unilikely". Well I think this statement is a joke. Of course he is not going to rule anything out, how could he? He is a forecaster and not a weathermaker.

He added that "We have to think of what a typical British summer is like and it will not be far from the old country definition of three fine days and then a thunder storm.
Our indications that we have at the moment do not suggest anything wholly different from that but perhaps the unsettled spells might come through more frequently."

He said forecasting techniques were only able to foresee extreme rainfall a few weeks in advance, which is exactly my point.

He said: "We are not able to say at this stage whether there is going to be extreme flooding this summer. The forecast we are able to provide simply does not say anything about the likelihood of very extreme conditions."

David King, from the Environmental Agency said that this time around they were better prepared just in case there is some extreme weather.

If you are interested in this subject and want to learn more, please check out this Times Article, which I think is really good!

Check out

• the weather in London today
• the weather in London this weekend