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Will our 'Awful August' end on a high?
As August draws to a close the wet weather which has brought flooding to many areas is expected to end.
The Met Office is predicting somewhat drier weather for much of England and Wales over the Bank Holiday weekend. But wet and windy conditions are still likely to affect Scotland and Northern Ireland at times.
Nick Grahame, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office offered some relief from the poor summer, saying: "The weekend weather is rather mixed with sunshine but some rain for all. However, much better weather is forecast throughout next week. Looking further ahead, September is likely to bring settled conditions."
Following on from a record-breaking wet summer in 2007, heavy rain this August has resulted in more floods in many areas of the country. Thanks to an acceleration of its research and development programme, the Met Office is now able to pinpoint extreme rainfall more accurately.
A combined Environment Agency and Met Office team based in Exeter is using this technology and hydrological expertise to deliver integrated warnings to emergency responders.
The Met Office's Public Weather Service (PWS) plays a key role in UK emergency planning. PWS advisors work closely with emergency services, local authorities, national and regional government to provide advice in emergency situations and improve longer term contingency planning.
Regions worst hit so far this August have been Scotland and Northern Ireland where floods have severely affected road and rail transport. The National Climate Information Centre at the Met Office has provided the following figures that show the extent of the rain around the country.
Average rainfall1 - 17 Long-term average
August 2008 1971-2000 1- 31
August
UK 95.5 mm 84.6 mm
England 80.2 mm 66.8 mm
Scotland 97.8 mm 107.4 mm
Wales 128.1 mm 106.0 mm
Northern Ireland 175.9 mm 90.9 mm
For the latest weather forecast, advisories and warnings go to http://www.metoffice.gov.uk
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