Average temperature     = 18.4°C
 Average humidity        = 63%
 Average dewpoint        = 10.9°C
 Average barometer       = 1024.1 mb
 Average windspeed       = 4.0 mph
 Average gustspeed       = 7.9 mph
 Average direction       = 65° (ENE)
 Rainfall for month      = 81.8 mm
 Rainfall for year       = 342.8 mm
 Rainfall for day        = 0.0 mm
 Maximum rain per minute = 0.0 mm on day 30 at time 23:50
 Maximum temperature     = 26.3°C on day 30 at time 17:36
 Minimum temperature     = 9.9°C on day 30 at time 05:52
 Maximum humidity        = 82% on day 30 at time 06:43
 Minimum humidity        = 46% on day 30 at time 17:55
 Maximum pressure        = 1025.7 mb on day 30 at time 01:50
 Minimum pressure        = 1022.0 mb on day 30 at time 18:51
 Maximum windspeed       = 11.5 mph on day 30 at time 07:48
 Maximum gust speed      = 17 mph  from 090 °( E ) on day 30 at time 10:36
 Maximum heat index      = 26.7°C on day 30 at time 17:36

 Average temperature     = 18.4°C
 Average humidity        = 80%
 Average dewpoint        = 14.5°C
 Average barometer       = 1028.4 mb
 Average windspeed       = 2.5 mph
 Average gustspeed       = 5.8 mph
 Average direction       = 91° ( E )
 Rainfall for month      = 81.8 mm
 Rainfall for year       = 342.8 mm
 Rainfall for day        = 0.0 mm
 Maximum rain per minute = 0.0 mm on day 29 at time 23:50
 Maximum temperature     = 26.9°C on day 29 at time 17:15
 Minimum temperature     = 9.5°C on day 29 at time 05:28
 Maximum humidity        = 96% on day 29 at time 07:34
 Minimum humidity        = 59% on day 29 at time 17:28
 Maximum pressure        = 1031.7 mb on day 29 at time 00:02
 Minimum pressure        = 1024.4 mb on day 29 at time 20:29
 Maximum windspeed       = 9.2 mph on day 29 at time 18:51
 Maximum gust speed      = 15 mph  from 203 °(SSW) on day 29 at time 18:52
 Maximum heat index      = 28.0°C on day 29 at time 17:15

Children enjoy the hot weather on Tynemouth beach.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/uk_enl_1243608801/html/1.stm

A rather sudden increase in temperatures has seen the mercury rise to 26.9C (80.3F) this afternoon. There has been a patchy covering of cloud, so the potential existed for even warmer temperatures.Some would say “about time” as we’ve had a lousy run of weather in recent weeks.

The warm weather is set to continue for the next few days.

I have no idea how a committee can spend 4 months discussing this, but here’s the story (and they’re not finished yet!):

Most of the London bus network was suspended

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been blamed by a committee of MPs for a “lack of leadership” during February’s snow chaos in the capital.

The disruption to London transport was “unsatisfactory” and better planning is needed in future, a report has found.

In particular, there needs to be better co-ordination between local authorities and bus and train operators, the Transport Select Committee said.

Mr Johnson said putting buses on icy roads would have been “irresponsible”.

The committee conceded that “many factors made disruption unavoidable”.

‘Inevitable’

Thousands of people were unable to travel in London on 2 February as snow disrupted the city’s transport network.

Most London buses were suspended, more than 260 schools were closed and at one point both runways at Heathrow airport were out of operation.

The cross-party group of MPs found that rather than extra resources, “co-ordination, prioritisation and visible leadership” were the most important factors in ensuring transport can recover quickly.

It recommended local authorities should “identify weaknesses in their emergency plans” and there be “high priority to clearing access routes for emergency services”.

The Mayor is pleased that today we are arguing over a select committee report, rather than giving evidence at an inquest into why Londoners have been injured London Mayor Boris Johnson

Committee Chairman Louise Ellman MP said: “The travel disruption at the beginning of February was unsatisfactory.

“While the unusually heavy snow fall meant that some disruption was inevitable, it is vital that all those involved ensure that winter maintenance plans and crisis responses are reconsidered so as to minimise disruption in the future.”

She added that “strong co-ordination” and “visible leadership” are crucial to responding to severe weather.

Ms Ellman said: “More active strategic leadership from Mayor Johnson and more practical effort on his part to oversee preparations for a rare but forecast event, could have given the public far more confidence and might have ensured public transport services were restored much more quickly.”

But Mr Johnson branded the committee’s report as “partisan and wholly opportunistic”.

The Mayor’s spokesman said: “With the benefit of hindsight it is even clearer to the Mayor that putting buses on icy roads, which could not be cleared, would have been irresponsible, dangerous and potentially lethal.

Lessons to learn

“The Mayor is pleased that today we are arguing over a select committee report, rather than giving evidence at an inquest into why Londoners have been injured unnecessarily on the icy roads.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We welcome the committee’s report which we will respond to in detail once we have considered it fully.

“Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has already asked the UK Roads Liaison Group to review what lessons can be learned from this year’s severe winter and recommend how we can be even better prepared in the future.

“Its review will include examining the supply and distribution of salt, exploring the need for a national salt reserve and considering whether changes should be made to the code of practice for highway maintenance.

“Mr Hoon has asked the group to report back by the summer and we will present the conclusions to Parliament.”

Story from BBC NEWS:

© BBC MMIX

The flooding means parts of the South West Coast Path are still cut off

Reopening sections of a coastal footpath in west Cornwall damaged by flooding could take months and cost £150,000, the National Trust has said.

A seven-mile (11.3 km) stretch of the South West Coast Path through Zennor, Morvah and Towednack was closed after the flooding in April.

It was closed after several river crossings and bridges were washed away or became too dangerous to use.

The trust and Cornwall Council both said they were working on a solution.

Toby Lowe from Cornwall Council said that repairing the affected areas would present its own problems because each bridge and crossing could not be just replaced “like-for-like”.

He cited the decades-old stone bridge at River Cove, midway between St Ives and Zennor, which was completely swept away.

Jon Brooks and Toby Lowe said work was being carried out to reopen areas

“The whole stream has changed, the terrain has changed, the bank stability is completely different, and we have to consider if we have to design something that will take increased flows in the future,” he said.

The council and the trust admitted that diversions that had been put in place were going to affect local businesses, particularly with the tourism season approaching.

National Trust Property Manager Jon Brooks said: “The South West Coast Path is a massive economic driver for this area.

“I think there will be diversions for some time, but, along with Cornwall Council, we’re working as hard as we can and as quick as we can to get some solutions in place.

“We realise the importance of getting this path open.”

Story from BBC NEWS:

© BBC MMIX