Queen's Club gets a soaking as three months' rain falls in 24 hours

By David Derbyshire

Last updated at 10:18 AM on 7th June 2011

Gardeners and farmers breathed a sigh of relief yesterday as parts of Britain were deluged by two weeks’ worth of rain in just one day.

In the bone-dry South East, more rain fell in 24 hours than in the whole of March, April and May.

Charlwood in Surrey saw more than 30.6mm (1.2in) of rain between 10am on Sunday and 10am on Monday – 0.4mm (0.02in) more than the town’s entire rainfall for spring.

Familiar scene: Hardy spectators attempt to sit out the rain at Queen's Club, London

Rain stops play: Wet weather also severely disrupted play at Lords on the fourth day of the second test between England and Sri Lanka

And Wisley in Surrey – home to the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens – saw 35.2mm (1.4in), just short of the 37.2mm (1.5in) of the previous three months.

The break in the weather means the South East is finally getting the showers endured by much of the North West of England over the past few weeks.

The average rainfall expected in the South East of England during June is 56mm (2.2 inches), meaning that parts of England have received more than half their monthly average over one  24-hour period.

However, East Anglia – which has experienced a record-breaking dry spring, remained much less wet.

The rain hampered the Test match at Lord’s and the start of the tennis at Queen’s Club in London.

Met Office spokesman Barry Gromett said: ‘There was quite a bit of warm air coming off  the Continent.

‘Low pressure that mixed with cold air coming down from the North caused very heavy storms over France, the Netherlands and Germany on Saturday.

Slow start: As wet weather disrupted the cricket, parts of England saw more rain in 24 hours than in the three previous months

Washout: England's Kevin Pietersen inspects the grey skies as rain saw players spending plenty of time on the palyers' balcony

‘Those storms progressed across the North Sea and into south-east England.’

He added: ‘Most of the rainfall fell in and around London.

‘Getting further north, there have been showers across places like Norfolk, but they have been relatively light.’

However, experts warned that the recent downpour following the second-driest spring in 100 years was not enough to replenish soil and prevent a drought over the summer.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency told the Daily Telegraph: 'To get out of where we are now, we would need some substantial rain for a prolonged period.

'In the medium term, forecasts are for a return to the dry conditions after this wet spell.'

More unsettled weather is forecast for the rest of the week, although the heaviest rainfall has probably passed.

‘I think it is sunshine and showers for the rest of the week,’  he added.

‘The further east you are, the lighter these showers will be, with some reasonable sunny spells in between the heavy showers.

Empty seats: Staff wipe down seating at Queen's Club on day one of the AEGON Championships

‘In the South East, through Tuesday and into Wednesday, there will be showers here and there and some fine sunny spells in between.

‘Top temperatures for Tuesday will probably be something like 20c (68f) in the South East.

‘It will bring some showers along, but nowhere near the intensity of the ones we have seen over the past 24 hours.’

Last month saw Britain split – with the North West enduring a wet month, but the South East getting almost no rain. It was the third wettest month for Scotland since 1910, but one of the driest for Essex and Kent.

● Britain’s butterflies emerged earlier than ever before this spring, following a warm April.

Some of our rarest species are among those which have been breaking records with the dates they were first sighted, according to Butterfly Conservation.

The endangered Lulworth Skipper was seen seven weeks before the time it normally emerges.