Record June temperatures experienced just a week ago turned as quickly to record rainfall as a deluge on Saturday and Sunday prompted flood warnings for areas around Derwentwater.
Honister in Borrowdale recorded a (provisional) record rainfall figure for June with 213mm falling from midnight on Saturday evening to midnight on Sunday.
The Environment Agency issued a flood warning for Keswick campsite, as Derwentwater rose significantly during two days of rain. It finally reached its peak at 3pm on Monday.
However, although the heavy rain helped to raise the level of Thirlmere’s parched reservoir by one metre there was no sign of flooding from the River Greta.
Lynne Jones, chair of Keswick Flood Action Group, said: “Although the level of Thirlmere was up 28 per cent, it still remained 5 metres below the overflow, so people in Keswick could sleep easy in their beds as we knew we had spare capacity in Thirlmere.
“It can depend in which valley the heaviest rain falls as to which of our lakes are most affected.”
Keswick Launch Company staff were quick to react, moving their rowing boats onto the road, away from the rising lake. The company is expecting to be open for business on Saturday (4th July).
In Keswick itself 96mm of rain fell over the three days from Saturday 27th to Monday 29th. Rainfall during this month for Keswick stands at 234mm, some way short of the record which was in June 2012 with a total of 301mm.
In contrast just days earlier on Thursday 25th June, temperatures reached a record high for June as the town sweltered, when the thermometer rose to 29.7C – that’s an incredible 85.4F – according to the Keswick Reminder’s weather watcher Lorna HG Holden.
