The great British rainy weather often leaves us feeling a little gloomy, however, remember with no winter showers comes no spring and summer flowers! We love embracing rainy days, from puddle splashing with the kids to muddy dog walks. We’ve got some rain facts for you to pour-over.
- The wettest place in the world... Think we get a lot of rainfall here in the UK? Well, Mawsynram in the Meghalaya State of India receives an average of 11,971mm of rainfall each year. To put that into context, the UK receives an average of 1,154mm every year.
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The wettest day on record in the UK was in 2020... New rainfall records were set on Saturday 3rd October 2020 in the UK, with weather stations recording their wettest October day. The average rainfall across the entire UK was 31.7mm, compared to the previous record of 29.8mm set on 25th August 1986. Enough rain fell across the UK to fill Loch Ness!
- The size of raindrops varies... The size of a raindrop can vary from as small as 0.5mm in diameter to 6mm diameter. Some water droplets collide even with others to become larger.
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Weather talk - we’re obsessed with it... According to a 2015 study, more than nine in 10 Brits have talked about the weather in the last six hours! Perhaps because the British weather is unpredictable and changeable, leaving us never quite knowing what to expect, or perhaps, it’s just a great conversation filler.
- On average, it rains one in three days in the UK... On average, it rains a third of the year in the UK, however, it varies from region to region. It’s usually wetter in the west and the highlands. Snowdonia in Wales is the wettest place, followed by the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District, the Pennines and the moors in the southwest of England.
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Rainbows are all about geometry... After it has rained, the atmosphere is filled with raindrops, and each raindrop acts like a tiny prism. When sunlight passes through the raindrops at the right angle, the light is split into an arc of colours, also known as the rainbow! The sun needs to be behind the observer, low in the sky and at an angle less than 42 degrees above the horizon. Double rainbows happen when light is reflected twice in the same water droplet!
- Teardrop-shaped raindrops are a myth... Raindrops are often represented to be shaped like a teardrop, however, this is a myth. When they are first formed in the atmosphere, they form a spherical shape as they bind together. When they begin to fall, their shape changes as they hit other raindrops, and the air resistance causes the bottom of the drop to flatten and curve.
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Umbrellas were considered female accessories only up until the 18th century... The first man who publicly carried an umbrella was Englishman, Jonas Hanway. Before this, the umbrella was viewed as a female fashion accessory. His influence introduced umbrellas to the male population of England, and soon after, the acceptance spread worldwide.
- Phantom rain is a thing... In dry and hot climates, sometimes, rain can evaporate before it hits the ground, also known as Phantom rain. It is most common in desert environments and appears as wispy, grey streaks radiating from the clouds.
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There are eight Sophie Allport designed umbrellas to choose from... From buzzing bees to magnificent stags, we have a design for everyone to make that rainy day a little brighter! Our practical umbrellas fold down too, making them neat and compact, perfect for keeping in your handbag, glove box or even briefcase! They also have an auto open and canopy close for ease. We also have ladies wellies, children’s wellies and raincoats, pet coats, and an abundance of hats and scarves to help stay dry in the rainy weather.
We'd love to hear all about your favourite things to do on a rainy day. Maybe it's cosying up indoors or embracing the weather with outdoor adventures. Let us know in the comments below.