Ruth Mottram
We have hit the 10 out of 10 drought index in #Copenhagen.
Our garden pond has a water level about 10cm lower than it should be. The plants in the garden are starting to suffer. None of the toads we heard calling appear to have bred successfully this year, though there are plenty of newts.
The rainwater tank is empty.
No rain in the forecast for at least the next 2 weeks.
#Drought23 #Tørke23
#ClimateDiary
Jun 2, 2023 at 5:57amWeb
Show threadbadsynthesisJun 2, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram Just some anecdotes
- Fire department has issued warning of forest fires all over the region.
- Pollen season for birch, my arch-nemesis, is over but I still can't open a window because it hasn't rained yet so it's all floating around.

...and there's no rain on the horizon. I keep looking at the 10 day forecasts in hope.

Show threadbadsynthesisJun 12, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram Still no rain on the 10 day forecasts.

Seems we're just waiting for another massive forest fire and salt water in the ground water table at this point. Fun all around.

Show threadRuth MottramJun 12, 2023
@badsynthesis we actually finally have rain in the forecast, in about 6 days time! But it will be showers, hard to tell if it will be adequate (also coincides with start of kids summer holidays... 🫣)
Show threadbadsynthesisJun 12, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram haha, of course it times with the kids summer holidays after weeks of sunshine.

Sometimes the weather gods just loves to fuck with us ;)

Show threadbadsynthesisJul 3, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram We've now gone from 1-2 months of sunshine and drought to flooding.
Show threadPauline von HellermannJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram very similar here in #Sussex #Southeast #UK. Very very dry, can’t see any toads (normally many rrom our neighbours’ pond), and no rain forecast. Also: very few insects. This is something a lot of people have noticed. Lots of #WildFlowers but no insect. Maybe because of #Drought or becsuse it’s been so cold? Not sure. #ClimateDiary
Show threadGareth KitchenJun 2, 2023
@pvonhellermannn
When I was a child, my Dad had to clear the windscreen of bug splats each time he took the car out. I don't have to do that at all now. No swallows this year either. No cuckoos for the last five.
@Ruth_Mottram
Show threadEva ChandaJun 4, 2023
@gruff @Ruth_Mottram @pvonhellermannn
You're right, surveys using car "splatometers" have confirmed the downward trend in UK and other countries. You can even get involved with a citizen science project in the UK.
https://news.sky.com/story/car-number-plate-squashed-bug-survey-shows-terrifying-decline-in-number-of-flying-insects-12605662
Car number plate 'splatometer' survey shows 'terrifying decline' in number of flying insects

Sky
Show threadEva ChandaJun 4, 2023
@gruff @Ruth_Mottram @pvonhellermannn
Here's the project link:
https://www.buglife.org.uk/get-involved/surveys/bugs-matter/
Bugs Matter ~ Take part in our Bugs Matter survey

Citizen science - The Bugs Matter survey We need lots of people to take part this summer, sharing findings from their journeys to help us understand more about our insect populations!

Buglife
Show threadRobbie RoweJun 2, 2023
@pvonhellermannn @Ruth_Mottram
I'm seeing fewer bees locally despite a abundance of blossom & wildflowers, but some butterflies seem to be having a good year: holly blues are everywhere & also speckled woods. #ClimateDiary #pollinators
Show threadSimon BrookeJun 2, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram Here in the west of Scotland (normally a very wet place) there has been no rain at all in May and there is forecast to be no rain at all in June.

Our grass is at this moment still lush and growing well, but I am deeply concerned that we are going to face real problems later.

55ºN 4ºW
#ClimateDiary

Show threadMike SpencerJun 2, 2023
@simon_brooke @Ruth_Mottram SEPA are doing weekly water scarcity reports: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/water-scarcity/ it's already looking pretty dry out there.
Water scarcity | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

Water scarcity and drought information for Scotland

Show threadMike SpencerJun 2, 2023
@simon_brooke @Ruth_Mottram I have *opinions* on their ability to create pdfs with images.
Show thread𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿Jun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram It’s similar here in southern England. What started out as a perfect spring as far as gardeners and nature is concerned (although people were moaning because we didn’t get 25°C temperatures in April!) is rapidly becoming a repeat of last summer.
Show threadReiner Jung 🇬🇱 🇺🇦 🇪🇺Jun 2, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram looks horrible. The #German drought monitor depicts the current situation for plant available water as follows: Blue = >110 %nFK, and Red = 0 %nFK,

BTW: Do you have a link to the Danish website? Would help to better compare the charts. Thanks.

https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=37937

Show threadArneJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram That really surprised me, too. As @prefec2 posted, the drought monitor for the very north of Germany is ok. I'm less than 10 km away from an area marked orange in the Danish map. It's dry, the level of the pond is going down, but there is water in the soil.
🤞 for you and some rain.
Show threadReiner Jung 🇬🇱 🇺🇦 🇪🇺Jun 2, 2023
@feinschmeckergarten @Ruth_Mottram Both graphics depict related but different values, if I understand that correctly. That is why I asked for a link so I can understand what Dutch drought index values are based on and compare it with the values from the ufz.
Show threadRuth MottramJun 2, 2023

@prefec2 @feinschmeckergarten it's here: https://www.dmi.dk/torkeindeks/

I think the difference is simply related to a few rain showers that passed over some parts bit missed others. It's very local!

Tørkeindeks

Aktuelt tørkeindeks baseret på DMI's observationer samt historiske data.

DMI
Show threadArneJun 2, 2023

@prefec2 There is a Danish page https://www.dmi.dk/nyheder/2023/torkeindeks-er-tilbage/ on how they calculate the index. It's about plant available water and evaporation. You might be expert enough to compare to the way the German index is calculated.

@Ruth_Mottram

Tørkeindeks er tilbage

DMI har haft Tørkeindeks til eftersyn pga. fejl. I dag sættes en ny version i drift med et mere retvisende billede af tørkeforholdene i Danmark.

DMI
Show threadNiels🛰️Jun 2, 2023

@prefec2 @feinschmeckergarten @Ruth_Mottram here are the Dutch links: https://waterberichtgeving.rws.nl/owb/droogtemonitor

While there is a shortage of rain in the last month, groundwater levels are still average to high. My guess is that's because we've had a relatively wet and cold period before may.

Online Waterberichtgeving | Rijkswaterstaat

Show threadBlippy the Wonder Slug (MOVED)Jun 2, 2023

@Ruth_Mottram
According to the animated map of Germany, the Rhineland wine areas (also major agricultural areas in the east) have gone from generally OK to wilting point in the past 2 weeks.

No rain is forecast, and the grapes are starting to bud. I predict a poor harvest this year, and rapidly declining harvests for the general future.

I also predict that by 2033, just 10 short years from now, the vineyards above me are going to be sandy scrub hills.

Show threadLinzaJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram can you shade the pond temporarily?
Show threadAnne JeffersonJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram We are not that bad (yet?) on this side of the Atlantic, but #Vermont is experiencing abnormally dry conditions and we've had record-breaking heat this week. 35 C yesterday!
Everything is still so green and lovely here, but I wonder how long it will last if this keeps up. A cold front is meant to come through tonight, at least, but we may not see rain from it.
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu #ClimateDiary #drought
Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor

Show threadRuth MottramJun 2, 2023

@annejefferson a cold front came through here last night (check out the cool clouds!) But without a drop of rain, only more wind to further dry everything out.. 🙄

#clouds #rain #ColdFront

Show threadPterryJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram somehow similar here. I feel like I will be performing rain dances any day now.
Show threadEddie the BulldogJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram hej, Ruth. Here in US mid-Atlantic no rain for weeks. Visiting family in Copenhagen for Sankt Hans aften and they are already talking about how unusual weather is there.
Show threadRuth MottramJun 2, 2023
@Eddiethebulldog yes. I hope there is rain before Skt Hans or we risk it being cancelled like in 2018…
Show threadEddie the BulldogJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram same here!
Show threadC SilvaJun 2, 2023
@Ruth_Mottram this is so distressing