Editorial: Mixed views on effects of wet weather

Do you like warm, sunny, dry days?

Whilst wandering a supermarket aisle on Saturday morning I passed two chaps of "mature" age who were talking about the one thing a lot of people talk about at this time of the year.

The weather.

One of the aisle chatters remarked that "someone has stuffed things up".

His mate asked what he meant and he replied that it was never fine on the weekends ... the usual pattern was nice days from Monday to Friday and then it all dissolved into rainwater and dull skies for Saturday and Sunday.

"Fair point," his mate said.

So a fine weekend in mid-winter was much appreciated, although apparently, for an estimated 40 per cent of the population, it was not.

In the wake of many parts of the country being hammered by constant and heavy rain over the past fortnight, Weatherwatch staged an online poll asking people if they liked lots of rain.

The sound of heavy showers on the roof and a horizon of dark skies.

Well, 40 per cent said they did.

They liked it, while 42 per cent said they did not like rain and 18 per cent said they weren't bothered either way.

Perhaps the polling locations had a bearing, as some parts of the land could do with a little more while others could do with a lot less.

The one point the poll people did make was that those 40 per cent were in luck, as there was plenty more rain on the horizon.

And (to quell the seven-day theory) who'd bet against a wet weekend coming up?

But (returning to the chaps blocking access to the tinned fish) "in six months' time we'll be moaning about the heat".

Mmmm, so how about another poll in January?

Do you like warm, sunny, dry days?

I suspect the answer would be a tad more than 40 per cent.