The weather defies the forecast

The route in the sun

When the English meet with strangers, the easiest conversation started is the weather on how sunny, how cold or how inclement it is. Before I stepped out for my walk this evening, I checked the weather forecast that suggested I should expect no rain for the rest of the day. That informed my just wearing a top and no need for the all-weather jacket with a hood.

Out of the door, I considered and turned back to pick up a mask before setting out on an unusual route that took me on Old Ashton Road, to Alan Turing Way, past the Etihad Campus and the Manchester City on towards Cheetham Hill, it was sunny and fresh. Veering left towards Strangeways Prison and then the towpath on River Irwell to Peel Park when I heard a thunderclap and the rumbling of thunder.

Here comes the driving rain

It would have been another 3.5 kilometres home after doing 11 kilometres, it was unlikely I would get home before the heavens opened. Crossing the path to the student accommodations of the Salford University, I hailed a Uber cab, I had hardly closed the door when I got in and the rain was literally torrential short of hailstones. Visibility through the windscreen severely reduced, you would never want to be caught out in that even if you were dressed for it.

Now looking at my weather app, there is a prospect of rain in the next two hours which was not the case some hours ago. It is unlikely the app is linked to the supercomputers at the Meteorological Office churning models and data, but one would expect to trust the app for a longer timeframe. I only got wet in the walk between the cab and my front door. However, it is Manchester, the weather is its own changing story.