Swiss News is reporting that this is the wettest July ever, at least since Switzerland began recording weather data. Interesting to discover that the first published weather reports were published in 1878 only after pressure from the Federal Government. The 88 Swiss weather stations had entered into service in 1863 but the general population had no access to these reports. It was the farmers who asked the Federal Council to make daily weather forecasts available to all. The first published report in June 1878 sounds like today’s forecast: Continuation of the unsettled weather with a tendency to light showers – just change “light” to heavy showers and it’s the same today. Last night we had crashing tides of thunder; this morning, for the entire morning, we had rumbling, grumbling mutterings of thunder. It reminded me of a dog slowly, steadily growling. And rain, rain, rain. Usually the entire month of July registers a rainfall of 150 mm; in the last 24 hours Ticino has gotten 130 mm.

Bad weather rolling in