大咖福利影院

Juxst thinking, as long as Ive been here (17 years), we've never had a hosepipe ban but back in the UKm they have got them all over the place.

It finally did open up and pissed it down,. I can not see it lasting though. - @SimCityAT

Big downpours don't really soak in. Needs like 4h of steady rain. We get rivers in the streets and it all goes down the drains.

Saturday Weather:

29C @ 12.50h, wind 1.9 from W, pressure 1010 hPa (down), UV 3.5, humidity 41%.

We had a bit of rain last night at Fluffy Towers but I am not sure it made any difference.聽 We were not at home as we were down at Balaton and it did not rain there.

Sunday 19th:

Sunny and warm but then really stormy, windy with rain and temperatures plummeted from 29C down to 20C.聽 聽Big stormy looking clouds with some thunder.聽 It won't last long and it'll be hot again but this time, more humid. Bit of relief to have a cooler breeze for a short period.

Stats:

20C, wind 2.5 m/s from NW, humidity 71%, 1011 hPa,聽 rain 0.7mm, 0599310, sunset 20.36h (sunrise was 05.12h).

More apples have been delivered by a visitor.聽 These are in a giant bag. So now we're really stuck on what to do with them.聽 All I can think is to make apple sauce to freeze. I've already done the fruity pies but I didn't use shortcrust pastry as I got the wrong one in Aldi.聽 This one was like paper so I had to wing it and use ramekins as the pastry could not be formed into a fixed shape. For some reason, the web upload has auto rotated the picture.

Ramekin-a-ding-dong....

Currently, 18C and clear skies; forecast high today of 24C, moderate air quality; the rest of the week looks to be the same, I can go with that.

Currently, 18C and clear skies; forecast high today of 24C, moderate air quality; the rest of the week looks to be the same, I can go with that. - @Cynic

Despite the recent rain, and the drop in temperatures,聽 and welcome freshness,聽 we're creeping back up to what is the new normal, i.e. hot and sweaty.

Stats:

25C, UV 4.7 (high), 36% humidity (must have all burnt off), sunset 20.35, 1015 hPa, wind 3.7 m/s from NW, AQI no idea.

Balaton:

No real idea of the weather, but I think about 24C and No.1 Eyeball detects it is raining.聽 聽Looking out at the lake, it's windy with whitecaps with flashing warning lights.聽 Most obviously, there's a water shortage. The level is low. Inflows must be down.聽 One has to walk out maybe 300m before it even reaches your waist.聽 聽The paddleboard keeps grounding.聽 At this rate, one will be able to walk across the entire thing from Szantod to Tihany-rev (this is where the car ferry goes).聽 In previous years of low water, I've seen people standing in the middle of the channel.聽 Maybe they'll have to start dredging.

In other news, I stood on a wasp,聽 was stung and my big toe swelled up ruining my plans for usual Balaton cycling plans.聽 I am truly surprised that it is hurting as much as it does. I've had to have some painkillers - aches a lot.聽 Been years since I've been stung like that.聽 聽

I've been on my son's electric scooter.聽 Mein Gott, it's fast - does 40km/h+.聽 聽It's rather good but it needs a saddle for older fogeys to sit on.聽 I am surprised how good it actually is.聽 Dangerous as hell for kids and adults alike but I can see it's rather good for commuters in flat areas with cycle paths.聽 We had to get insurance for it - it's the law now.聽 聽Such things are illegal in the UK but common here. Everyone is using them.

Balaton:

Heatwave is back.聽 We had windy weather and it was a bit cool.聽 Now it's really hot again - maybe 28C during the day.聽 聽We'll go home tomorrow until the next time in mid-August for our 2nd week.聽 聽

By mid-August it'll probably turn cooler overall.聽 And by September, it'll be all over.聽 As soon as kids go back to school, it's dead at Balaton except for retirees and a few stragglers.聽 I expect we'll come back mid-October for some gardening and tidying.聽 Then no-one will come here until maybe May 2027.

There are too many wasps.聽 It's a full time job whacking them.聽 Not so many mosquitoes so that's good.聽 There are many small insects but they aren't biting.聽 聽 My wasp stung big toe is really itchy. This is supposed to be聽 a good sign - itching means healing supposedly.聽 I've had some anti-histamines. Oy Vay.

19C and cloudy here; forecasting rain later this evening.聽 Had some strong gusty wind during the day.聽 Solar has done well; batteries are fully charged, and we sold some to the energy company.

27掳C now at 7pm, but was 29掳C at peak today. 30掳C tomorrow. End of next week 38掳C. Got possible rain tomorrow and Monday, we shall have to see.

27掳C now at 7pm, but was 29掳C at peak today. 30掳C tomorrow. End of next week 38掳C. Got possible rain tomorrow and Monday, we shall have to see. - @SimCityAT

38C again. It's becoming a bit weird. I've been reading farming has been badly hit and officially droughts are being declared.

@fluffy2560

South England have got 29掳C next week. Getting tired of these idits saying its summer, what do you expect. Ive noticed that it is getting hotter year by year and winters are getting milder.

Just catching up with what's happening in France and Spain, totally heartbreaking 馃挃

Bordeaux council considers 'total evacuation of city if needed' as almost 300,000 flee homes

Wildfires are 20 miles away!

Bordeaux council considers 'total evacuation of city if needed' as almost 300,000 flee homes
Wildfires are 20 miles away! - @SimCityAT

My daughter is in BC, Canada and fires are raging there. I asked her if they had fires and they said they were surrounded by them but it was all under control.聽 Looked dodgy on the map.

They are hiking and hadn't even heard about the fires in Europe.聽 But then again, Canada is "used" to forest fires and they have the gear, water and knowledge to fight it.

@SimCityAT

This is worrying; if the UK wants to do something special, we should be offering these people whatever help we can give; I've got 3 empty bedrooms.

@SimCityAT
This is worrying; if the UK wants to do something special, we should be offering these people whatever help we can give; I've got 3 empty bedrooms. - @Cynic

They already have 200,000 evacuated people in city from the near by areas that have gone up in flames.

(The city of Bordeaux proper has a population of approximately 268,000 to 274,000 residents. The broader metropolitan area (Bordeaux M茅tropole) has a much larger population of over 1.2 to 1.3 million people.)

Wildfire within nine miles of Bordeaux

Yesterday, an individual was arrested for smoking in the forest, and two others were arrested for having a barbecue there.

Spanish PM visits fire-hit province: Pedro Sanchez has travelled to Avila, one of three central provinces affected by major blazes alongside Madrid and Toledo. More than 45,000 hectares have burned.

As another 'out of control' Spain fire rages on: Some 4,3000 hectares have been ravaged in the eastern Castellon province, where local authorities said: "The fire is out of control, it's very 鈦燿ifficult to extinguish from a technical standpoint."

We recently discussed how when I was considering fitting solar panels here in the UK, I was unable to get the balcony style mounted panels which seemed to be available everywhere else except here.聽 Today, I found out why - they were illegal in the UK.聽 However, all that has now changed, the new PM has altered in the law to make them now available.

We recently discussed how when I was considering fitting solar panels here in the UK, I was unable to get the balcony style mounted panels which seemed to be available everywhere else except here. Today, I found out why - they were illegal in the UK. However, all that has now changed, the new PM has altered in the law to make them now available. - @Cynic

I am still considering these plug in panels.聽 The power cabling and protection in the house needs to be adjusted to avoid overloading the cabling.聽 Basically needs an extra circuit breaker for the solar to stop it overloading the existing house grid.聽 聽Obviously we were not subject to UK restrictions here and balcony power is common in Germany so it's not a major effort to organise it.

At Fluffy HQ, we have 3-phase so our system is rather more complicated that most people's houses.聽 Here, in HU, the standard supply now is single phase, 20A but ours is 60A, 3-phase, 3 times the capacity.聽 聽I think the owner previously wanted to run industrial machines and 3-phase is good for that.聽 聽We did see evidence of machinery in the shed when we cleaned it out - industrial connectors, some old bits and bobs.聽 Or maybe it was just like that at the time and everyone got 60A capacity.

I've still got my meter to show how much power we actually use.聽 As I may have mentioned, we were delivered the wrong one so I've decided, this wrong one without WiFi monitoring, so this will go in the shed for experimentation and I will get a new one with WiFi.聽 Very annoying people.聽 聽That's what happens when one buys from China.聽 Takes 6 weeks to arrive and it's the wrong one.聽 Hopeless.

Meanwhile, we have returned from Balaton from our first week there:

24.5C, WNW 1.2 m/s wind, humidity 53%, pressure 1008 (down, looks very much like rain), sunset will be at 20.27h.聽 We're losing time, 1 minute per day of daylight.聽

And BTW, the wasps are at our eating grapes.聽 聽We'll have to put the bunches in sealed bags.聽 聽We did this last time.聽 Bit early for grapes but the wasps don't work on a calendar.聽 Apples are looking good.聽 Plums not very attractive. Bit early for them too.聽 I'm planning on weeping figs and pear trees now.聽 We've collected some seeds and will grow them in pots until time to plant out.聽 聽

I have no idea whats happening, my weather apps keep on telling me thatrain is coming and to expect rain to stop. But we have none, not even a drop. Ther garden needs it deperately, the ground is like congrete.

Its not goingbto happen for the veg this year, but I am going to do some raised beds, it will be so much easier to manage and water.

Temps of 39掳C AGAIN. I think this is the new normal. I won't be supprised if we have 40掳C+ next year, but the year isn't over yet. We have August to get though first, so it might even happen yet.

I have no idea whats happening, my weather apps keep on telling me thatrain is coming and to expect rain to stop. But we have none, not even a drop. Ther garden needs it deperately, the ground is like congrete.
Its not goingbto happen for the veg this year, but I am going to do some raised beds, it will be so much easier to manage and water.

Temps of 39掳C AGAIN. I think this is the new normal. I won't be supprised if we have 40掳C+ next year, but the year isn't over yet. We have August to get though first, so it might even happen yet. - @SimCityAT

One of my weather apps is reporting 40C next Thursday (6th August 2026).聽 It could be the new normal.聽 聽

The nuclear power station is now really concerning.聽 It needs continuous water for cooling.聽

Our ground is rock solid.聽 We are watering as there's no hose pope ban.聽 Any water just goes straight through.

Raised bed are a quite good idea. Saves one's back from bending over.聽 I was considering it myself and making it a hot bed.聽 I didn't do it as making the actual hot bed will need concrete or wood and I'm only really keen on building this kind of thing from scrap.聽

This is what I want

Believe it there's only 3 raised beds.

I'm seriously thinking of taking the drastic action and cutting down one of our pine trees. Only have 2, might if I can stretch to it, and have the other taken down. The needles are a pain in the ass. They get everywhere. Sweeping them up, and each time I mow the lawn you have to cover the ground just pick up the first cones.

I've got a friend who is a tree surgeon, so I'll probably get a discount, if lucky free. Cost me a crate of beers for the lads.

He owns the company, decent guy, a Brit living in Vienna. His crew lives in a shared house that he owns, rent free. All they have to pay聽 for isbtheir food.

He even offered to come and cut my lawn, when I was waiting for and after my operation and was out of action.

Been pretty lucky for work needed doing to my tress. Sadly both no longer here, but nothing times cost me nex tonnothing do the work.

Finally! Thunder, Rain!

BUT. A sprinkling and nothing else.

Eastern and Central Europe on brink of energy emergency amid record-low water and heatwaves

Persistent drought and successive extreme heatwaves have deprived the Danube of water, pushing levels in Budapest to around 10cm on Monday, well below the previous all-time low of 33cm in 2018.

Countries across Europe are on the brink of an energy emergency as the River Danube falls to record-low water levels - with Romania carrying out underwater detonations to improve water flow.

Large parts of Europe have been hit by prolonged heat and drought - lowering river levels and raising concerns about water supplies, river transportation and power generation.

It comes as images showed the Romanian navy blasting rocks in controlled explosions to divert the Danube water flow toward the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Izvoarele, Romania.

Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector on Friday, and warned that the Danube's low water levels threatened the shutdown of Cernavoda's second reactor.

He has appealed to citizens to voluntarily limit electricity usage in peak evening hours.

Meanwhile, the water authority in Hungary was projecting that 鈦爐he level of the Danube, which flows from Germany 鈦爐o the Black Sea, would drop further in the coming days.

Water levels for the river in Budapest dropped to around 10cm on Monday, well below the previous all-time low of 33cm in 2018.

Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar has since warned the country is facing the "most critical five days ahead" with its sole nuclear power plant, the two-gigawatt Paks plant, expected to be shut down this week due to the water levels on the river - which is used for cooling.

"We are facing the most critical five days 鈥宎head," Mr Magyar said in a Facebook video at the weekend.

"The power grid, our public services and ourselves will all come under 鈥宔normous strain," said Mr Magyar, who has warned that Paks, which runs four Russian-built reactors, could remain inactive for weeks.

He said the power plant would operate at reduced capacity until it is completely shut down for the first time in more than four decades as a new heatwave looms.

The plant generates about half of the country's electricity. As of Sunday, it was running at just over 10% of its capacity after the Danube fell to a record low.

In a later video, he said the decision on when to shut it down would be "made by the plant's management observing a strict security protocol".

Falls in water levels have also disrupted shipping 鈦燼nd tourism in the country. Water-use restrictions have been imposed in more than 鈥�100 cities and villages, including on the outskirts of Budapest, according to government records.

The crisis 鈥媍ould cost Hungary 100bn to 200bn forints (拢235m to 拢470m) due to tIt comes amid ongoing extreme heat across Europe: Massive blazes in Spain and France at the end of last month drove roughly 325,000 people from their homes and holiday sites, while a wildfire is currently raging in Greece.

he surging price of imported electricity, Mark Radnai, vice chairman of Mr Magyar's Tisza Party, said on Facebook.

Mr Magyar said voluntary cuts in power usage by households and more than 300 鈦燾ompanies, after a government appeal, had reduced demand by 400MW, 鈥媏asing some pressure on the grid.

"For the time being there is 鈥媙o need for mandatory restrictions in power consumption for companies," he said.

He added, however, that restrictions could be introduced at the start of this week, if necessary.

German river also at record low

The Rhine, a river that is a major highway for European freight traffic, has also dried up in some parts.

In Germany's western city of Cologne, which spans the Rhine, the water level on Saturday dropped below the record low set in October 2018.

The volume of cargo transported to and from Rotterdam - Europe's largest sea port - to the Rhine has 鈥媐allen each week since the start of July and is around 10% lower than usual, a port spokesperson told 鈥媡he Reuters news agency.

In Italy, the Po River basin has entered a state of high water scarcity, threatening rice crops and drinking water supplies across the 鈥媙orth.

Renato Mazzoncini, chief executive of regional utility A2A, said: "Some of our reservoirs are under pressure.

"We practically need to start doing a rain dance."

Meanwhile, in Serbia, record-low Danube levels have pushed the country's key hydroelectric plant to operate with only 20% of its capacity.

Prime Minister Djuro Macut appealed to residents to "minimize the use of big consumers of electricity in their homes, such as air conditioners."

He described the situation in a statement late on Sunday as "serious and demanding."