Wettest day on record for Fair Isle

FAIR Isle suffered its wettest day on record last weekend when almost four inches of rain fell in 24 hours.

Residents were had to avoid the deluge, which at one point brought two inches of rain in a single hour and flooded many parts of the island.

Sunday’s downpour of 101.2mm was more than double the previous record set in November 1996.

The island’s resident weather man, Dave Wheeler, said it was an extraordinary amount of rain to fall in such a short period of time.

“Our previous highest total in 24 hours was 46.2mm, so this was more than twice that amount,” he said.

“Most of the time it was just classed as moderate to heavy rain, but it just went on and on and on.”

Mr Wheeler said the rain picked up until it could be classed as being a “heavier than torrential” downpour.

“From 4pm until 4.30pm the rain was falling at an inch an hour. For a brief five-minute spell, about halfway through that time, it was falling at nearly two inches an hour, which is heavier than torrential, I guess.”