But there are some rather big variations in rainfall totals across little Jersey.
According to data collated by Jersey Met, the amount of rain that soaks your garden each year depends entirely on where in the Island you live, and the differences are so great that the wettest place receives 20% more rainfall each year than the
driest.
Broadly, the driest places are St Ouen’s Bay and the south-east tip of the Island, which see an average of about 750mm to 770mm of rain annually. The wettest, meanwhile, is the area stretching from Les Platons to Egypt on the north coast, which each year is drenched by an average of 950mm.
The map (right) has been created using data from rainfall gauges between 1971 and 2000 operated by Jersey Met, Jersey Water and private families at various points across the Island. Contour lines have then been drawn to indicate other areas of the Island which are likely to see similar rainfall totals.
The lowest-lying areas of Jersey generally see the least rain and the highest areas receive the most rain, as more rain is generated when moist air is forced to rise.
But scattered across Jersey are micro-climates, including valleys and areas to the lee side of higher ground, which can be much drier than surrounding areas.
‘We do have a fairly big difference in rainfall across the Island, and this is directly related to the height of the ground. If we had even higher areas, we would get an even greater difference,’ said John Searson, principal meteorologist at Jersey Met. ‘But there are also micro-climates in Jersey and so there are areas that will have less rainfall than perhaps you would expect, but there are no rain gauges there to prove it.
‘For example, there are places that are sheltered from the westerly and south-westerly winds by higher ground – and there you have a drying effect.
‘So it can be drizzling out to the west and then you get in the car and drive to Rozel and find that it is quite pleasant, as it is sheltered by the higher ground. It is one of the reasons why the Hungry Man is so successful in poor weather,’ he added.
Although the Les Platons and Egypt area is Jersey’s soggiest place, it is almost desert-like when compared to England’s wettest inhabited location – Seathwaite in Cumbria – which receives an average of 3,552mm of rain per year.
Egypt and Les Platons may sit in the dampest region of the Island, but those who work in the area say they do not find themselves reaching for the raincoat too often.
Jamie Racjan, director of artisan produce wholesaler Fungi Delecti, at Egypt, said: ‘I haven’t noticed it being that wet – it’s not like any of the staff have asked for extra wellies.
‘We do get a lot of fog, though. It’s funny when you see people commenting on Facebook about it being a lovely sunny day and you look out the window and there is nothing but
fog.’
