As I was coming down Milton Road on the way home, what had been a plausible but uninteresting shower quite suddenly turned into an absolute torrent. I believe this is the first time ever in my history of car-owning that I've had to use the ‘frantic’ setting on my windscreen wipers just to be able to see out properly. Also notable was that I had a serious need to use an umbrella when walking from the car to my front door – despite parking (as usual) in such a way that the walk was three metres.

This is serious rain. I am impressed.