There was a moment of relief this morning across the Isles of Scilly as the sky turned black and we experienced our first downpour for weeks, topping up our freshwater pools and reservoirs, watering our farmland and revitalising our heathlands.

Weeks of hot weather and sunshine may have been enjoyable to visitors and islanders alike, but much of our land across the Isles of Scilly has been left parched. Not only was the storm spectacular, as you can see in our video below, but it brought much needed rain to the islands. Still, with the warm weather set to continue, this isn't the silverbullet we've been waiting for, and it'll take a lot more rain than that to top up our reservoirs, nourish our farmland and protect our precious habitats. 

The first rumblings of a thunderstorm were heard early this morning at around 5:30am, with a peak between 6:30 and 7am. The sky went black and the storm tracked in from the south west, first thunder and lightning followed by a heavy rain shower and strong winds. 

Our local wildlife and indeed our community is dependent rain and we know what some species have been struggling. Our heathland habitats, our freshwater pools and most importantly, our farmland will all be feeling very grateful.

The ground around Scilly is still very dry, so we are urging all visitors to be mindful and responsible when exploring. We do not recommend having barbeques or bonfires anywhere on our land at this time, as fires can take hold incredibly quickly. Please also consider supporting local wildlife on your doorstep, by providing dishes of drinking water and leaving wild areas of your garden for animals to shelter in.