Isles of Scilly weather

Events

Sometimes our weather is extreme. This year, like most of the country, it has rained and rained.  Luckily we don't suffer from flash floods, the rain runs off and goes back into the sea. What we do get is slow floods, that only appear when the island is absolutely saturated. These floods are odd as they often reach their height days after the heaviest rain has past and water has percolated down through the granite. For those that know St Martin's this is a picture of Pool Green, next to the beach at Highertown. In the summer it is the island cricket pitch! 

Autumn

As the visitor season finishes and boats are pulled out of the water, the scented narcissi season starts in earnest. Early autumn is usually warm and sunny but winter often arrives suddenly with an October storm.

Winter

During the winter we are very busy picking and sending scented narcissi, the traditional flower crop of the Isles of Scilly. Snow and frosts are very rare. The large amount of sea around relativity small areas of land acts a bit like a blanket.  Atlantic gales are frequent, we protect the flowers by growing them in small fields bordered by tall hedges. 

Spring

These days not many daffodils are grown commercially on Scilly but the remnants of old crops pop up all over the place in the spring.  The weather starts to warm up but you can still be caught out by a chilly blast. You never know if Easter will be a picnic on the beach or a cosy roast dinner. 

Summer

In the summer we grow and send scented pinks.  These delicately perfumed flowers are very pretty and popular with visitors wanting to send a gift home. Nowhere is as beautiful as Scilly on a sunny summer's day, turquoise sea, white sparkling beaches and long days, it never gets that crowded and it rarely gets too hot.  But storm clouds and mist can roll in, changing the weather incredibly quickly.