Bizarre idioms for downpours are just one facet of how the UK uses dark humour and ritual to brave the wet

May it fall as a blessing, not as a curse. So goes the ancient prayer inviting us to embrace days of rain.

It is a prayer that would not be welcomed by anyone on the floodplains the UK persists in filling with houses. It would be met with outright hostility by any farmers who are now unable to do any of the things they need to do in February because their land has had literally 40 days and nights of rain.