Did Olympics Organizers Fail to Plan for London's Rain?

Looking at London’s Olympics plans from over in America, it must be hard to fathom why the attitude of many British journalists (myself included) has often seemed rather negative. Despite some ludicrously heavy-handed sponsor-protection and security measures, the upcoming Games should still have plenty going for them. London’s preparations have focused like no Olympics before on providing the city with a meaningful legacy, investment has been swamping a deprived area and, despite fairly low-key architecture, a few beautiful, reusable sporting facilities will be left behind. So what’s the problem?

Rain, that’s what. It may sound beyond trivial, but while North America has been baking in some anteroom to hell, Britain has been drowning in the wettest spring and summer on record. Following a winter drought, rain has been pelting down almost without respite since the 5th of April, often throughout the day. Flooding has hit the country hard*. Many outdoor events have been cancelled and those that remained in place, like the Olympic Torch relay and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, have looked less like summer celebrations than scenes from King Lear. London is now a slushy mess, and walking through its parks feels like bouncing across a vast, dirty sponge.