Storm arriving soon! Batten down the hatches.

Well it all seemed to quieten down last evening. But it is blowing a gale now. Nextdoor's trees are making a loud swishing noise and the wind is whistling round the house and things are creaking. Roll on dawn

Callistemon, don't leave us in suspense!

What was it.....?

Have you had a look, Callistemon ??

Something just thumped against the house!!

It’s been blowing a hooley and chucking it down here in North Wiltshire for the past 24 hours. I reckon as the house has been standing since the 16 century, it’ll stand up to a bit ‘o wind and rain. I only ventured out very briefly to put the bin out and spent my time cooking, painting & this evening watching Endeavour. The sheep in the field behind the house have been very discombobulated all day - funny creatures. Just glad I’m not a sheep and can keep warm & dry unlike them and so many folk who are flooded and without power. My daughter in NSW has trees down in the back yard with one blocking the front door. She & her husband are bunking up with the children on the non tree side. The next town 4 miles north has been evacuated, not because of fires but flooding from the lagoons. Strange things happening in our world.

It calmed down for a while about 6ish so I took the dog for a little walk. A neighbour said that the roof had come off a house in the next road!

Hadn't I heard the fire engines? No, but I do remember a loud crashing sound, but thought it was probably thunder. The radio's been turned up as the wind was howling down the chimneys!

One moment roaring down the chimney, the next moment calm.

I haven't looked outside.

Update, one fence half down and rocking on the posts. Funnily enough, not the fence I was worried about. Will be ringing the man tomorrow. It's not a shared boundary so won't have to worry about neighbours or anything, but will have to bear all costs myself.

We are in the North West. So how are things now ? All the furniture is up, all the Flood doors are on and the pumps are working. It is still wild and it’s raining again.
I have been in touch all day with the EA and the Council. I have been tending to my house and out in the village trying to comfort our vulnerable who are frightened. I have been home a couple of times to warm up and eat something. The village has a war mentality with everyone being helpful.
Except someone pinched our sandbags that we had placed specifically to stuff in a leak. We only went to get a hot drink and came back and they were gone. Bastards ! Luckily we have a lot. Everyone has mounds of them. You need to use them with plastic sheeting. They actually weigh too much and are not too effective, but people are reassured by them. Our council doesn’t supply them. I haven’t got any personally as I am using specially made flood defences. Everything flood related costs a fortune with no guarantee that it will work. The whole way in which the Government funds Flooding Mitigation is one huge sticking plaster. There is no cohesive county wide plan. It’s really shambolic. They are failing thousands of people and it’s going to get worse. Sorry, rant over.

Just seen photos of where the River Calder has burst its banks. Yikes. Feel sorry for people in that row of terraced houses with water halfway up their front doors.

Crikey Sheila

We've just had a two and a half hour power cut on the Fens so I'm glad it's back on as I didn't want to miss Call the Midwife!

And Endeavour on +1

The patch of blue I reported earlier lasted about 5 minutes.
The storm has got far worse since then.

janayressister I hope you're not getting flooded. Are you on The Levels?

Oh we’re in Stow on the Wold.

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Not too bad here but cannot let my dogs out as no fence between us and next door now!

Have just had the mother of all rainstorms couldn't see across the garden wind flew through like a twister kept it up for nearly half an hour. Norfolk is now getting hammered. Have just moved the alpacas into the barn with the sheep as the enclosure is flooding DHwas right the hen house has had a near miss a beech tree has landed beside it luckily hens are tucked up in a barn hope it passes quickly although forecast is not good. Be safe everyone

Said nothing but have since heard his flight is cancelled til tomorrow thank God!!

Goodness janeay, I'm hoping stay dry and safe. Howling wind and pouring rain here, the conservatory roof is always my big worry. Everything is rattling. It seems the same across the country. Worried about one of ours on the road this afternoon. Stay safe everyone.

16:40 hrs at the BIGGEST flash of lightening followed by a crack of thunder in south Manchester just now. Rain of biblical proportions!

I thought the storm had passed by....
?

It's just started absolutely bucketing down here.
I thought the worst was over.

I’m visiting my daughter in Surrey - couldn’t travel home today due to the storm but it’s been a lovely family weekend extended by an extra day and a huge Sunday lunch, card games, films etc.

Jayneayressister Oh heavens whereabouts are you love?

I really hope that it isn't getting any worse out there for you - AlgeswifeVal I do not think Jane (nor a lot if others) would agree with you there!! Sounds like you have been very lucky in your area!

Apparently Thames Water are pumping further down the village from me as it is coming up through the sewers!

At my end though the 'winter bourne' is doing it's job pretty well it seems ....

I spoke too soon - it’s now roaring through Edinburgh and we have snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow

It’s not to bad here in Essex. Windy and raining but I’ve seen worse. It hasn’t stopped me going swimming this afternoon. I think this storm has been exaggerated.