winter storm preparations

I wish the councils had the resources to do similar karmalady, one of the biggest issues when there are storms in my area is that the storm drains have not been cleared, and the roads run like rivers, we also often have minor landslides which can take weeks to be cleared, forcing us to take diversions.

Whereabouts do you live, Karmalady. We once had a bad night with a tin watering can rolling all round the patio. Securing that is all we do, ex trying to find a dry w/e to put the hefty covers on the wooden furniture.

Why have you put concrete slabs under wooden bench covers, aren't they weatherproof?
If you are able, and willing, you could attach chicken wire to the grids at the entrance to storm drains, so it catches any large debris that might otherwise clog the drains up and be easier for you to remove!

somerset is where I live. Generally, people no longer take responsibility for keeping the areas in their locality safe from bad rain, not like they used to when most cleared drains in their villages and around their homes. I used to go out from the family home with a long stick and it was so satisfying to see water flow away down the drain, after a good prodding

Something else I have found to work extremely well was a garadry garage door flood barrier, one of the first things I ever added to my new build. From ebay and very easy to put down. It cost me around £230 and has been worth every penny.Mastic is zig-zagged below and around and no water can enter my garage

Before that I was getting wet running into the garage, never since

Ali, wind fills the canvas raincovers and they act like sails which then get enough energy to lift the acacia wood benches. A concrete slab on top of a cover last year, slid off in the wind and broke, thankfully not causing patio damage. This year two slabs actually on the wood and covers over

Re storm drains, they are designed so that any bits remain in the gully, to be cleared. Chicken wire would have no better effect at all. Much easier to scoop out from a smooth gully.

Bin is now in the garage and I have taken most of my cardboard to the tip. I also popped out and made a couple of builders cones safe. I really am finished now

Anyone interested in pressure. My weather station is reading 991, which is already low and we are expecting a dramatic, sudden drop to 950 which is a record number. There will be bodily effects on people as the internal body pressure is higher so sinuses etc can bulge and there could be headaches and general body aches and affected blood pressure, eg careful when you stand up

I wonder if it’ll be like 1987? I certainly remember that one - woke up to hear chainsaws cutting up big trees that had fallen across the fairly main road. One house opposite had one such tree fall on its roof.

We live close to a Royal Park that was closed for quite a long time, because of dangerous trees.

I still remember our milkman, who arrived regardless, saying, ‘I don’t know - a little bit of wind and the whole country goes to rack and ruin.’ 😂

We had torrential rain yesterday, but not for long, and all is quiet so far this morning. As my FiL used to say so often, ‘There’s not a leaf moving.’
The calm before the storm?

In 1987 my then three-year-old was snatched away from me by the wind and was blown down the road like one of those rolling bushes in cowboy films. Fortunately he wasn't hurt. Where I now live I have no effect from any storms but feel for those who do.

How terrifying, Mizuna!

You mean tumbleweed Mizuma. I often think the dust in my hallway looks like that when I open the front door. 🙄
What I remember about the 1987 storm is that the wind seemed somehow to have got under the carpets - strange.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-92524-20231101-100240.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-740707-20231101-100230.jpg

I'm doing a record of the lull before the storm today, and then again tomorrow. It's already moving fast here on the South West coast.

We’re in South Hampshire, so expecting it later overnight and tomorrow. Garden furniture will be weighted down later, no garage so bins will be moved into a corner, torch ready, phones charged.

I was at work and remember someone being called home because her windows had blown out, also last village I lived, some roofs were torn off. We have better modelling these days and met have a super-computer at exeter but still not precise as to where will be worst hit

Jaxjacky, yes power lines could come down esp when trees fall. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best

The jetstream is gathering a huge amount of energy and moving fast hence the uncertainty of where will be worst hit

My coastal town in south Hants is protected by the Isle of Wight at the front and Portsdown hill at the back but we still get some viscous gusty storms.

Fingers crossed!

www.xcweather.co.uk/

wind observation map

karmalady

www.xcweather.co.uk/

wind observation map

It seems to have just started here!

The council road sweeper came yesterday, people have swept up leaves but it's just as bad again now.

I’m absolutely terrified. In the hurricane I lost my roof and my car was damaged by part of a school’s sports hall roof blowing on to it. Later it rained and the ceilings came down. My neighbour’s side of the house and chimney wiped out my garden. I left the children to sleep as I didn’t want them frightened. Luckily they were safe, but a neighbouring house had the chimney fall through two floors to the cellar. If it had happened in my house, the children wouldn’t have survived.

I’m now in a small new build and my husband has cleared anything loose from the garden. I really hope there’s less damage and no loss of life this time.

grannytotwins, don`t worry too much, it will sound frightening but new builds are built to stand 100 mph winds. I am in a new build

I live fairly high up with fields around and dense forest opposite, and even a light wind sounds as if it is worse. Last winter one of the huge cattle barns was demolished and the sheets of galvanised metal strewn around the fields. The hay barn roof was raised on one corner and folded back. Always worried when really high winds are forecast - never sure what else will be damaged/ruined!!

Right now, storm centre is tracking a bit further south and will hit the channel isles and Brittany hard. Keep fingers crossed we won`t know where it is heading until tomorrow morning

The Met Office is showing a yellow weather warning for parts of the UK, low-level impact.

How can the weather sites have such different forecasts?

Not looking forward to it for sure I live in the southeast and as I get older the more scared I get!

karmalady

Right now, storm centre is tracking a bit further south and will hit the channel isles and Brittany hard. Keep fingers crossed we won`t know where it is heading until tomorrow morning

Yes, Brittany Ferries sailings have been cancelled and in Jersey schools closed. The tidal ranges in this area are some of the highest in the world.

We have a drain sink at the bottom of our garden. The previous owner didn't clear it and a house opposite flooded, as the water went straight down and in to there front door. We check it weekly and clear it as necessary.