Storms Eunice, Franklin, Gladys from 18/2/2022

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Best batten down the hatches, open a bottle of Port and hope for the best. This is not a day to fret about trains v cars.

I wish everyone all the best today, stay safe all.

Thank you, and sensible advice.

Back from Bath last night - 'twas the lull before the storm.



Now hunkered down for the day

[froome]

The lull was quite amazing really, as it was completely still in Bath about 9pm last night, having been very windy all day. People tend to forget that the 'calm before the storm' isn't just a phrase but an accurate description of what happens before extreme storms. However, at the moment it is south-western facing coasts that are getting the full brunt of the storm, so not the original red warning coast, but the winds will be turning to west and then north-west as the storm moves through.

[JayMac]

Just had some very strong gusts here in Templecombe. First time I've felt my flat shake!

Many wheelie bins making a bid for freedom in my street. I've brought mine into the porch.

[eXPassenger]

The 'cancellations' graphic on this page is certainly impressive.

We now have blue sky, bright sun and trees at 30 degrees to the vertical.

[broadgage]

Snow here, which is very odd as it is not really cold enough for snow. Melts almost instantly.

[RichT54]

Rather terrifying here in Sandhurst at the moment with the way that the very large branches of the mature oak tree in my back garden are thrashing around each time a fresh batch of severe gusts comes along!

[TaplowGreen]

Rather terrifying here in Sandhurst at the moment with the way that the very large branches of the mature oak tree in my back garden are thrashing around each time a fresh batch of severe gusts comes along!

Yes it seems that it's arriving in the Thames Valley now - earlier on I heard from a pal near Helston in Cornwall and they'd had a gust of 94 mph........hopefully it'll moderate a bit.

[JayMac]

I've just lost power here in Templecombe. Seems only one phase has gone as some neighbours still have power.

[jamestheredengine]

I've had a drainpipe come down, but hopefully plastic piping will just push back together once it's safe to cimb a ladder.

[Mark A]

10:55am in Bath was the time the weather went a bit ape and stayed that way. It's tending to patches of not-so-windy and then big gusts.

This presentation is very visually alluring:

https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-8.54,53.69,3447

[JayMac]

Both Severn Crossings are now closed. Possibly the first time that's ever happened.

[broadgage]

I've just lost power here in Templecombe. Seems only one phase has gone as some neighbours still have power.

Power here at present but was off earlier. UPS worked fine. Phone and internet off earlier but now working.

[stuving]

I've just lost power here in Templecombe. Seems only one phase has gone as some neighbours still have power.

I had a run of power cuts a year ago (three in two weeks) and was surprised to find that the final supply circuits to houses are usually protected by old-fashioned fuses, one per phase (line). And there is probably no monitoring, so while they may know the power supplied has dropped, they don't know which circuit or even which substation caused it. They rely on consumer phone calls to tell them, as they know which phase goes to which house. 105 on a landline may give them your address automatically, though my local one (SEPD) always ask you, as they have to for mobiles.

[TonyK]

Power off briefly twice, so I've stopped work. I don't want to lose stuff halfway through drafting. It seems a bit biblical out there - we are quite exposed at the best of times. We made preparations, but my list of things that were likely to blow over did not include the 227 litre water butt. That was silly of me, but I retrieved it undamaged, although empty.

They tell me I should stay positive. I'll do my best.

[johnneyw]

I looks like it might have been a good time to buy shares in the fence panelling industry.  Neighbour has lost two so far and I'm not too confident about some of mine.