Scotland Regional Discussion 18th December 2012>

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

One advantage of this time of year is the free, effectively limitless extra beer fridge space I have.

In fact when this becomes a deep freeze, becomes unfavourable for beer storage, only good for vodka.

Just done big christmas food shop. Alarm bells at the bank. F£ckin hell.

[blitzen]

Actually had a good drying out day here today thanks to the wind. Flooding in garden has now all gone. Models still looking dire I see. Only comfort is that we didn't expect to see this present set up a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps the same can be said for a surprise wintery outlook in the models shortly?

[LomondSnowstorm]

Actually had a good drying out day here today thanks to the wind. Flooding in garden has now all gone. Models still looking dire I see. Only comfort is that we didn't expect to see this present set up a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps the same can be said for a surprise wintery outlook in the models shortly?

Of course, plenty of winter left, the reliable is still only about 5 days out and while it looks like staying mobile into the New Year we could still get some decent cold shots in that time. After that, all to play for.

[Norrance]

Reached 8.3C today making it the warmest December day by over 1C. Windy but only one or two very brief light blustery showers so essentially dry. Even saw the sun for a time.

[Cheggers]

Blustery afternoon with some beefy showers rattling through, but seems to by settling down the no.

Not only is the weather pish, H&S making it worse!!

Received this info yesterday from the NFUS (National Farming Union of Scotland)

URGENT – HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING - URGENT

Our CEO has received the following important information from the Health and Safety Executive, which we have been asked to bring to all our members’ attention.Could members please ensure that all employees planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for members of the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks.

The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

Following last year’s well-publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

While it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins that may evoke allergic reactions.

Finally, in the recent case of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

Be safe out there this Christmas, from all at NFU Scotland

Edited December 23, 2012 by Cheggers

[lorenzo]

[beatpete]

Anyone fancy a last min cheap xmas week (today till 30th) in a Hilton Lodge in Ballater in the highlands....was offered it for £250...but can't go...see my post in the lounge if intrested

[Cheggers]

Very apt with recent weather.

[cscrim]

easy seeing the beer last night and then working a late has taken its toll. that took a while to register.

[edo]

oh well looks like catch up onsome sky plus with no posts to read through..........silver lining!!

GFS looking interesting for hogmany and ECM less so but not miles away......nothing else of much interest... was on the santa train at brechin today and the floods in the surrounding fields were quite incredible...

have a good xmas eve peeps lets hope for a model upgrade

[cscrim]

might check in on christmas night in the hope of a model change, in the meantime have a great christmas everyone

[Northernlights]

Fine dry morning here, overcast and currently 4c. Today will put all bedding and feed in place for tomorrow to make it a simple and easy job to feed/bed cattle tomorrow.

Wishing everybody on Netweather and particularly the Scottish thread a Very Merry Christmas

Northernlights.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Northernlights

[over_the_rainbow]

Morning Kilted crew!

Sadly the weather isn't the best for the festivities, but still at least you don't have to worry about a drunken stumble on the ice!

I'm working today so roll on 3pm. Wishing everyone on here a very Merry one!

[mistyqueen]

Currently 6.6c here with a light breeze. Hope everyone has a great festive season

[Guest]

At least Xmas will be cool...I'm not really caring about the weather at the moment, just found out after weeks of someone playing games (i.e. my ex) that I will get to see my kids on Boxing Day and then have them down here at New Year for a few nights and a second Xmas for them. I've only seen them once for a couple of nights since October so needless to say I'm very happy, I didn't want anything else for Xmas, just wanted to see my boys. Make the most of what you've got this Xmas because you'll miss it when it's gone. The weather is only life and death for those who get smacked in the face by it, some people (not in this thread) would do well to remember that!

[Snowlover2]

At least Xmas will be cool...I'm not really caring about the weather at the moment, just found out after weeks of someone playing games (i.e. my ex) that I will get to see my kids on Boxing Day and then have them down here at New Year for a few nights and a second Xmas for them. I've only seen them once for a couple of nights since October so needless to say I'm very happy, I didn't want anything else for Xmas, just wanted to see my boys. Make the most of what you've got this Xmas because you'll miss it when it's gone. The weather is only life and death for those who get smacked in the face by it, some people (not in this thread) would do well to remember that!

Have a fantastic time with your boys Catch

Hope everyone has a very merry Christmas. Xx

[Ravelin]

I'll add my Xmas wishes too, especially to anyone affected by the bad weather this week (I hope everyone in Shetland has managed to stock up with Xmas cheer). It doesn't seem to have done any favours to the ski areas either from a quick check this morning.

I had an interesting journey down to the central belt yesterday morning. It was dry with even a bit of blue sky showing when we left at 9am, with no more real rain forcast for the day or otherwise we might not have bothered. There were some good puddles on the roads heading into Aberdeen but it was on the way out of Aberdeen heading south on the A90 that we began to wonder if it was sensible. The road heading up the hill from the Bridge of Dee was a river for most of the way on the inside carriageway. I'm not talking a thin covering but an inch or two deep flooding down the whole width of the inside lane. Luckily the outside lane was mostly unnaffected.

The stretch from Aberdeen to Forfar had to be treated with care. There were some large, but not too deep, puddles across part or the whole of the carriageway in places. Even more dangerous were the deposits of gravel that had been washed across the road, some of which were quite substantial and in places some of it was golf or even tennis sized lumps of rock. The wife also commented that it was like something out of a zombie film as it was quiet and we kept coming across clusters of abandoned cars at the side of the road. At least we had daylight, I can imagine it must have been a nightmare on that road in the dark and heavy rain on Sat night/Sun morning.

To top it all off, near Strathcarro the north bound carriageway was completely closed due to flooding. At that point there's a solid concrete divider between the north and southbound carriageways. That wall was doing a good job of retaining a puddle large enough that a road worker standing in it was up to his waist!

After Forfar it wasn't too bad, just a lot of surface water but no real flooding (well on the roads, plenty of flooding in the fields, especially the river Earn between Perth and Stirling). Luckily by the time we came back up, in the dark, the road had been cleared of both floods and debris. Hats off to the maintenance crews and police who must have had a rather busy day.

Ravelin

Edited December 24, 2012 by Ravelin

[Kerwin]

https://forum.netweather.tv/gallery/image/16897-20121223-081542/

View from our flat in the morning of the 23rd. The Leuchar burn in Peterculter burst it's banks.
Managed to get the car out ok.

https://forum.netweather.tv/gallery/image/16898-20121224-073053/

This was the scene this morning, the water level has dropped about a foot.

[Ravelin]

Glad you managed to shift your car!

I live quite close to the River Don and it was well up yesterday morning, probably almost as high as I've ever seen it. Touch wood though I think it would take a truely exceptional event, flooding a massive area, to raise the water level high enough to reach our house.

On the other side of the village they are building new houses. Quite high spec, expensive ones too. Well they are that high spec they had an outdoor pool yesterday, and it was still there this morning. Not sure if any of the houses were flooded but if not it looked damn close. I did wonder at the time they started building cos the bottom corner of the field they were turning into a housing estate had a tendency to flood in heavy rain. I assumed the builders would put in extra drainiage but if they have it isn't nearly enough!

Oh, forgot to mention earlier, I had to scrape the car windscreen at 8:45am this morning so cooler weather has returned.

Ravelin

[LomondSnowstorm]

At least Xmas will be cool...I'm not really caring about the weather at the moment, just found out after weeks of someone playing games (i.e. my ex) that I will get to see my kids on Boxing Day and then have them down here at New Year for a few nights and a second Xmas for them. I've only seen them once for a couple of nights since October so needless to say I'm very happy, I didn't want anything else for Xmas, just wanted to see my boys. Make the most of what you've got this Xmas because you'll miss it when it's gone. The weather is only life and death for those who get smacked in the face by it, some people (not in this thread) would do well to remember that!

Glad to hear that CMD, I had a similar thing when my parents were getting divorced and it was pretty rough for a while but it got better.

I'm mostly just enjoying being back home again for a while and being finished with exams for now, although my Belfast bet is looking a tad improbable. However, uppers are progged at -3C so it wouldn't take much to just shift things enough for a flake or two.

[lorenzo]

Merry Xmas Eve to all my fellow Kilters on the finest wee Regional Thread on the Web.

Am sure will be around such is the sadistic streak I have to watch zonal output pour out of models apparently 'missing data' , that and the Mother in law now has wireless and I will be in the usual location of chef's hat on and hiding in the kitchen getting merry whilst cooking dinner !

Have an amazing Xmas Day !

If you have kids get this made up takes 5 minutes, regularly use it to brainwash the wee ones - it's magic and gets them more excited than Steve Murr when an easterly appears..

http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

[tiff]

After Forfar it wasn't too bad, just a lot of surface water but no real flooding (well on the roads, plenty of flooding in the fields, especially the river Earn between Perth and Stirling). Luckily by the time we came back up, in the dark, the road had been cleared of both floods and debris. Hats off to the maintenance crews and police who must have had a rather busy day.

Ravelin

Please don't forget us breakdown guys too- we've had quite a week.. I'm off until Boxing day morning now, and am so glad to have dry feet! Take care out there folks, and Merry Christmas.

[Cheggers]

I'm off for a paddle over to Killearn for the rest of the day. A wee bit chilly oot side. Was 4c at 11am.

Hope everyone on here has a great Christmas, and Santa brings some of that snaw up in Lapland with him.

[Richard Taylor]

Meryy Christmas one & all - may Santa bring those wellies!!!

[Sraigcaife]

Ba humbug..........I mean merry Christmas. Roll on 2013, hopefully it brings better weather than this year!!