South East England/East Anglia Regional Weather Discussion 30/01/14

[Jax]

Posted my letters (post box is but a five minute walk if that) and I was soaked, have shed the wet clothes and gone into home lounge mode (housecoat/dressing gown, what ever they are called these days) and I am going nowhere else this evening bar an emergency.

 

Rain is drumming against the front windows now too.

[Bogman]

I've got footie training tonight. Nice.

[Snowangel-MK]

Big wave in Portland

THE BIGGEST waves are yet to come, with another storm forecast for the weekend, according to surf website magicseaweed.com.Strike Four on Saturday is forecast to be the largest of the four storms to have hit the UK so far this year.The Met Office is currently forecasting winds of up to 50mph in Sennen on Saturday, where the surf website predicts waves will reach 35ft.Forecast heights at peak of the swell at Sennen / Seven Stones Lightship, Cornwall, EnglandHercules (6th Jan): 28ft@21 secondsTake Two (1st Feb): 28ft@19 secondsBrigid (5th Feb): 30ft@18 secondsStrike Four (8th Feb): 35ft@19 seconds

[<<Ryan>>]

Wow! I stupidly decided to go for a walk across the fields. Even the gravel path downhill into the field had turned into a river with a cm or two of water running down it. I was going to go stand on the bridge overlooking a 2/3ft wide stream that is normally only a few inches in depth. I got within sight of the stream and decided not to go any further as the strength of the water looked too frightening - It had risen by at least three feet and was like a scene you see during a flash flood. I love going out in the car looking at all the floods, but being that close to something with such strength was scary!

21mm of rain here today with plenty more to come  
 

[Keraunic]

Afternoon each. Well, it's been constant rain and wind here for most of the day. Really dark and dismal as well. Cannot believe that there is no warning for us.

Hope you are all ok and staying safe if you are in the firing line.

Watched a really good documentary last night about the storms of 2012. Remember June 28th and the super cell and the Beast From The East. I'd forgotten about the terrible storm of January that year in Scotland. But how easily people can be drowned in floods. So, take care and stay safe.

[Iceni]

No wind here at the moment, but some rain, more drizzly, quite chilly, and I've seen a real housefly which surprised me, I didn't think they came out in winter.

 

I walked through a cloud of may fly things last week dancing beside a field hedge... "That's winter down the pan" I thought.

 

And for the past few weeks I've noticed little birds collecting cobwebs for their nests from under the thatch beside my office window.

[MAF]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.

dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""

unfortunately, this time round it has become political

[Iceni]

Afternoon all,

 

 

And the verdict here is 'Wet', very wet infact, bit of a breeze and feeling cool in the 5.2oC 'heat' we have at present.

 

Trying to summon up the enthusiasm to quickly nip out to the post box (it is not far but still cack out there all the same).

 

 

Thanks for the reminder, I was supposed to post my bi-annual bowel cancer test kit back today... LOL!

 

Probably too much information - mods feel free to remove this.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Iceni

[Charltonkerry]

Interesting drive home from Peterborough tonight, mostly extremely heavy rain with only an occasional lighter period of rain. On the way up I noted that the flooding was less than my previous visit, on the way home it was getting worse again. Such a tragedy for those who are affected by the bad weather. The M11 and M25 was just awash with water, the lights where blinding and the idiots who drove up my tail are total ..... Please fill in the dots. That's a first the swear filter kicked in there.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Charltonkerry

[Iceni]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.

dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""

unfortunately, this time round it has become political

 

 

Don't you know that by EU law no natural watercourses have been allowed to be dredged for the past 10 years? Their reason was to protect freshwater fish spawning beds. Stupid as they only needed to be disturbed once every 6 or 7 years and not many fish (apart from the carp species) live that long anyway.

 

Furthermore, a Somerset lady farmer asked, "How am I supposed to feed my dairy and beef herd over the next summer and winter with 300 acres of their pasture under water?" They'll probably all have to be slaughtered and dairy farmers will have to start from scratch. Make no mistake, this is a national disaster which will affect all of us with higher prices.

 

My friend worked for the NRA and was sacked when this directive was applied and rubber stamped by the EA. He's not worked in his field of expertise since. 30 years of river, watercourse and drainage management experience tossed on the scrap heap.

 

Of COURSE it's political!

Edited February 6, 2014 by Iceni

[TheGate]

Maidstone due to flood again through Friday and the Darent expected to flood overnight with 40mm more expected. I think today's rain may be the straw that breaks the camel's back in our area. Will it ever stop?

[Snowangel-MK]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""unfortunately, this time round it has become political

I don't think it's been overplayed we've had an exceptional period of rainfall in the last couple of months .....the wettest winter for 248 years - 372.2mm for the southeast and central southern England region is the wettest any 2-month period since 1910 ! This is the lake at Caldecotte which is higher than I've ever seen it this afternoon - the ducks are swimming on what's normally footpath :-)

[Tamara]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.

dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""

unfortunately, this time round it has become political

I think that the stats that Ali has just produced say it all about this dreadful winter and illustrate clearly this is anything but a run of the mill wet and windy UK winter. In my opinion the attitudes of people are not quite as philosophically dismissive as maybe you suggest. It might indeed be the case that a brave and philosophical attitude in circumstances of adversity was adopted when the floods began in association with the first major round of storms in the festive season - but some six weeks on with no respite, no receding of flood water, and with the severe weather problems ever escalating in the days ahead then weariness, (and for those badly affected) fear and deep anxiety (which will have replaced any of that earlier philosophical positivity) are sadly only likely to keep growing.

 

Just for once, some of the media reporting catches at least some flashes of grim reality...

Edited February 6, 2014 by Tamara תָּמָר

[steveinsussex]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.

dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""

unfortunately, this time round it has become political

 

 

er, try living outside the city

[Snowangel-MK]

Just for once, some of the media reporting catches at least some flashes of grim reality...

A very grim reality for many homes and business, costly repairs and major disruption for so many people particularly in the SW...

[2810lollypop]

just back from dog walk. raining? yes. but nothing more than i would expect in these current conditions. just waiting for the winds to pick up now. really dont mind the rain..it is winter after all. but can sit and watch the wind all night if had the chance. have to admit. i think theres quite a bit of overplay in the media over the weather. i remember many a snowless/frostless/mild winter which gave just rain and rain, but it never seemed to make the news like it has recently.dont get me wrong; i have the utmost sympathy for the flood affected people. but read between the lines, and listen to the locals affected and it soon becomes apparent that they have the attitude of ""oh well" another wet winter, nothing we are not used to""unfortunately, this time round it has become political

. You just must very lucky where you live ? Sorry don't mean to sound rude ,but do you not watch the news channels ? It is unbelievable what has been happening & it's just not letting up . I can honestly say that I've not known this sort of weather in all my life , so I wouldn't call this nothing we are not used to ?

[anything-but]

Home...soaked...Again.

 

Yet another totally carp day on the bike,is summer here yet?

[steveinsussex]

Another horrible drive home through many flooded roads here, many cars pulled over due to water getting into the engines..... so many properties gardens and garages saturated, fences down again and rotting..... no end in sight

[Steve C]

Yes, this is by no means a run of the mill wet and windy winter imho. Although we haven't had what I'd call a really major windstorm, I cannot remember seeing such a sequence of very deep lows. It'll be an interesting stat ( something like the number of sub 9x0 mb depressions within y miles of the British Isles ) when the disturbed sequence is finally done. I wonder if it'll end with an individual truly spectacular (nasty) event as well?

 

In its own way, this winter is showing us its awesome power, even if the lack of snow has been telling so far too.

[Sussex Jules]

Watching local BBC News Birling Gap has suffered a cliff fall today about 6 foot of cliff has collapsed, beach has been closed off there for about a month and parts of the visitor centre have been closed. I know Martin BB54 was asking about Birling Gap a while back. Will try to get over there at the weekend to take some photos.

 

Local river is on a flood warning for tonight and am now up to 21mm of rain for today and really not liking the look of the radar.

[Jax]

Thanks for the reminder, I was supposed to post my ... kit back today... LOL!

 

 

Think of it as one of those odd things that happen when your reminded to do something that needs doing but have 'forgotten'

 

 

In that other news, it is still raining, I am still in house/lounge mode, do need to do stuff myself mind (like watch these DVD's I borrowed from the library that need to go back on Saturday)

 

 

Oh Carp! just realised it is Friday tomorrow and I have nothing for packup (and opening a new anything before a weekend for work grub normally always means I forget it is there to use up).

[fluid dynamic]

Don't you know that by EU law no natural watercourses have been allowed to be dredged for the past 10 years? Their reason was to protect freshwater fish spawning beds. Stupid as they only needed to be disturbed once every 6 or 7 years and not many fish (apart from the carp species) live that long anyway. Furthermore, a Somerset lady farmer asked, "How am I supposed to feed my dairy and beef herd over the next summer and winter with 300 acres of their pasture under water?" They'll probably all have to be slaughtered and dairy farmers will have to start from scratch. Make no mistake, this is a national disaster which will affect all of us with higher prices. My friend worked for the NRA and was sacked when this directive was applied and rubber stamped by the EA. He's not worked in his field of expertise since. 30 years of river, watercourse and drainage management experience tossed on the scrap heap. Of COURSE it's political!

Quite right http://forum.netweather.tv/topic/79214-severe-flooding-in-somerset/?p=2910356

[snowrye]

got to admit ive really had enough of this now,even my garden is flooded,and its never done so before,feel awful for the people who's home's and business's are

under water,on a weather note,oh what a surprise,i'll let you guess

[john pike]

hi all

 

fax update soon

 

after dinner though

 

 

need the energy to post the repetitive rubbish that is happeneing at present

 

gfs is interesting tonight

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/gfse_cartes.php?ech=204&code=0&mode=0

 

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/gfse_cartes.php?ech=204&code=0&mode=1

 

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/gfse_cartes.php?ech=204&code=0&mode=2

 

run through it and make your own minds up

 

12z ensembles

 

 

the big warm outlook from the 13th has gone now

 

average right through

 

however a couple of days has shown a dip on the 17th on

 

maybe something maybe nothing but something to watch for now

 

 

big steak and kidney pie and chips

 

yummmy

[Wivenswold]

East Anglia and London have been pretty lucky to avoid the worst of the flooding problems (aside from that surge tide of course), but I think the luck will run out tonight. 

 

As an aside, I lived in London for 20 years and I found it hilarious how Londoners have struggled due to a reduced Underground service. I overhead one spoiled little girl moaning at Liverpool Street this morning "I've got to walk to St. Pauls? That's, like, miles away". Hmmm, not really, try living in Somerset and experience REAL inconvenience.