Stormy Weather

[Serial_Apologist]

It was -2.2 at 7.00 am when I got up, bit nippy, on the field it looked like a sprinkle of snow, Jack Frost had been a bit of a lad it seems before Dawn's rosy fingers finally did their magic and the Sun got his Hat on. It slowly rose to 8 degrees but an hour ago temperatured plummeted. Not happy about the dire Met Office warnings for Mon and Tues re strong winds.

Saly, would your guttering be covered under insurance for storm damage? Worth a go?

I was thinking, house I grew up in, rambling Victorian pile, huge rooms, high ceilings, no central heating, coal and wood fires, but nothing in the bedrooms. Going to bed, as a child, was, quick, quick, jump into bed. Oh, thank goodness, a hot water bottle. Shiver, Shiver under icy sheets, then, blissfully warm within a few minutes. But, I never recall being cold. Is it right that in the bleak mid-Winter we should expect to be indoors in nothing but a t-shirt? I just layer up and find most homes suffocatingly warm and airless.

8 degrees Anna??? Here in sarf Lunnun it hasn't risen higher than 3.5 on my north wall thermometer, and now dropping back. I do think we've become softer in this age of expected comforts; my grandfather, living in a 15th century half-timbered house in the middle of rural Suffolk, was notoriously stingy with regards to keeping his house warm in winter, as I well recall from our anual Christmastime stays. I well remember, during the freezing '62/'63 winter, us having to drive out there and rescue him when his central heating system - such as it was - iced up, bursting several radiators. When we arrived he was wearing just two football shirts over a regular shirt. He was then 87! I time my central heating from 6.30 - 9.30 mornings, and 5.30 - 11.30 at nights,though there is a press button facility on the timer to give hour-long boosts at other times as and when needed. If it's really cold outside I extend the morning setting to 5 pm. One is "supposed", by my age, to require indoor temperatures not below 20 C, but I'm pretty well happy with 18 C; probably just as well that I live on my own! Mind, I do take a hot water bottle to bed, at the moment - bad circulation; cold feet!!!

[salymap]

I leave my central heating on 24/7 at the moment but regulate it by thermostat in the hall. It often switches on in the night even if set at about 15C, but at my age I can't afford to get cold, I tell myself.

Thanks for comments on guttering. I shall leave it until the high winds of next week have passed, then ask my neighbour if he will do temporary repairs. It will only drip water onto the sideway. So much needs doing as I've neglected house painting etc recently, not feeling like the work of getting quotes .

Happy Sunday, everyone. Two weeks to Christmas.

[mangerton]

saly, you are absolutely right. Miss mangerton and I visited grandmother/mother yesterday - she's 90 next month - and spent a good bit of the day telling her exactly that. As did my sister earlier in the week. A new storage heater is ordered and will be installed this week!

On topic note - during the 110 mile drive we encountered ice, rain, snow (by the roadside), brilliant sunshine, and thick fog. You can't beat Scotland for variety.

[Anna]

In The Telegraph today is an interesting article about birds and the effect of last Winter's severe conditions, and it appears with our topsy-turvey weather all is not gloom and the majority have in fact been breeding like never before! I thought this was very good news for our feathered friends

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8948080/Britains-birds-suffer-bust-and-boom-due-to-2011s-roller-coaster-weather.html

[EdgeleyRob]

Miserable weather for dog walking today.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

cold grey and windy with a forecast of stronger winds this week .... i like to set the central heating at 10 overnight but find that if i have fallen asleep in the chair and gone tpo bed it is banging away at 20 .... mostly 16 or 18 is comfortable ....

[Frances_iom]

cold grey and windy with a forecast of stronger winds this week ..

yes and Monday morning's boat usually at civilized 8.45am has been moved to 7am so return journey can possibly beat the possible storm force winds 'promised' for late Monday onwards - catch is I'm on the boat in the morning (there's probably a Manx joke here)

[marthe]

We had our first real frost last night with the porch thermometer reading 28 F (minus numbers C) this morning. It wasn't a killing frost so some of the tender annuals are still in good condition. The Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confusus), which likes it hot, wasn't too happy about the shift in temps. This week, I'll be covering the figs and mounding the roses. Our Christmas tree is finally inside in the library, though we had such a struggle with getting it in the stand last night that we lost one of the bolts that holds the tree in place. Our second try this evening was much more successful. Next job is to string the lights and put up the ornaments.

[Mahlerei]

One of the papers warning of a stormy week, with high winds.

[BBMmk2]

Although lovely sunny day today, weather people say we be getting wind gusts of 79mph tonight!! Yikes!!

[Mr Pee]

Although lovely sunny day today, weather people say we be getting wind gusts of 79mph tonight!! Yikes!!

Indeed, BBM, it's a beautiful calm day at the moment, but it will be time to batten down the hatches later on I think!!

This is a useful site for keeping an eye on things- it's a bit West of your good self, but close enough I think. Live weather and tide updates from Chichester Harbour:-

http://www.cambermet.co.uk/%28S%28asc2lz55o220ocb5pviliryw%29%29/default.aspx

[BBMmk2]

Thanks for that link Mr Pee!

[Anna]

Has anyone looked at the Met Office website and their severe weather warnings?? It seems the entire UK will be affected by midweek. It was a lovely morning but in the space of an hour the temperature has dropped from 8.3 to 6.3 and dark clouds rolling in. It seems I could get snow on Wednesday. Oh Joy Unboundened!!

[Serial_Apologist]

Seems we were just about right then. Friday's the one that really looks scary though, and I'm hoping the weather people have overjudged on what otherwise could be a record-breaker for this country in terms of low central pressure. I've just been looking at the expected chart for that day, and I'm pretty sure they haven't marked in the central low pressure - possibly because they can't get all the isobars in on the chart for lack of space, without them just appearing as a blur. Friday looks like stay indoors day.

[Anna]

I wish I was like S-A and could understand those isobar charts. However, since I last looked the yellow blob (The Met Office be aware blob) has slipped South. Here, (according to our weather station) the barometer has done a nosedive, the wind has veered from SSW to S and strengthening to an OMG, get in the cupboard under the stairs, the temp has climbed, and it's now tipping it down with rain.

There may be troubles ahead .... but while there's moonlight and music and other stuff ....... Singing in the Rain! Basically, nowt we can do about it, is there? Actually, wouldn't it be so absolutely boring to live in some country where the sun rose every day and you were guaranteed warm weather until sunset?