Stormy Weather

[mangerton]

marthe, glad to hear you had a good Thanksgiving.

Sunny here today, but very cold; frosty this morning. Sorry to hear about the dire weather you're having. No doubt the balance will be redressed all too soon.

[BBMmk2]

You had that yellow round thing that's up there in the sky, Mangerton?Lucky!!

[Petrushka]

We had heavy rain here from mid-afternoon yesterday until well into the early hours. No floods but river levels are very high.

Is enough being done to reduce the risk of flooding? Let's be honest about it: the rain has been heavy but has not been prolonged and not exactly unexpected at this time of year. I refuse to believe that there has been anything unusual in the weather patterns in recent months and everytime there is a spot of heavy rain we see this flooding business. It can't be right.

[Anna]

I was really worried, first thing this morning, that I could see the river from my window, which meant it was up to the bank, thank goodness it seems now to have dropped down. I don't get flooded, being up the hill, but the disruption and road being closed means about 3 days of misery before it ebbs and the Council clear the road of mud and silt.
On a more positive note - I have finally ordered my barometer!!
Flooding is caused by people paving over front gardens for parking and building on flood plains, we have an ongoing battle with the latter here.

[BBMmk2]

It just amazes me why builders still carry on building on flood plains.I mean, thyats why they are called that

[Anna]

It just amazes me why builders still carry on building on flood plains.I mean, thyats why they are called that

But, who gives the builders planning permission? Your local Council!

[Petrushka]

Flooding is caused by people paving over front gardens for parking and building on flood plains, we have an ongoing battle with the latter here.

It's the stupidity and complacency that makes me see red. Instead of sitting back and saying it's nature, climate change or whatever people need educating about paving over front gardens (where is the rain supposed to go?) and natural forms of drainage need to be kept instead of being built over. Street drainage needs to kept clear instead of being blocked by a ton of leaves and litter. We are seeing the inevitable result of all these failures right now.

[Serial_Apologist]

I refuse to believe that there has been anything unusual in the weather patterns in recent months and everytime there is a spot of heavy rain we see this flooding business. It can't be right.

Hmmm - can't agree with the first part there, Petrushka, but I'm with you and others here on the second. Here in London it never floods, of course ; that said, the Powers That Be are going to have to get their skates on re jacking up the Thames Flood Barrier if rising sea levels are to be taken into account, otherwise property prices for instance around here and Hampstead are going to rocket!

More rain for the immediate future - it's just started here - but I see we're in for a lengthy period of north-easters, with brief milder intermissions, from Tuesday on to Christmas, if Mr Weatherweb is to be trusted (and he usually is pretty accurate), which will mean mainly dry but increasingly cold I'm afraid.

[marthe]

marthe, glad to hear you had a good Thanksgiving.

Sunny here today, but very cold; frosty this morning. Sorry to hear about the dire weather you're having. No doubt the balance will be redressed all too soon.

mangerton, many thanks for your good wishes. Our weather has actually been sunny but cool for the past few days. I expect the temp will go below freezing tonight. I was worried about FoR3 friends who are in flooded areas and hope that the rainy weather on your side of the Atlantic has let up. Now that Thanksgiving is over, Christmas (Holiday) madness begins. Friday, known as "Black Friday" was the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

[mercia]

Flooding is caused by people paving over front gardens for parking and building on flood plains

I suppose so, but wouldn't it therefore follow that London, the biggest built-on area in the country, should have worse flooding than anywhere ?

[Serial_Apologist]

I suppose so, but wouldn't it therefore follow that London, the biggest built-on area in the country, should have worse flooding than anywhere ?

In one word - Baziljet... though I expect we'll need another in the not-too-distant...

[vinteuil]

In one word - Baziljet... though I expect we'll need another in the not-too-distant...

... snap! I was about to say the same, but Serial got there first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Bazalgette

[Serial_Apologist]

... snap! I was about to say the same, but Serial got there first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Bazalgette

Yes vints, but I'd completely forgotten how to spell his name!

[Anna]

There was a fascinating programme about Bazalgette and the London sewers earlier this year, part of a series of great engineering feats, but they were fronted by Eddie Butler which makes me think it was only on BBC Wales.
Ontopic, a nice dry day although chilly and the river level has dropped.

[aeolium]

... snap! I was about to say the same, but Serial got there first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Bazalgette

What a great man! I love the picture of the Crossness Pumping Station on that wiki entry. Only the Victorians could have made a sewage pumping station look like part of a cathedral