Stormy Weather

[Petrushka]

We get lots of bats outside our kitchen window in the summer months but never had one indoors yet. We've had birds indoors before now; I remember a panic as a child when a sparrow flew through an open window and my father racing around trying to capture it. My brother had a bees nest come crashing down his chimney last Saturday, sooty bee corpses all over the carpet.

A sunny, warm morning here but it deteriorated sharply in the afternoon to cloud, drizzle and wind.

[BBMmk2]

A rather drizzly start but then the sun has decided to show itself, so hoping for a good day today! :)

[Pabmusic]

We are still under the influence of El Niño, so it's very hot (32 degrees C). The air conditioning is working overtime, with all that means for electricity bills!

[BBMmk2]

Worth having that on rather than sweltering pabs!! :)

[Serial_Apologist]

Back from his jolly, "Brummie Simon" is predicting changeable, rather wet and windy weather everywhere, lasting until around the 25th of this month, followed by two plus months of warmth, with little rain across England and southern Wales, dominated by high pressure systems to the south east. Sounds OK!

[Pabmusic]

Worth having that on rather than sweltering pabs!! :)

Yes indeed. The humidity is always very high.

[BBMmk2]

Hopefully looking forward to a good weather day, today(not sure though?)

[Serial_Apologist]

Very windy as the rain moved away here this evening, and I think wind is going to be a prominent feature of the weather right through the weekend in the south, in particular, although not much has been made of that in forecasts.

Here's a short look-back at the Philippines typhoon of last November, of which Pabmusic has given us such graphic personal descriptions:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/27328634

[BBMmk2]

Feel for the people in the Philippines. I hope weather not too bad today, as we hope to be out later!

[EdgeleyRob]

[DracoM]

Yesterday was practically white-out 'oop north in t'fells. Cloud literally down to rooftops, never saw the hills all day, and rain / drizzle on and off all day. Weird yellow/white light, and everything else mere densities of grey.

[Pabmusic]

...Here's a short look-back at the Philippines typhoon of last November, of which Pabmusic has given us such graphic personal descriptions:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/27328634

Feel for the people in the Philippines. I hope weather not too bad today, as we hope to be out later!

Thanks, both. An interesting retrospective, too, but to us the storm was Yolande (what's this Haiyan?).

The weather is much better (though I listen more carefully when 'typhoon' is mentioned - we've had three or four since, but 'normal' ones). We're out of the typhoon season now, so are not expecting anything large. We are now in the grip of El Niño, which brings desperately hot, stifling weather. It's currently 5.30 and the temperature is 33 degrees C (91.4 F; 306.15 Kelvin).

Now as to life returning to normal, we had electricity restored a few days before Christmas - a temporary job that left us with much-reduced voltage (not so easy to fire up the iMac!). That was fixed just this week (but again only temporarily, so we expect a further restoration in a few months).

Our cable TV was restored at the end of April, and our telephone landline (and consequent decent internet) on May 1st. I talked to my daughter via Skype videolink today for the first time since November 8th. She looks well.

All roads were made passable surprisingly quickly, and we lost water for only 24 hours (but we have a well and plenty of bottled water).

So it's slow, but we're getting there...

[Serial_Apologist]

I was right in my windy weather prediction - just been out on the bike for necessities and blown around on the ridge just up the road.

Glad to hear things are returning more to normal, Pabs.

[Nick Armstrong]

I was right in my windy weather prediction - just been out on the bike for necessities and blown around on the ridge just up the road.

Yes the sou-westerly wind fair blew me across town into work this am - and since there was showery drizzle from time to time I was glad it was at my back.

This evening, heading back west-wards into the wind will be a different game .... especially since it is that time of year when all the plane-tree seeds are blown around and are like little needles in the eyes. I arrive after 30 minutes aboard looking like I've just had a good sob I'll be glad to get home this evening, and stay in tomorrow by the look of the forecast!

[amateur51]

Yes the sou-westerly wind fair blew me across town into work this am - and since there was showery drizzle from time to time I was glad it was at my back.

This evening, heading back west-wards into the wind will be a different game .... especially since it is that time of year when all the plane-tree seeds are blown around and are like little needles in the eyes. I arrive after 30 minutes aboard looking like I've just had a good sob I'll be glad to get home this evening, and stay in tomorrow by the look of the forecast!

By the look of the forecast it's a day for staying in & making best use of iPlayer, PVRs etc.