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Locals with chainsaws have opened all the roads.
I had the drive three cars (one a 4x4) up two icy hills and deal with. A broken wrist and cables on the road. One of the drivers couldn't understand how he couldn't get the 4x4 up the slope but I did and then went back and drove the van up as well. Hint I didn't razz the nuts off it.
Five inches of snow this morning up here on Scapegoat Hill. Power has been out since 9.45 last night. Only house on our little enclave with gas hob but in true STW style I can’t grind any coffee. Northern power have estimated this evening at 11 for power restore. Blitz spirit continues ……
I did 90 miles trying to find a way to a location that 8 miles away, used my local knowledge, routes I know from biking and tracks my grandad showed me when he was alive and farming. 5 hours 90 miles later and I exhausted all options, another crew were battling their way in from the west.
Big tree at the bottom of the garden split in two at the base and has pushed over the garden wall onto the pavement. Got about 10m to rebuild when I get home. Bro-in-law is currently chainsawing everything in sight, we'll have firewood for the next couple of years I reckon. It's a shame because I reckon it was a good 40-50 years old.
It’s been on the news for days, with the normal drama, then it went to yellow and then red yesterday morning. Loads of reports saying do not travel, keep away from the sea and stay at home. You’ve done exceptionally well to miss it.
I don't know. A lot of people simply don't watch TV or listen to radio, and there's not a lot else in the way of reliable local news. The local rags are mainly junk and covid has dominated national newspaper headlines.
For many people, their first awareness of any storm will be when they notice it's REALLY windy outside.
I was fortunate, only one big lump of gnarly old oak came down blocking the road, put my saws to the test. Had to stop halfway through sorting it to go grit all the roads. Going to take a good couple of days to clear all the debris from the roads
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Nohing more than a stack of leaves have blown into my front garden
For many people, their first awareness of any storm will be when they notice it’s REALLY windy outside.
And they still deicide to drive through floods, snow and fallen trees.
there’s not a lot else in the way of reliable local news
It was in the national news, all channels, all media.
It wasn't really a little local storm.
🤦
@scapegoat – you could walk over to Bolster Moor farm shop and buy some ground coffee?
Neighbours went there for breakfast. It was absolutely mown out. I’ve epitomised the blitz spirit by drinking a mug of Gold Blend.
Otherwise we have cupboard full of fair trade Assam.
It wasn’t really a little local storm.
Yup, explains why people get into trouble when ‘outdoorsy type’ don’t even notice all the reports.
You can be snotty all you like folks but many people don't watch the news or listen to the radio any more, and I'm run ragged by three young children. Given how grim most of the news is I try to avoid it as much as possible for the sake of my mental health anyway.
I didn't go out driving in it though!
Should have been a PSA on here 😛
Yup, explains why people get into trouble when ‘outdoorsy type’ don’t even notice all the reports.
Been trying to be really polite on this subject, as it's the like of Drac who have to deal with the repercussions and put their own lives in danger.
But FFS.....🤦♂️
It was in the national news, all channels, all media.
It was a tiny little thumbnail in the Guardian that I only noticed once I actually went looking for it.
It wasn’t really a little local storm.
I'd agree. I don't control the media though.
Yup, explains why people get into trouble when ‘outdoorsy type’ don’t even notice all the reports.
There's really no need to be quite so judgemental. I'm literally just pointing out that many people, for whatever reason, don't receive these news reports in their day to day lives.
If I was heading out into the hills, I'd know exactly what the forecast was.
The forecast for our Sat morning ride was originally sleet and string winds, but was actually pretty dry and just a bit windy. Seems to have barely affected the SE.
Seems to have barely affected the SE.
This is exactly why it received relatively little mainstream coverage before last night. Having lived both in the SE and the North it’s amazing that ‘extreme’ weather only gets proper coverage if it affects London or the Home Counties. Winds me (and a lot of people north of Watford) up no end.
I took a pocket saw with me on today's wander. A good few bits of path cleared, but some big old trees needing landowner and chainsaw....
If anyone finds a tv ariel in Tayport, can we have it back?
Trampoline in the Beck and woodstore blown over here. Was secretly hoping for a bit of chainsaw action but all our trees are upright for now
There’s really no need to be quite so judgemental. I’m literally just pointing out that many people, for whatever reason, don’t receive these news reports in their day to day lives.
And I’m literally pointing out its incredible how people missed the reports.
stingmered
Full Member
Seems to have barely affected the SE.This is exactly why it received relatively little mainstream coverage before last night. Having lived both in the SE and the North it’s amazing that ‘extreme’ weather only gets proper coverage if it affects London or the Home Counties. Winds me (and a lot of people north of Watford) up no end.
Turned on Radio 4 this am, first story SA Virus, 2nd some dead American composer. By then pretty much every emergency service in northern half of UK had been working their arses off for last 12-18 hrs responding to mad weather but barely a mention.
I'm currently co-ordinating the Tree Cutting response by SSEN in Highland and North Caledonia.
I'm just off the phone with one of the contractors in Tarland who said that they have seen people cycling and walking over fallen power cables and other members of the public trying to remove fallen trees off of power cables themselves!
Stay away from the cables folks, even if the power is currently off it could be swtiched back on without warning.
Please pass this info on to anyone you see in the vicinity of a downed cable.
And I’m literally pointing out its incredible how people missed the reports.
Did you view them on your iPad by any chance?
First thing I was checking before trying to move branches out the way was for power cables, never underestimate the power of stupidity.
I only heard about it on this thread, we don't have a TV and when checking the weather forecast I only look at the local area, which was barely touched by it.
I don’t watch the news on the TV Iin general, I heard about from the radio, reports on social media and the met office app.
There’s really no need to be quite so judgemental. I’m literally just pointing out that many people, for whatever reason, don’t receive these news reports in their day to day lives.
Absolutely. I knew it was coming because I paraglide, therefore watch the wind forecast like a hawk. I don't think any other media I consume would have alerted me to it before this thread started. It would have been easy to miss.
The Tan Hill pub’s having a lock in.
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/bb-guests-snowed-tan-hill-22294489
It would have been easy to miss.
Apparently not though.....
Looking forward to a braw midnight paddleboarding at Portie beach
So was it you or the storm which undermined and knocked over part of one of the groynes then? The sea wall must have been busy last night.
and when checking the weather forecast I only look at the local area, which was barely touched by it.
So clearly the comments weren't directed at you
God I ache now... Went out earlier to get a couple of things and saw that I couldn't see my neighbour's house for all the trees, trees that weren't standing up like they should have been.
10 large pines later and we've got the drive cleared. However wielding the big chainsaw for 3 hours with already bust up ribs (crashing bikes obvs.) has taken its toll! Still it's done now and the wind has eased. Hopefully no more come down but Im not holding my breath. They probably lost half the trees in the wood last night. There's at least another 30 big ones down already and when/if the remainder do fall they'll be onto the main road so fingers crossed that doesn't happen.
At least I will not be short of wood for the fires for a little while longer.
Return of power keeps getting pushed back here in CH3. First it was 8pm tonight, then 8pm tomorrow and the latest update says 6pm Monday. Luckily we have a gas hob for a brew and a log burner to keep warm. Also the goshawk pub 50 yards away has power as they are on a different leg so not all bad.
In the 1987 storm we were in the sticks on the end of a long line. Power was out for 10 days I think, phone for 3 weeks.
No electric, water, 4g or broadband for many in our village today + many roads blocked due to fallen trees
A lot of houses being told tomorrow lunchtime at least for power
Looking at the SP Energy Twitter feed they’re saying Sunday/Monday for most people. Hopefully be able to get some staff in from other suppliers that haven’t been affected.
To those without televisons or those who refuse to watch them: there are some helpful apps available on your phone which tell you the weather forecast.
We were out (rural Herefordshire but 2000+ properties affected) from 7:30am. Projected time for power to come back was 4am tomorrow morning. Actually came back around 1pm today with a couple of disconnections since.
Decent covering on the Malverns, light dusting of snow where our daughter is in Brum. Sounds like we got off very lightly reading some of the posts on here. Especially that fella on an oil rig!
Power came back in Todmorden at about 4pm, just as it was getting dark. Which was handy. Whilst I was excited to have found charged power banks and low voltage lights after the house move, Jess the dog was less happy that the only source of heat in the house was the oven. Obviously I had left it on low and moved her bed next to it whilst I went for a ride but she still wasn’t very impressed.
And now our water has gone off.
I can’t see how a bit of wind would effect water, maybe it has to be pumped up to us and the pumps are not working due to no electricity
Many trees down here
But after an extended period of off time a few years back and a number of vulnerable council tennents on the street they buried our leccy line no issues since.
Wierdly all villages surrounding hear appear to be sans power.
I had two roof ladders blown off my garage roof (over a 2 ft wall) and landed in my trailer.
Sheet of tin tried to escape the garage so I did my best rod hull and secured it in peak wind.
Today the ice nearly claimed my car. Was in the next village in one of the estates and a car came round hit the brakes didn't make the corner sailed past the rear of my car and into a house/car on the drive at the house next door.
As I was putting a bike in the boot another tried to follow it......
Got out of Dodge quick.
In the 1987 storm we were in the sticks on the end of a long line. Power was out for 10 days I think, phone for 3 weeks.
MrsSteve lived in Sussex at the time of the 87 storm - her village was cut off for two weeks. I was in the Midlands, having just dropped out of poly - the storm was 16th October, on 2nd November I started work in an insurance claims department, overtime from Day 1....
Looks like some poor folk who haven't been restored yet are being told to just batten down the hatches and suck it up until tomorrow (at best, may be longer).