Storm Darragh

Been out checking sites in Carmarthenshire today with several hectares flat on the floor, spotted a wind turbine with blade missing and the site we were awaiting a power shut down on has mullered the power line.

Colleague says a site north of Brecon got hit hard, think the harvesting contractor is cutting a route for them and the tree planters.

I’ve one above Crai yet to check and not looking promising after seeing Welshfarmer’s picture. No one wants to visit the steep valley site in West Wales either that runs as the wind did.

There was a red alert for coastal communities, amber further inland.

There was a red alert in Bristol but very little damage.

Do you have large forests in Bristol ?

This is the monster that was blocking our access

@welshfarmer not sure she’d like being called that.

Apparently a local village in Welshland has had no power for 24hrs +
Still no power here in SW Wales.  They are suggesting it will be back by 6.00.  Still I guess that if you live in a daft place you have to put up with this kinda thing.

We had our work Xmas party in Penclawdd on Saturday night. We probably used all of your power, sorry! The minibus taking us down had to make one diversion because of fallen power lines (Gowerton) but other than that it was just a normal night. Clyne valley cycle path the next day though was the worst I’ve ever seen it. There must have been 30 trees fallen across the track between Blackpill and the Railway Inn, not as many on the Gowerton side but it was bad.

We have Storm Nota* to contend with today and tomorrow. It’s only forecast to be gusting to 60mph at ground level. Should be fun for our clubs annual Solstice half marathon later. I just have a 3hr drive up the A9 to contend with first.

*Apparently not bad enough to be named.

The convention to name a low pressure system as a storm is based on many things including local impact.

As you’re well aware you see much more bad weather up there than say London so the impact is less. Those kinds of winds in the SE of England would require mobilisation of the troops and lots of #ThoughtsAndPrayers

Read “When is a storm named” section

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-storm-centre/index

All our rides cancelled this morning as it’s blowing a right hoolie in Kerry this morning. Here we go again.

Having got ready, then put the bikes back away, I’m glad we went for a walk instead. The rain and wind in the squalls this morning are impressive. Then of course calm blue skies in between…

A9 journey was fine. Quite quiet given it’s the Saturday before Xmas.

Did find two bins blown over at home though!

@Caher – be grateful you’re not up in Donegal

https://www.met.ie/warnings-today.html

@Caher

It’s windy enough in Cahersiveen now.

Found out yesterday that Daragh took the roof off our old cow shed!

We have an old open hay barn we were waiting to fall down and half had also been taken out. It looks like the barn owl’s box is still easily reachable, if they have stayed.

Are the palms trees still standing?

Here in the wilds of Ilkeston tomorrow’s rides have been cancelled. Just outside the yellow wind warning area but forecast of below zero windchill and wintry showers

Are the palms trees still standing?

Just now;

Last time I was there I was camping in there village in the sun. It was very Mediterranean but with Guinness 😉

Certainly for a non-storm it’s kinda draughty out today. Planned a ride that was mostly sheltered when heading into the wind, but had a couple of hundred meters directly into it, high up in the open before turning best part of 180 back on myself. One gust managed to lift the front wheel off the deck, at which point I was very quickly on my back in the long grass. First time that’s happened in 30 years riding!

Last time I was there I was camping in there village in the sun. It was very Mediterranean but with Guinness ?

Mannix Point at Cahersiveen? Perfect spot for a good brew in the sun.

I did a trial run today of a potential train/bike commute route for next year – unfortunately the way home was right into and sometimes across the wind up on the moors. Literally the only reason I actually managed to keep moving on one of the climbs was because I was on an e-bike. Any unpowered bike I’d have been blown to a standstill.

Absolutely rinsed the battery, it needed a significant chunk of extra power just to keep moving against the wind. Thankfully it wasn’t very far when I had the full blast of it, there were some more sheltered parts but then I decided against coming back along the ridge road, it would have been genuinely dangerous along there. Dropped down into the valley and got the train home.

Other than the insane wind, it was actually a nice day, mostly blue skies and some pale sunshine.

Windy drive newcastle to Cairnryan and got last boat running today/ overnight to Belfast.  Actually not that choppy a crossing, glad we made it – night in car with 2 small kids would have been a challenge.