Winter 2013

[Gloria]

We have lots of lying water, the drains on the lane are overflowing, and the ditches and river are well up. All since yesterday---it must have come down the rivers from the area higher up and further from the sea than Ulnes Walton.
The river Lostock near us is tidal and therefore holds the water back from the drains and ditches. All good fun.

[Whyperion]

One person killed by falling debris etc from building in Holborn, London last night, 85 year old Passenger killed by a wave on a ferry on approach in the Channel heading to Tilbury(*) ( crashed through window in ferry , also injured another older person in the same room ). Driving southerleys appear to have forced rain between 50 year old lapped concrete tiles on mum's flats causing collaspe of external stairwell roofing panels( plasterboard and glass fibre insulation all down the stairs this morning - the patched up hole larger than when I reported it to caretakers at half 5 last night. Stiff breezes and odd showers through most of the morning in S London. (*) corrected event on the SW approach to the English Channnel heading from the Azores, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26194897 .

[Whyperion]

Given that in the USA California is experiencing its driest winter on record, with serious drought , and that therefore England, UK seems to be getting all its rain, and that the UK buys tesco australian wine bottled in UK but delivered in tanker containers , is it not possible ( control of unwanted micro-organisms permitting ) to pump into the containers when the wine is out Britain's surplus fresh water, and arrange to transport ( Via Panama ? ) a container ship or two to help out the Californian farmers?

[Stanley]

It cleared up in Barlick yesterday after dinner, blue sky..... Glass has leapt up since yesterday and is on 29.3". The flags are wet so there has been a shower during the night. Forecast is for a bright day with sunny intervals and a light westerly breeze. Lovely!

[Gloria]

We had a sharp, short hailstone shower this morning, but other than that it is a lovely bright day, with a hint of a nip in the air.

[Tizer]

is it not possible ( control of unwanted micro-organisms permitting ) to pump into the containers when the wine is out Britain's surplus fresh water, and arrange to transport ( Via Panama ? ) a container ship or two to help out the Californian farmers?

Here in the Somerset Levels we're pumping out 90 tons of water per second into the Bristol Channel - the Californians are welcome to it all but I think they'll need a lot of supertankers!

[Whyperion]

And of course the energy from the pumps exhausts will be contributing to global warming

[Wendyf]

Nice dry day. Lovely.

[Stanley]

So it was Wendy.... Glass is steady on 29.4". Forecast is for another good day with a low chance of rain in the middle of the day and light Easterly winds. High of 7C, warmest day for a while. However, another low is coming in but not expected to be as severe as those of late.

[Stanley]

Flags are wet and it could have rained overnight. Glass is steady just below 29.5". Forecast is for an overcast day, high of 7C and a moderate westerly breeze. Chance of a shower in the afternoon but otherwise a good day for late February.

[Stanley]

Dry quiet day apart from a shower later on and during the night. Glass is steady on 29.5". Forecast is for a similar quiet dry day today. Good weather for February. Days are lengthening and we were out for our morning walk at 07:00, clocks go forward on March 30th, not long now! Unsettled weather on its way in from the West.
07:55. Jack and I have had our walk on a pleasant February morning. Light Westerly breeze, dry and the ground is draining well. This is a good winter! I was born in 1936 and remember the winter of 1946/47 well. Have a look at this LINK and think about how bad it was in a country crippled by war debts.

[Tizer]

The water's still high here in the Somerset Levels, even with the 20 Dutch pumps working. After a couple of days they had to be switched off at Dunball where they pump water into the estuary because the flow was eroding the banks so much the pumps were likely to fall in. Now they're back on again but the pumps further upstream still aren't in action - the downstream water has to be cleared first. Rain is still filling up the Levels though!

[Stanley]

Tiz, I fear that the levels and the moors are not going to be clear before next winter. Farmers affected are talking about losing two year's production even if there is ideal weather. Despite all the knee-jerk announcements the bottom line is that agricultural land will be sacrificed for the 'greater good' of the heavier concentrations of housing downstream. Interesting that a Dutch expert has been saying that this is exactly what they do in Holland but they subsidise movement from the affected areas.
It's very mild this morning and dry. Glass is dropping quite fast towards 29.2" so it looks as though the next low is moving in. Forecast is for a chance of rain in the morning and early afternoon with a light Westerly breeze. For the first time for a long while the wind chill will not dip to freezing. Crocuses have popped their heads up on the green and the birds are active. Don't cheer too soon but the signs are that we are coming out of winter.

[Tizer]

In The Netherlands they also benefit by having everyone pay a tax to go towards flood defences for the whole country.
The Somerset Levels flooding isn't only sacrifice of rural for urban homes, it's having a serious effect more widely by closing off major trunk roads across the county and may affect the M5 in the future (erosion of the banks and blocking of the ditches at the sides of the motorway). It affects about 600 square miles where transport and services (railways, buses, police, ambulances, fire brigade etc, as well as the public) are hindered. Businesses and farmers across the area are losing money and some going out of business

[Whyperion]

In The Netherlands they also benefit by having everyone pay a tax to go towards flood defences for the whole country.

UK- Income Tax + VAT!?

[Stanley]

It was a good day on the whole in Barlick yesterday, bit chilly in the wind but not as bad as recently. Glass is on 29.2" but no violent movement. Forecast is for a mainly dry day, increased chance of a shower at dinnertime perhaps and a steady breeze from the SW which is strong enough to make it feel colder than yesterday but still good weather for February. No complaints!

[Sunray10]

Funny weather here in Nelson today, hail showers in the afternoon, rainy and windy during the evening, then heavy showers for late evening and winds easing down. Very topsy turvey weather. Better for tomorrow, then wet and windy again on Sunday. Is the jet stream moving back again, I wonder?

[Stanley]

Mostly clear night and it's a cooler morning but in the last hour it's started to rain gently. Glass had fallen but is back up again at 29.3". Forecast is for a mainly dry day with a brisk westerly breeze. Still good weather for winter! Official start of Spring is March 20th......

[Stanley]

Dry and clear outside at the moment but I have an idea a new low is moving in. Glass is falling slowly but is still on 29.3". Forecast is for a mild day with a high of 9C and a brisk SW wind bringing in rain this afternoon. Generally wet outlook for the next few days.....
08:00. we've had a dry and bracing walk. It's a cold wind but not bad as long as you're wrapped up. Jack met a Border Collie bitch on heat and that made his day! No, we kept them apart but she was definitely interested in him! Then in Valley Gardens I saw this encouraging sign of Spring....

[Stanley]

I sent the pic of the snowdrops to a good friend in St Louis and here's what she replied: "Oh Stanley, I absolutely love snowdrops! I didn’t know they existed until we lived in England. They can be bought here now as bulbs and planted, but the places where they spring up are not the same and it isn’t at the same time because of our goofy weather. They are perfect for England because they come up early, last a long time because of cool, damp, often dull weather and are my perfect harbinger of Spring. Thank you for the photo; the next best thing to being there."

This morning is breezy and dry at the moment. The glass is down slightly at 29.2" and the forecast is for a similar day to yesterday, breezy, chance of a shower almost any time and a high of 8C. It was very mild last night at about 20:00. Only sign of any change is that the wind is going to swing about a bit as the centre of the depression passes.

[Stanley]

Today looks like a re-run of yesterday, mainly dry and bright with a good breeze. Glass is down slightly at 29.1" but it's dry at the moment. Forecast is virtually the same as yesterday and it's broad daylight outside. Winter is going very well!
08:30. Back from a good walk on a very pleasant morning as long as you were wrapped up against the wind. Here's what the Green looked like at 07:00. This is good weather!

[Stanley]

Good day yesterday and dry and breezy this morning at the moment. Glass is back up to 29.5" and forecast is for a slightly cooler day with a moderate breeze from the SW and perhaps an increased chance of a shower at dinnertime. Another good winter day!
07:30. It says much about the way the days are lengthening that Jack and I can be back in the house before 07:30 after our morning walk. It's a pleasant morning as long as you are wrapped up against the wind. I know I keep banging on but this is good weather! Will March come in like a lion?

[Stanley]

It was clear as a bell at 21:00 last night but first thing this morning it was raining hard and is still spotting now. Glass is down at 29.2" and forecast is for a wet day with a brisk SW breeze until later tonight. A good writing day!

[Stanley]

Clear again at 21:00 last night and clear with a slight frost this morning. Glass steady on 29.2" and it looks like a better day. Forecast bears this out giving a brighter day with very small chance of rain and a lighter breeze which gradually shifts from Easterly this morning through westerly and finishes up in the south this evening. Last day of February and good weather!

[David Whipp]

Slightly chagrined this morning, as I heard on the news that the clear sky overnight had allowed good views of the aurora as far south as Essex... with me sound asleep in my pit. Grrr.