Autumn 2015

[Wendyf]

Looks like a day in the barn for Dennis and Sparky!

You are right there Stanley. Having recovered from the shock of not being taken out first thing, they are now stood in deep beds of clean shavings, munching happily on their first taste of this year's hay. Up to now they have been finishing off a couple of old bales which they haven't been at all enthusiastic about, in fact I have been throwing most of it on the muck heap.
Nice to think I don't have to worry about getting home in time to bring them in before dark. Yesterday Dennis spooked at something as I was leading them in and nearly knocked me flying...shook me up a bit! They get a bit crazy in high winds.

[Marilyn]

Aw...bless 'em.

[Stanley]

I don't like the wind either Wendy, it disorients me.
Planty of rain and wind during the night and it was still with us first thing this morning. I've just popped my head out and the very mild wind is as strong as ever but at the moment it isn't raining. An early walk I think! The glass is falling and is almost down to 28.8". The shipping forecast is on as I write and doesn't give much hope of anything better. The forecast bears this out, dead simple, the strong mild SW wind will blow steadily all day bringing in rain. There is a warning for Lancashire that is only one degree lower than the highest red warning. The theoretical high is 13C but the wind chill will take this down to 9C. A wild wet day! Dennis and Sparky will be indoors again.....
06:15. Not a bad call. We have had our usual half hour walk so Jack is empty and we had nothing worse than a spell of light rain, Jack's coat is dry, he doesn't need rubbing down. Butts Beck is thundering over the cill, as high as I have ever seen it I think, it could get higher if the rain comes in heavy again. The wind is a different matter, very mild SW and blustery, some very strong gusts, enough to make you stagger while you're walking and then strange lulls which simply emphasise the next gust. Good job it wasn't raining heavily! Hopefully the rain will stay light and variable but the forecast doesn't suggest this. Mark, the road-sweeper is about his work and he told me that the wind was worse in Skipton where he lives. It reminded me that in Barlick we get some protection from Whitemoor. Wendy will not have this benefit.... She is wide open to the SW and I'll be thinking about them.

[Wendyf]

Water everywhere, but so far the newly pointed wall is staying dry!

[Tizer]

They get a bit crazy in high winds.

Mrs Tiz says that applies to schoolchildren too. When she was teaching the kids wouldn't settle down if there was a lot of wind.

Your gusty wind is what we've been having here in Somerset. It's more like being on sea cliffs than on a flat moor.

[Stanley]

It was dry at 21:00 last night and the wind had dropped a bit after a day of high wind and light but persistent rain. It is dry but very windy this morning and I woke to hear it during the night. But it's still mild.... The glass is steady on 28.9". The forecast is for a cooler day, dry but overcast until late morning and then a high chance of rain for the rest of the day. The moderate to strong Westerly wind will be steady all day and will chill the theoretical high of 8C down to a maximum of 4C. November weather!
06:15. We've had a cold windy walk with a spatter of rain but nothing too bad. Broken cloud and a gusty wind that would rather go through you than round! Not many people about, one early lady dog walker in Butts and Barbara getting ready for the day at Barlic Bites. I don't blame anyone for staying indoors if they can get away with it. Apart from the late morning walk that's what Jack and I will be doing! (Dennis and Sparky too I think....)

[Stanley]

Breezy but dry with broken cloud last night at 21:00. same weather this morning but cooler. The glass is tending to fall and is just over 28.8" The forecast is for a similar pattern as yesterday. Dry until mid morning and then the moderate westerly breeze will start to increase and we will have an increased chance of rain for the rest of the day. Theoretical high is 12C but it will feel cooler in the wind. Once again, November weather!
06:00. Back in the hutch after an early dry walk. I heard the weather man describe the wind as 'mild' but he evidently wasn't aware of the one that was making my nose run and my eyes water! It has evidently not rained during the night, the ground and the streets are drying up and the flow in Butts Beck is halved. The latest forecasts seem to be revised slightly, while the expected Atlantic Low isn't going to be as wet, they are warning of damaging winds later. It could be worse! Glad I am back in the warm.

[Cathy]

Mid 30C's today, high 30C's tomorrow. I almost burnt the soles of my bare feet today just shaking out a tablecloth outside while stood on a concrete path!!
Australia is sizzling...

[Moh]

Storm Barney due tonight !!

[Stanley]

Not sizzling here Cathy! Barney started announcing its arrival after dinner yesterday. The glass dropped suddenly to below 28.4" at 16:30 and it was dark early. At 21:00 it was dry but blustery, less wind now but there has been recent rain, water still running off the roofs. The glass is rising and is almost on 29". The forecast is for it to be reasonably dry until 08:00 and then an increased chance of rain for the rest of the day with the exception of a bright spell with some sun in the early afternoon. The wind will be a moderate westerly all day. The theoretical high is 10C but will be chilled to 7C at the most. The outlook is for it to get drier but colder. Expect frost for the weekend and a NW wind....
06:10. Back in the hutch after a dry walk on a cold blustery morning despite the forecasters continual assurances that the west wind is 'relatively mild', all I can tell you is that my nose is running! The cloud has broken and a few stars are visible so the respite until after 08:00 looks reasonable. It's notable that the Met Office is firming up its forecast for Friday and the weekend. They are now making firm predictions of cold northerly winds, night frost and even a high probability of snow at lower levels in the north of England. I have my coal in and two packs of cooking salt ready for the yard..... On with the day!
11:45. We've been out for Jack's second walk and a couple of errands. Lousy weather. We're back, Jack is rubbed down and feeling no pain . I have a pair of dry trousers on now and am feeling better. Not fit to be out in.... Let's hear it for people who put their horses in stables weather like this.....

[Stanley]

On the whole yesterday was a nasty November day. By 21:00 last night the cloud had broken but we had a very strong and gusty westerly wind. This morning first thing it was fair with broken cloud after recent rain. Since then it has deteriorated and clouded over, we are having intermittent light showers. The glass fell during the night but is rising again and is up to 29". The forecast is for a cooler brighter day but with a chance of a shower any time. The wind is a constant moderate westerly with some stronger gusts. The main feature of the day is going to be gradually falling temperatures, the theoretical high is 9C but the wind chill will drop that significantly and by late tonight we will be very close to freezing despite the wind. The outlook is continuing to get colder to the point where some snow isn't too remote a possibility. Deep Joy!
06:30. Bit of a delay getting out there this morning. I got my favourite American boots back from Birro's yesterday (sole and heel £26) and I always oil them with Neat's Foot oil when they have been repaired. Unfortunately I knocked a bottle off the shelf and it landed, unbroken thankfully, at the very back of a very congested corner. My OCD kicked in and I had to retrieve it, would you believe it took almost half an hour? Ah well.... That wind is cold, no rain, the overcast is thinning and breaking up at the moment. I heard the Met Office forecaster refer again to 'mild ' conditions, he should have been out there with me. I notice the wind during the night has demolished the Barlick in Bloom banner outside Forester's Buildings, must have been some severe gusts. Otherwise a dry and pleasant walk if you are wrapped up. Jack never got any rain on his back. Keep an eye on the change that's coming, going to be much colder.

[Cathy]

We are hoping for 26C tomorrow with a possible shower or two.
Our state is now on Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating.

[Stanley]

Well, the good news Cathy is that that is the least of our wether related concerns! Good luck with it......

[Wendyf]

"Let's hear it for people who put their horses in stables weather like this....."

Must admit that mine have had a few hours out each day since last Saturday! They would much rather be out than in, especially while there is still grass around. It's usually me I'm thinking of when I keep them in....don't fancy trying to bring them in on a wild, wet evening. You should have seen them careering round the field like crazy youngsters last Sunday after spending Saturday inside, anyone would think they hadn't seen grass for months!

[Stanley]

I always enjoyed watching the milk cattle and calves when we let them out for the first time after winter. Anyone who argues for keeping cattle permanently indoors completely ignores this. They love it and go crackers. Even old cows skip round like calves....
Jack and I have just had the second walk and done a bit of shopping. It was dry. Sat here now with dinner bubbling away on the stove and watching cold rain falling outside. The best place to be!

[Moh]

I agree with Stanley, it is a pleasure to watch the cows let out after winter. The farmer who owns the field behind the caravan site lets them out in April and they go mad running up and down the field.

[Stanley]

Tossing their heads up and down Moh and then after a short while standing there with flanks heaving because they aren't used to the exercise. I can see them as I write. Lovely!
A blustery cold wind under an almost clear sky at 21:00 last night, it was a pleasure to see the half moon after an absence of over a week! Dry and cold with a clear sky this morning, a moderate breeze. The glass is rock steady on 29". The forecast is for a mainly bright overcast day with the exception of a possible showery interlude late morning but even this could include bright spells. The moderate but blustery wind starts in the west but later in the day gets much colder as it swings into the NW. The theoretical high is 6C but will never feel warmer than 1C. There are snow warnings for tonight from 22:00 onwards, this will be bad enough for possible blizzard conditions at high level, there could be light falls and ice at lower level as well. Looks like some genuine winter weather.
06:30. Back home after our walk down to the butcher's. Spots of rain in the air and indeed, shortly after we got back a light shower of cold rain but only enough to spot the flags. The wind feels more north than west and it's cold. However, a dry walk and I've seen worse in November!

[Moh]

A really bitterly cold wind and we have had hail showers.

[Stanley]

Overcast sky and a blustery wind at 21:00 last night. First thing this morning and it's just started snowing.... The glass is falling and is down to below 28.9". The forecast is actually for a bright day with plenty of sun despite the fact that we have had a light shower of snow and there are warnings of snow for the region until early afternoon. The moderate north wind will persist all day, swinging into the west last thing tonight. The theoretical high is 1C, wind chill as low as -5C. The bottom line is that it will be a bright November day with the chance of an isolated light snow shower until early afternoon. Just a taste of winter!
06:10. Back into a warm house after a bitterly cold but dry walk round the town. Ice underfoot on the footbridge out of Valley Gardens, always the first place to freeze up. The light fall of snow has gone, the sky is clear and the wind is cold enough to give you face ache and make your ears hurt. The stallholders will be glad they are in the shelter of the marquee on the Town Square today. On the bright side, the pavements and roads are drying rapidly in the wind and as I was going out I tapped the glass out of habit and it jumped over a tenth of an inch to 29". That's the rise in just two hours, a good sign.

[LizG]

What am I looking at in the photo Stanley?

[Stanley]

The coal stock in the backyard with a thin coating of snow Liz.

[Stanley]

Late morning walk with Jack. That wind is bitter! It's coming straight down from the N Pole. Glad to get back inside and into the warm for a hot dinner.....

[Moh]

Hambledon hill is white but we only had a very light covering which covered the car - it has gone now and is a lovely sunny day.

[Stanley]

Clear sky, moderate NW wind and very cold at 21:00. Cold this morning but more cloud first thing. The glass is Steady on just above 29". The forecast is for a quieter day, generally overcast but with some bright spells around dinnertime. The very light wind is generally from the NW and it will feel cold all day even at midday when the theoretical high is 4C. The outlook for the next four days is very similar.
06:00. Back in the hutch after a quiet walk on a very cold morning but it's calm so no face ache! There was a light shower between five and five thirty, enough to wet the flags but apart from the footbridge out of Valley Gardens it hasn't had time to freeze. I suspect that by dawn there will be some ice underfoot. Nice to see the back of that wind!

[Moh]

Bitterly cold and the clouds are coming from the East.