Anyone else feeling really nervous about Storm Darragh?

[GinaDreamsofRunningAway]

We are under a red warning here now and I am feeling sick to my stomach. DH and I have done all we can to prepare. Sandbags by the front door, torches with batteries, everything on charge, moved and weighed down everything outside, got logs in to keep the wood burner going all weekend, we have plenty of food.

But I am feeling so unwell and anxious about our home being flooded or having our property damaged. I have been unable to eat today and can't function.

I know this isn't normal but I have had 'weather anxiety' for my whole adult life and I know its silly and I feel stupid for feeling so nervous about something that is out of my control.

Is anyone else feeling the same? How are others in the same situation coping with this? Any tips?

Do you live on a flood plain? We live in an area prone to flooding but I’m fairly sure our house won’t flood. Otherwise I’m generally not nervous. If we lived with large trees surrounding our house or next to the coast, I’d be nervous. Hope everything is okay for you in your area.

Yes - Im meant to be flying early tomorrow morning

I think it is very unusual to be so anxious, so do you maybe suffer from anxiety?

I'm flying tomorrow too. From Leeds/ Bradford.. well known for high winds etc .
Let's hope it dies down and we fly okay.

We have a water run off problem from neighbouring fields which only happens when we got torrential rain and the water runs into a drain right outside our front door. This is why we keep sandbags just in case for these occasions and we have them over the front door in case the water gets too much. We have not flood yet but, like they say, there is a first time for everything and I always think, when we get these warnings and storms, that this is the time its going to happen.

I am prepared and have taken provisions upstairs even, just in case we get water coming in and have to take refuge upstairs. The power going doesn't bother me as much. We have plenty of emergency lighting and torches etc, a woodburner and a gas hob so we can still cook and boil water. But I just feel so nervous.

I know it could be worse. At least we are not on the coast or surrounded by trees which is one thing to be thankful of.

I know I am going to have a rough few days where I will barely eat or sleep 😩

I think it is very normal to worry when you get a red weather warning. They are rare and 70-80mph winds can do a lot of damage without even toppling trees on you. I remember when a MNer in Jersey had the roof ripped off her apartment block, last year.

I wasn’t nervous until I saw the weather forecast and saw the red warning. I wasn’t bothered when I thought it was going to be heavy rain, I didn’t realise it was going to be 100mph winds too. The last time we had strong winds a house in my town had its roof ripped fully off - I didn’t even know that could happen. Saying that though I’ve done zero preparation apart from making sure we have food for tomorrow.

I’m dreading it as I’m a carer and will be outside on foot doing house calls till late tonight, and then early tomorrow. The floods from the rain just last night meant the water on the roads were nearly up to my ankles. My only concern for when it starts is to make sure I’ve got my wellies on and a change of clothes in a waterproof bag 🤷🏼‍♀️

We're not in the red zone so I can't imagine how you're feeling but you've done everything practical that you can, just stay indoors and wait for it to pass, unless you've got big trees close to your house I wouldn't worry and even if you have there's not much you can do other than chopping them down.

Quite often they are downgraded as they get closer, I think they give us the worst case scenario.

I'm sure there will still be people standing on the sea front and expecting the emergency services to rescue them if they get washed into the sea through their own stupidity.

Have you got battery packs you can charge too in case you're without power for a few days?

Oh no! Isn't that when the wind warning is at its worst? I fear you may be delayed but hopefully will get on your way at some point once the wind has finally died down.

I've got a flight out of Belfast tomorrow morning and I'm wondering if it'll go ahead.

Yes. I currently have torches, headtorches on charge and also two power packs so we can hopefully keep our mobiles charged up.

I know there is nothing we can do but sit tight and wait it out but I just feel so awful. Stupid anxiety!!!

Oh my god. Stay safe and be careful.

Fingers crossed. I’m flying from Birmingham

YANBU to be worried - a red wind warning is really rare and I'm sure it is very worrying for those living within the red zone. I think you'll just have to draw comfort from how prepared you are OP and hope for the best - there's not much more you can do. But try to keep hydrated and nibble on simple foods like toast to keep your strength up.

We are in a red zone and maybe naively I'm not too worried about it? I'm on the West coast of Ireland and it's windy here more often than not, we have what feels like continual weather warnings from October/March. The only thing I'll be doing differently is picking up dd from her boyfriends earlier than I had planned to and I bought some stuff earlier to make some hot chocolate. There is nothing I can do really anyway but wait it out so I just cosy on down as much as possible and hope when I wake up that outside looks like it did before I went to sleep.

You shouldn't feel silly for being anxious, even the most level headed person would be concerned in the red zone, hopefully in 48 hours you'll be on here posting 'was that it?!'

You can't control everything but you've done a great job with what you can control.

I wouldn't worry. We're currently having the loft converted so have no roof on our house. We didn't during Storm Bert either. I'm just going to stop at the shop on the way home for a couple of bottles of wine which will hopefully help me ignore / not panic about the water coming through the ceiling and all the building materials flying off the roof.

I totally understand and hope that you get through it OK.

We are in Jersey and were hit by the tornado during Storm Ciaran and it was the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced.

The whole island was shut down in preparation for its arrival, luckily as it turned out as we had 105mph gusts and 186mph winds in the tornado. It was awful

I am not looking forward to the storm, although we are only forecast to get force 9 winds this time

I’m only in an Amber zone and feel quite anxious. Extreme weather always makes me irrationally angry, for some reason 😂

Maybe focus on things that you can do? It's really difficult when storms or other factors are outside of your control. Could make a safe box of key documents like passports; house insurance details etc?

Hoping that the storm is limited and doesn't cause damage

Hmm I've just checked and we're in the red zone too. I've done literally nothing to prepare (nor did it occur to me to) I feel slightly more nervous now I've read your post OP 😅 I probably should go and buy some bread just in case

Also take a few pictures of your garden and house today so that if there is any damage you will have up to date before and after photos for your insurance.

Oh god I wish I could be as relaxed as you are about it. My DH is relaxed about it. He has said we have done all we can and what will be, will be, and when the storm has passed we will deal with anything that needs to be dealt with. Its just the two of us and the dogs so at least, if worst comes to worst, we should be able to find somewhere to move into for a week or two while we sort the house if anything does happen. My mind always goes to the worst case scenario. 🙄I think having plans in place and thinking through what we would/could do should the worst things happen helps to ease the anxiety of it a little.

I also have wine. Lots of it. So I may well just get pissed and then I may not care as much.

Thank you. My mind always starts thinking of the worst case scenario so I have even sat and googled flood clear up company's and airbnb's and hotels that accept dogs in case we need to move out of the house for a few days to deal with any immediate damage to our property. It helps me to know we have somewhere we could go if the worst things happen. I feel as ready as I can be to deal with anything that may happen as a result of the storm but it hasn't taken away the anxiety so far.

It helps that my DH is a level head in these circumstances and is pretty damn good in a crisis. He helps to make me feel a bit better about things. I also think some wine tonight will definitely help!!!!