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Weather

Storm Darragh

451 replies

Frozensnowflake · 05/12/2024 12:36

winds of 80mph are predicted to hit parts of Ireland and the UK over Friday and Saturday. I’m north wales and we’re looking at winds of around 72mph on Saturday according to the met office. Lots of local events have been cancelled. Anyone else potentially affected by the storm?

I have never driven in 70mph winds but I’m guessing it’s very much not advisable?

OP posts:
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Iliketulips · 06/12/2024 20:16

SlugsWon · 06/12/2024 19:25

Filling the bath in case we lose water! My husband thinks I've gone overboard but if we need it he'll be grateful!

I'd like to think it's highly unlikely you'll have to worry about water.

Having said that when our water station was flooded in 2007 and water was cut off, I was so sadly we had a bath full of soapy water (decided at last minute to wash my hair before final water reach us). Exactly what we needed to flush whatever down the toilet. Worth filling 2-3 saucepans up with drinking water as well. Four water bottles were available per family the next day, absolutely no way they would let you collect for an elderly person!

nonevernotever · 06/12/2024 20:18

Frozensnowflake · 06/12/2024 20:04

Apologies if this is a ridiculous question. We have a 400 year old oak tree to the back right of our house. It’s not in my garden but behind the right corner about 14 metres away from my house. Im in an amber area so not as bad as the red areas. Is it likely to stay sturdy?! I’m guessing it’s been there for 400 years successfully so isn’t likely to fall over now but slightly worried!

Not a ridiculous question, but not one we can answer I'm afraid, since it depends on so many variables, including what direction it is from your house, how healthy it is, how wet the ground is and so on. These winds are expected from the north - last time this happened was Storm Arwen, so we can expect the damage to potentially be worse than you might expect for the windspeed just because trees and buildings that are normally sheltered/used to winds from the south west may be exposed this time.

nonevernotever · 06/12/2024 20:21

But I think oaks tend to be much more strongly routed than many other species, so fingers crossed.

Cheersmedears123 · 06/12/2024 20:26

We’re in an amber zone but just got an alert to say we’re in the red zone. Maybe Met Office are about to do an update?

RainbowZebraWarrior · 06/12/2024 20:27

Frozensnowflake · 06/12/2024 20:04

Apologies if this is a ridiculous question. We have a 400 year old oak tree to the back right of our house. It’s not in my garden but behind the right corner about 14 metres away from my house. Im in an amber area so not as bad as the red areas. Is it likely to stay sturdy?! I’m guessing it’s been there for 400 years successfully so isn’t likely to fall over now but slightly worried!

You can never know for sure if a tree is safe. You can hope that the owners have had it checked and pruned accordingly, but if you're worried, stay in the area of the house furthest away from it.

As a prepper who has been in a red warning before (and sustained some damage) here are my tips.

If it is still safe to go out and do so, move your wheelie bins to your back garden (if you have one) and move your cars away from the house if possible (roof tiles falling can go through windscreens)

Get torches, batteries, candles and matches and put them somewhere you can find them easily if your power goes off. Keep a torch next to the bed.

Get everything on charge now. Phones, powerbanks, ipads, switches, headphones etc.

Yes, filling the bath is a good idea. Also, fill any empty bottles you have. Boil the kettle and fill a couple of flasks. Fill hot water bottles (check the neck of your hot water bottle for the date)

Fill a pan of water and put it on your gas hob if you have one so it can be boiled if you need it. Note: some gas hobs need an electrical supply to ignite.

Get all your warm blankets ready in case your heating goes off. Ditto extra layers and warm socks etc.

Close all of your blinds and curtains. At least if any debris hits your windows and breaks them, this will limit the amount of glass that enters a room.

This is not intended to be scaremongering. It's simply things I've learned from having sustained damage in the past.

Also, if your area says don't travel unless you have to, then really, don't. We all think we need to do things sometimes, but actually staying home and safe is the best thing. Plans can be rearranged.

Lovely to see you here, @OhYouBadBadKitten my lovely x

Stay safe, all.

AInightingale · 06/12/2024 20:28

The biggest danger with trees is I think that chunks can break off them and still do damage, rather than the whole thing coming up by the roots. NDN has a massive ash tree about 60ft high, far too big for her garden and a big sprawling mess really, so I'm concerned about that. In saying that, I'm on the east coast of Ireland (north) and we've barely got any wind at all yet!

Fernticket · 06/12/2024 20:28

South Wales/ Gloucestershire border here, not that far from Bristol .At the moment we are on the edge of the red / amber zone. Wind is picking up here now. Stay safe everyone.

RafaistheKingofClay · 06/12/2024 20:30

Welcome back @OhYouBadBadKitten.

Stopyourhavering64 · 06/12/2024 20:33

Well just after getting red alert warning on phone , we now have a power cut ( Just outside Bangor) thankfully we'd just eaten and have candles and a log burner .....staring out the window looking at the driving rain ....think it's going to be a long night

justasking111 · 06/12/2024 20:34

Stopyourhavering64 · 06/12/2024 20:33

Well just after getting red alert warning on phone , we now have a power cut ( Just outside Bangor) thankfully we'd just eaten and have candles and a log burner .....staring out the window looking at the driving rain ....think it's going to be a long night

Gwynedd?

Frozensnowflake · 06/12/2024 20:39

Thanks so much for the replies about the tree. It doesn’t actually belong to any residents, I think the council must own it. It’s a protected tree I think. It looks pretty sturdy so I’m hopeful it’ll be ok.

@Stopyourhavering64 im sorry about your power cut. It’s good you have a log burner. Has the wind picked up a lot there? I’m in Flintshire and it’s quiet here still

OP posts:
JenniferBooth · 06/12/2024 20:40

Cheersmedears123 · 06/12/2024 20:26

We’re in an amber zone but just got an alert to say we’re in the red zone. Maybe Met Office are about to do an update?

Hope they sent some alerts to Uk Power Networks so we dont get a repeat of Christmas/Winter 2013 when they seemed to be unaware that there was a storm coming.

Stopyourhavering64 · 06/12/2024 20:42

justasking111 · 06/12/2024 20:34

Gwynedd?

Yes...but thankfully power just now back on! ...at least there are no trees around us

justasking111 · 06/12/2024 20:47

Stopyourhavering64 · 06/12/2024 20:42

Yes...but thankfully power just now back on! ...at least there are no trees around us

Quiet in Conwy still. They're closing Britannia bridge at 2am

BoudiccasBangles · 06/12/2024 20:56

Beginning to blow a hoolie here now, between the Brecon Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains.

BlackeyedSusan · 06/12/2024 20:57

Yellow warned area here. (WMids)
That's bad enough. (I hate wind) I have felt it coming all day. Been on edge.

Flasks filled.
Power banks charged.
Phones charged as much as possible given teens are on them a lot.
Lanterns charged.
Tea cooked and eaten.
Kids are home. Ds would normaly be out and walking home late but this is the silver lining to a twisted ankle.

Live in a top floor flat so worry about the roof.

Good luck to all those in amber and red.

Lovely to see you OYBBK.

Seaitoverthere · 06/12/2024 20:57

Somerset here and been very busy the last few days and the fact we are in red zone had escaped me until a few hours ago. Luckily I knew a bit before the alarm went off as it made me jump enough knowing about the weather alert.

Been out to garage and found camping stove etc which was reassuring as have moved twice in last couple of years and wasn’t sure where everything was,

Teisen1990 · 06/12/2024 21:01

South wales coast here and we jumped a mile when our phones went off! Sounding dreadful outside at the moment!

BlackeyedSusan · 06/12/2024 21:12

Wind and rain picking up here. (WMids)
Hoping all our trees are safe.

Jellykat · 06/12/2024 21:12

Blowing a hoolie already here in West Wales.

cinnamonbiscuit · 06/12/2024 21:15

@Iliketulips you must live near me! I remember 2007 and the water tanks in the street very well!

JustAMiddleAgedDirtBagBaby · 06/12/2024 21:18

Jellykat · 06/12/2024 21:12

Blowing a hoolie already here in West Wales.

Yes it's suddenly picked up in the last ten minutes or so.

Inextremis · 06/12/2024 21:42

JustAMiddleAgedDirtBagBaby · 06/12/2024 19:34

I often think that about Ireland sheltering us - and wonder what their west coast is like in these storms.

Right now it's pretty wild out there (am half a mile from the Atlantic, can see it out of the window when it's not dark). Rain beating on the front, north-facing windows, wind howling round the house - no bangs or crashes out there yet, but it's early days. I've already lit candles so I don't fall over looking for them if the power goes out.

AInightingale · 06/12/2024 21:59

Whereabouts on the west coast are you @Inextremis? Can't understand why it's quite calm here in the north (east) when the storm is meant to be coming from the north yet we are 'only' under an amber warning.