BS: Dudley and Eunice

Subject: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 07:58 AM

Much of the UK has been/is being battered by these two storms. Dudley was quite bad, with winds of about 50mph here in Norfolk, but Eunice will arrive within the next few hours, and an Amber Warning has been issued for much of Middle England, including Norfolk, predicting gusts of up to 100mph, causing danger to life, structural damage, power cuts and much disruption to services.
I'm actually rather scared - Eunice seems to have arrived already, the wind just now is very strong. Several trees (mostly oaks) are down on the roads/lanes around here, according to our Village Facebook.
I'm worried about my property (a small bungalow), all the fencing around my gardens, the greenhouse, roof tiles etc.
Anyone else 'out there' worried too?

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: DaveRo
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 08:57 AM

'Dudley and Eunice' sounds like a Charlie Dore song - a follow-up to 'Denis and Rose' and 'Santa and Edie'.

Eunice has been upgraded to a Red Warning.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 09:32 AM

The red warning covers the north Cornwall and Devon coasts as well as the coastal area of South Wales. Me, in other words. The rest of you in most of England and Wales are amber, and snow will be the issue further north than that. We've lived here for 35 years and I don't recall a red warning before. I'm off to spend an hour in the garden to tie everything down. All we can then do is wait. The worst for us will be from early morning to midday tomorrow. We've cancelled our planned trip to London to visit our family who we see only three or four times a year and we're devastated.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 10:40 AM

Oh that's such a shame Steve. But you're wise to stay put - it's going to be very nasty by all accounts.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 10:48 AM

Take care, this sounds like more than a John and Martha.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 12:56 PM

Dudders? Really?

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 05:02 PM

We are off to Hawes tomorrow. Must be mad!

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 05:04 PM

This reminds me of Fred and Gladys,
the pseudonyms used by Charles and Camilla.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: G-Force
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 06:02 PM

Tomorrow morning is dustbin day. I don't think I'll bother this week.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 07:16 PM

My dustbins are full of logs tonight and there's a 25kg sack of coal sitting across the top of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 08:21 PM

Just before midnight it was dead calm. An hour and a half later the wind is howling through the lines... Let's see if I can get some kip before the apocalypse strikes. The cat stays in. She won't like that. I'll try to buy her off with a handful of Dreamies...

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 02:18 AM

Our greyhound will be terrified to even go out for a pee until she is bursting. Just heard a small plane go over, either to or from Biggin Hill - rather them than me! Stay indoors and keep safe y'all!

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 02:37 AM

Seen on Faceache this morning

Sevevere weather warning for southerners. Do not travel. Stay indoors. Serious risk to life expected.

For northerners. Stick tha coat on.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 02:41 AM

To many 've's! I never know where to stop with bananana either

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 03:30 AM

I hae an aluminium framed greenhouse with twin wall plastic glazing. Dudley blew the opening window off it twice(a peculiar piece of design work for a hinge that can come entirely loose easily). As a more permanent fix I have drilled small holes throug the pane and the panes both sides and put loops of wire through to hold the panes together around the frame. I might be doing this in other panes if Eunice is as strong as predicted.
At least with plastic panes I wont have glass all over the garden!

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 03:52 AM

Sen, I’m not that many miles NE from you but I was outside around the time you started this thread. It was a touch breezy but sunny and reasonably warm then. It got a bit wet and windier later in the day but I’ve seen nothing to worry about so far.

The BBC forecast for my postcode predicts winds up to 83mph this afternoon so we may be in for a bit of a rough time later and I expect the person was due to do some outside bits for us today to cancel for safety. Sill, whatever we get, it’s the SW that will get the worst of this one.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: BobL
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:08 AM

Courtesy of my insurers: https://www.lv.com/home-insurance/helpful-tips-to-ride-out-a-storm

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:08 AM

The worst of it here on the north Cornwall coast is right now. That cat is not going outside today. The wind seems to die down for a minute or two then we have massive gusts. We've had several awful windstorms during our 35 years in this house and we've had several insurance claims down the years for damaged roofs and demolished greenhouses. Not recently, thank goodness. This one is definitely up there with the worst of 'em. We were glanced by the Great Storm of 1987, but the worst one to date here was the Burns' Day storm in 1990. We're starting to get little power cuts now...

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:08 AM

My favourite is the red warning. Not.

A group of us ceilidhnauts have to be content with a meet-up, dancing** is too social for COVID. Just in a garden centre for coffee.
Today!
I await the cancel message.

** there are signs of green shoots, French/Eurobal, being mostly partner dancing. One can stay with one partner. But some familiar faces are absent, I know one asthma sufferer who is very wary.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Acorn4
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:08 AM

I'm still waiting for "Jason" and "Kylie".

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:11 AM

I was disappointed that the one after Arwen was not Bilbo

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:21 AM

BBCW, our lean to greenhouse has a top opening window which just hinges on the aluminium greenhouse frame. It's supposed to be held the other side with a std type window stay and posts but that could pop loose and the window come off. Mix fix was to run a (6mm?) die over one of the posts and a wing nut. Securing the stay that way has been enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 06:03 PM

We're seeing reports about Eunice. Stay safe, everyone!

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 07:21 PM

same here - People warned to stay home as Storm Eunice batters UK, ripping large portion of roof off London's O2 Arena ... 196kph gust was recorded on the Isle of Wight and is provisionally the strongest ever wind recorded in England.
Authorities there then took the unusual step of issuing 'red' warnings — indicating a danger to life — for parts of south-west England between 7am and noon and for south-east England and London from 10am until 3pm ...
Storm Eunice has produced heightened concern because it has the potential to produce a "sting jet," a small area of intense winds that may exceed 160kph.

Storm Eunice: at least four dead as worst storm in decades roars in -Guardian UK Record-breaking gusts recorded hit UK and Ireland, leaving trail of devastation and chaos ... More windy weather on Saturday could affect cleanup efforts in the aftermath of Storm Eunice, the Met Office said. “The winds themselves could cause minor disruption, but given the expected impact from Storm Eunice on Friday, these conditions on Saturday may hamper any clear-up operations.”

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 07:50 PM

Well it remains to be seen whether this storm had a sting jet. They're not that common and one mustn't believe the Daily Mail...

The worst of it in Bude was from around 9 to 11.30 this morning: we sat in the house shivering in our boots, listening to the roar of the wind outside. It wasn't safe to go outside. By about 12 the storm had abated to a regular Cornish winter gale so I ventured outside to see what had happened. We had survived very well! Plant pots, even big clay ones, were scattered all around. We lost one big slate from an outbuilding and there were twigs and small branches everywhere. One of my tarpaulins is stuck 30 feet up a tree. :-) the greenhouse and our sheds all made it through. We have friends and neighbours a-plenty who have suffered, conservatory windows wrecked, greenhouses and sheds demolished, roof damage...

Brits may note that Bude, for the first time ever, made the lead story on the BBC news, all because of a young fellow who managed to video our iconic town centre tree being blown over. That tree was at least 100 years old and was decorated every Christmas with the world's biggest baubles. It had been deemed unsafe anyway and was due to be removed, but it's nice that Mother Nature did the job for us instead. It damaged the adjacent low wall and the rather nondescript fountain, but that was all. I never liked that tree much, and the ground beneath was always smothered in birdshit. Hopefully, the council will think about landscaping the little green area to make it a lovely place to sit in. That tree was a bit overwhelming..

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 07:52 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 02:53 AM

The only result round mine was one of my wooden benches in my back garden was hurled over on to its back. It's very heavy item, but fortunately caused no damage and remained intact itself.
My lovely neighbours have all offered to right it, but I think I'll wait until the wind drops entirely (It's 8am on Saturday, and there is still a bit of a stiff breeze!)
The shepherdess reported that all her animal shelters miraculously remained undamaged, and all the sheep spent the time sitting dozing on their thick straw inside.
I'm sorry for those who have sustained damage, but very thankful that no-one on here has been injured or hurt.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: DaveRo
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 02:58 AM

That's great, Steve, That 'much loved' tree in Bude was all over the news.

Locals delighted that storm brought down dangerous tree.
"Now we can sit in the sun without getting shat on by the birds" said a local pensioner who did not want his name used for fear of abuse from environmentalists.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 03:37 AM

Here in Midlothian: light dusting of snow on the roofs early on, occasional minor gustiness, sprinkles of wet snow that didn't lie. Nothing like Dudley, though even that didn't send the wheelie bins off wandering like the storm last week. You'd never have thought it needed a name.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 03:51 AM

Here in my little bit of The Backwoods we seem to have escaped fairly lightly - Dudley claimed one of my fence-panels (posts well concreted-in, so those are OK) and my black bin ended up at the bottom of the garden, but otherwise all good.

Eunice was a ‘disappointment’ (kinda) - no worse than Dudley and, apart from my dog not getting out for his usual three-mile afternoon walk and being as hyper as hell last night, no ill effects. It was a “It’s a bit breezy” kind of day for us. Lucky, I guess.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 03:55 AM

My greenhouse did not survive intact. I rescued most of the plastic panes that came off but a couple escaped. I think I can see one three fields away! The aluminium framehas also suffered, bent in several places and cracked through in a couple as well.

However Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones made it over the Pennines last night to perform at the Barlow and cheered everyone up!

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 06:36 AM

Compared to 1987 we came out of it well: a couple of tiles down, some dead branches and a bit of plastic off the carport. In 1987 we lost 3 mature beech trees, shed, greenhouse & a lot of fence panels.
TyS

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: G-Force
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 09:06 AM

Apparently there was a sting jet (whatever that is), but it was out to sea.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 02:52 PM

Made it to Hawes but had to turn round at the bottom of Landstrothdale because of snow and reroute via Cray. Glorious afternoon in Wensleydale today.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 03:38 AM

There's now a Yellow Warning over East Anglia, with winds in Norfolk due to reach around 55mph this afternoon, with heavy rainfall. I'm getting very sick of this!
The next storm will be called Franklin, apparently.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 06:50 AM

Looking at my BBC forecast, Sen, we don't seem to be free from strong winds until Wednesday. Wind speeds are showing up to 71mph for today.

As storms go, Eunice on Friday was a bit of a non event for us here but I wonder what this spell is going to bring...

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 07:03 AM

Made it home safe and sound from Wensleydale. The road going into Hawes and the A59 near the river Ribble was flooded but, aside from that, it was not too bad. The road from Hawes to Ingleton, past Ribblehead,looked bad with the water coming down the mountains but I think most of it has too much of a slope to hold any standing water.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 03:10 AM

Well, now it's Storm Franklin. It's been blowing a hooley again all night and even stronger this morning. My next-door neighbour's fence panels are lying on his lawn, smashed to bits. I've just ventured out and secured my trellis panel with strong wire (It was flapping wildly against my oil tank!). Some daft folk put their wheelie bins out last night, and rubbish is blowing all over the village. I'll wheel mine out nearer noon (The bin-men come at around 1pm. Hope they're staying safe!)I've got three bars of chocolate to give them (driver and two wheelers) to cheer them up, poor souls.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 04:10 AM

you are an asset to your community, sen, choccies for the garbos (dustmen?), cold drinks for delivery drivers.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 04:47 AM

Hee hee thank you Sandra! It makes me happy to offer a little 'lift' to any workers toiling away in adverse weather conditions, be it a heatwave or a torrential hooley. It must get tedious and exhausting trailing around all the villages.
My lovely neighbour-across-the-road has just wheeled my bin out the front for me. Now I'm alone, I find it rather heavy to manage.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 04:59 AM

Sen, if it's too much to handle, you could try your council to see if they can arrange for the binmen to collect the bin without you needing to wheel it out. North Norfolk Council sorted this for me parents when I was in hospital in 2020.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 05:38 AM

That's very kind of you Jon, but I'm so lucky here having numerous lovely neighbours who rally round. Also, I think my bins won't be quite so heavy because I don't produce much rubbish. (Only crumpet/butter wrappings hee hee)
Strangely enough, the wind has suddenly dropped as if someone has flicked a switch! Big relief for everyone.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Mo the caller
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 07:31 AM

Still blowing here in Cheshire, Was really wild about 8am then eased but my monkey puzzle is waving around.My bins have been on their sides for days, but since the lids were on I left them. One moved sideways in the night.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Feb 22 - 03:42 AM

I had to go and rescue someone from Carnforth yesterday as they became stranded due to train cancellations. On the rail apps it tells us the train companies have an obligation to get people to their destination even if that involves taxis or hotel stays. Load of bollocks. There was not even anyone on the station to ask. The sooner transport is renationalised the better.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Rain Dog
Date: 22 Feb 22 - 03:55 AM

"The sooner transport is renationalised the better."

That made me smile. The good old days of under investment, how we miss them.

Of course we already have part renationalisation now. Who would have thought that would happen under a Tory government.

We do need a grown up conversation about transport policy in this country, along with a long term plan. Unlikely to happen in my lifetime.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Feb 22 - 12:52 PM

"my monkey puzzle is waving around."


Heheh. Had I said that in my son's presence he'd have asked "Is that a euphemism, dad?"

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Feb 22 - 02:41 AM

It was underfunded and I well know it, Rain Dog. It is even worse now though and rather than the trains being run to line the pockets of the already rich, they were run for the benefit of everyone. Well, in theory :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Feb 22 - 03:14 AM

Our entire village is without landlines now. And BT don't respond (some folk with fobile moans have tried to report it) The next village is off too. I suppose we must be patient - the storms probably decked telegraph poles and overhead cables. But last time this happened, it was caused by a massive theft of cables by some nasty thieves.
Our fobile moan signal in this village is negligible, and many vulnerable, elderly or poorly folk who live alone are worried, being stranded without any means of calling for help. Gulp!

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Rain Dog
Date: 23 Feb 22 - 03:40 AM

Hope your phones get sorted soon.

Of course BT are set to do away with the traditional battery powered 'landline' by 2025. Such is do called progress. Should not be a problem as long as you have an internet connection and a power supply.

Subject: RE: BS: Dudley and Eunice
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Feb 22 - 03:43 AM

An idea worth considering: if you live in an area with a poor or no mobile signal, make sure you are with an internet provider that provides Wi-Fi calling. Not all of them do. Switch that on on your phone and Bob's your uncle, a perfect signal when you're at home. It uses your ordinary calling plan, no extra costs. We couldn't do without it here in the wilds of north Cornwall.