My Hometown Due To Be Hit With High Winds, Echoes of 1987 (A personal report)

Just gone 22:28 here in sunny Swindon and that wind has really picked up. The driving rain is washing my car...thank you Mo Nature.

I can just remember the '87 storm, that caused some chaos. I live in a new build on the top of 'the hill' of a flood plain. Nice big oaks that can wipe my house and neighbours houses out with ease if the conditions are right.

I hope this storm isn't as bad as they say its going to be. Could they be covering their arses after Michael Fishs' '87 weather forecast of ' nothing to worry about'?

Stay safe and bake cakes

We had a really bad storm here about ten years or so ago and in our garden we had a six foot fence about twenty feet in length with an arbour that had been growing on it for many years.
I was out in gale force winds trying to stop the fence blowing down and even had strong straps holding it but they snapped clean off.
A wooden boundary fence, again six feet in height was blown away and our garden looked like a bomb had hit it.
My wife had to yell at me to come in the house as things were blowing about everywhere with the wind and rain and all I could do was watch as years of work in the garden was ruined....

Weather here is very quiet and dry, had some rain a few hours ago but nothing to write home about...

The thing is we get a warning we start looking for the drama. And I'll be honest and say I'm a bit of a drama queen lol.

The wind has died down a bit and I can see stars amongst the clouds moving at 300mph overhead. A bit of an over exaggeration, of course, but just trying to paint an image.

Truth will be known come Monday. Although my local radio station is warning is from tomorrow lunch time. I best make sure my roast is done before time in that case.

reply to post by TrueBrit


I remember the '87 storm well, me and my younger brother wanted to play in the caravan on the driveway but our parents wouldn't let us. Not long after the winds hit, we witnessed it (the caravan) doing cartwheels across the lawn!

By the sounds of it, this storm wont affect us up here in the north much, 40-50mph gusts expected on Tuesday.

Hope all you southern shandy drinkers will be ok.

reply to post by angelchemuel


Where did you see that? I live on the coast road, 5 minutes walk from the beach, just after the road bends inland, we have a 60 foot tree 10 feet from the house, our road acts like a wind tunnel when winds blow in from the solent.

I love all types of storms, its very windy now, but starting to be a little nervous about sunday/monday

reply to post by woogleuk


Lol @ shandy drinkers. I'm a fellow northerner. Hail from Edinburgh, moved down south 17 years ago. Its 2 hours drive to the nearest bottle of Buckie! Lol

reply to post by RobbieK


I'm from Cumbria, about 30 miles south of the Border.

Live right on the Solway coast looking over the Irish sea, on a clear day you can see Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of man all in the same view, it's a tad fantastic!

I assume by Bucky you mean Buckfast? Love that stuff, they sell it in the local Co-op, great for festivals!

reply to post by woogleuk


That's the stuff. The only drink more popular than Coke in Scotland. Vile stuff. Peer pressure was a terrible thing. Never had it since I was 17 years old. Lol. To keep it on topic....when I drank it its after effects, as well as a vile hangover, was also terrible wind

I live in Devon and remember the 87 storm. I was in my bedroom watching next doors greenhouse being lifted off the ground as glass shattered all around. This predicted storm is in all likelihood an overestimation of forecast. An ass covering forecast, to make sure they dont get caught out like in 87. That said sounds like it will be a torrid Sunday night/Monday morning so stay safe and keep checking your local forecasts for the latest info

As a yearly hurricane survivor, I'd just like to point out to gather as much water and canned supplies as you may need for a week to month venture as well as maybe some firewood, or heating ability in case electricity drops (common as hell occurrance during hurricanes) and if you believe a 'nado is coming, shove yourself into a bathroom and hunker down in a tub or basement

Sounds weird but look for ladybirds. Last couple of thunderstorms we had here in manchester, there were loads of them about a few hours before hand.
Just thought it might be interesting if they display the same behaviour over the next couple of days.

I remember the 1987 hurricane very well.
Although my house didn't get damaged at all, we had a 200 yr old oak tree go down in our neighbourhood, leaving it's sister oak all alone. I don't know why but that made my really sad. I had passed those two trees every day I'd walked to school.

I took photos, I was still a teenager but had started my first job. In fact I cycled to work that day taking photos of downed trees. One tree had gone down across the pavements and the road, I had to climb over it. Once I had got to work they told me to go home.

We lived next to a major road, where some minor miracles had happened, many trees had come down but it was tree, then car, then tree, then car-amazing. Only one car was damaged in about 300 yds.

I think I had an omen on my anniversary this year 10th October 13, I collect Lilliput Houses (mini houses in resin) and my hubby gave me a second hand one. I knew it was one of the original ones. We looked it up on Web and it was made for 1987 called Summer Haze. It was a shock to my system at the time and my memories went right back to the 1987 event. Freaky. (I stilll don't like windy conditions.)

Can I point out up to about Tuesday last week, this storm was supposed to be arriving on Friday 25. I think this will be a weather-war storm. So therefore it can be stopped by prayer.

Whilst I understand this storm has the potential to be disruptive and to lift a few trees and blow a chimney stack or two down, You've got to question the UK newspapers love of a good headline!

MEGASTORM: Devastating 100mph winds to bring 48 hours of ‘utter hell’ THIS weekend


Apocalyptic weather to batter UK - expect relentless rainstorms and terrifying winds


I mean "MEGASTORM"??........"Apocalyptic Weather"??


It's also worth mentioning that this storm also has a growing potential to sink further south missing a lot of the UK.


I suppose "Very Windy with Heavy Rain" just doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to selling newspapers.

I'm here in Swansea ..originally from Louisiana. I'm kind of excited to be honest, haven't seen a good storm in ages! (but I hope everyone stays safe! be smart people.)

Was going to make another topic on this but thought I'd shove it in here Incase its related to this storm heading our way. But last night those weird 'sky noises' like trumpets were heard all around where I live in Swindon.

It was about 4:30 am and it woke me up, lasting for about 10 minutes. 'Shout out Swindon' on Facebook has lots of people mentioning the noises.

I remember the storm of '87 - luckily my fences survived intact but the pines in our local rec were devastated. Brought tears to a lot of the locals because the park was never quite the same. Ironically the passion flower vine that covered the front of my house survived '87 but was torn assunder by the storm of '90. That one for me was a tad scarier as I was 9 months pregnant with my eldest.

No storm warning should be taken lightly and my bit of advice is to clear and lock down your gardens and make sure you know where to find your house insurance policies. Just in case.

Thought I would mention, in 87 my mate put a local ad in the newspaper after the storm saying he was a tree surgeon and that he was available to clear away fallen trees etc with a chainsaw. Within an hr he said he had a fridge full of yellow post it notes of jobs!!! Clever git! He made a few quid

reply to post by gilbis


Never waste a good crisis eh!



Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by Argyll


Ahhh they are advertising the storm... did you want to purchase the storm? Around here they are free....

here you will see something more like "free to a good home, nasty weather!"

So whilst our silly little OP is out running around catching videos and pics of the "storm from hell", I hope he's at least got enough grey matter to stop at the store and load up on food and supplies ?