Weather where you are?

[Sylvia]

The weather here in East Central Scotland has been unusually awful for this time of year. Some mornings you think we may have a good sunny day today, but as soon as the thought or the words are said, you can guarantee a humongous great black cloud will appear and the tap turns on.

We have a lovely 3 walled porch where we can sit on our rocking chairs (wasn't going to mention them, but it is the case, but I draw the line at the clay pipes) and watch the rain pouring down sideways with great gusto, it is a sight to behold. This is great if you are like the Greek Mama and adore this sort of thing when she visits Scotland.

The only good thing is that our crops are good - providing the farmers get some warm weather in August to allow their cereal crops to dry before harvesting. Artificial drying this year would be crippling for them due to all the rises in fuel costs.

Sue are these storms in NC life threatening?

Let us know how your part of the world is - and how it differs if any from previous years.

Sylvia446

[suehorne5892]

Hi Sylvia!
The tropical storm Cristobel has moved out to sea thank Goodness! But there is another one heading towards Texas/Mexico - Tropical storm Dolly (our weather service gives names to all the storms during Hurricane season - in alpha order). A tropical storm can turn into a hurricane...both can be life threatening with winds, rain and flooding. The states along the coast of the US have been hit with them. Hurricane Katrina was the worst in the last few years - the flooding and wind killed many people...if you Google Hurricane Katrina you will see many pictures of the devastation. We are the 2nd most affected state (NC) with Florida being the 1st. Many people in Texas are already preparing for a "hit" in the Corpus Christi area..buying food staples, water, batteries, boarding up windows, etc. The outer coastline of NC are barrier islands and they get flooded, cut off from the main land of NC and are without electricity and phones. With this being also vacation time - alot of people are evacuated that are on vacation..but it is better to be safe than sorry.
Sue in NC

[Sylvia]

Sue, you make me feel so guilty moaning about our dreich weather here in Scotland. All-in-all, I have come to the conclusion that there is nowhere where the weather is ideal. We have had severe weather during the Winter months, with the loss of life - mostly due to hypothermia, but with the exception of man-made disasters we haven't experienced as many natural disasters as many parts of the world. We have had a few earthquakes in the first part of this year in England and in Scotland and the aftershocks have been felt over great distances. Many homes have been badly damaged due to flooding after too much rain for the rivers to accommodate.

Our homes, particularly in Scotland are built to withstand heavy gales - the walls in our house are about 3 feet deep. Many of the rural homes were built pre-1900.

Today was one of the best I have experienced this year and the temperatures were high - well into the 20s.

I hope you have come back down to earth after the birth of your latest grandson.

May be a little late to help, but I'm off to get some much needed beauty sleep.

Take care
Sylvia446

[suehorne5892]

Wow!! Walls 3 feet deep...sounds safe. We don't have earthquakes here in NC - except for the rare occasion. I love living in North Carolina - I'm not a world traveler like many of the members - I've traveled only the east coastline of the US..it would be a dream to travel to your country! So I go to web cams around the world to see what is going on. I'm going to try to find one in your country.
I'm still in the clouds over my grandbabies - 2 in 3 months!! Woo-hoo...they are precious. Sue in NC

[whisperingpass]

I am up in the North West part of Alberta Canada. We are not known to have Tornadoes but did have one touch down 2 years ago and did some property damage. My son and I were sitting in the parking lot waiting for my daughter to finish work and we watched a funnel cloud form and start to go. I was on my cell phone that fast to the local radio station with that info. It happened at the air port and they see alot form there in a year but nothing becomes of it.We have experienced earthquakes when we lived in Prince Rupert on the BC coast that was fun lol not.
But out in rural Alberta we get very hot summer days 20 to 35* C and then have the thunder and lightening storms in the evening. Hopefully they are over with for now.Today is a nice day 23*C with a light breeze and of course the big blue cloudless sky Alberta is known for.
I have lived in the dull,drank, gray sky with an average 12 FEET of rainfall a year on the coast and I think I like the weather here better.Beautiful sunsets not fog putting the mountain to bed at night.

[Sylvia]

So far Lynn you are getting the red rosette for the most bearable weather. I love sensational sunsets. In our younger years before the lads and all - our favourite haunt in the summer evenings was Aberlady Nature Reserve. Great site for "twitching" and the sunsets - absolutely wonderful. If there was going to be a rainbow - you could guarantee it would be right over the reserve. We are all so busy these days we have forgotten how to enjoy nature's great events.

Have heard that Texas may be in for some treacherous weather, hope Nancy has got the hatches battened down.

If you live in an area that is constantly under threat, are there safe places that the residents can make for?

Lovely to hear that you and Fred are on the mend.

Take care

Sylvia446

[suehorne5892]

Good morning Sylvia!
I was trying to catch up on reading the posts in the boards and thought I would tell you about the safe places that are set up in our states for hurricanes, etc. The Red Cross sets up shelters with notification of inclement weather - they are (in our area) usually large schools, arenas, etc. People are urged to evacuate the coastline areas to go to these shelters until the danger is over. Most do this but some old timers like to "ride out the storm". I have a couple a friends that think they are tough enough to do this and it scares me to pieces .... they head to the coast when a storm is coming. I head to the closet! I'm a chicken anyway. I do love to watch the clouds (at a distance) but when the wind is so very strong and the rain is coming so hard it feels like needles - Chicken Little comes out in me.

[Sylvia]

Good Evening Sue,

I'm with you on watching from a safe distance. We still have some bomb shelters left, in fact some have preservation orders on them.

I know exactly what needle rain is, we are used to that type of rain.

The closest we have been to a natural disaster which sticks in my memory is a sand-storm in the middle of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. One minute it was a boiling hot day the next the sky went black and the sand swirled round and round making it difficult to breathe, the worst part is that you can't see anything. Fortunately Ron and I and our youngest who was in a push-chair at the time were on a pavement (side-walk) and we just huddled together over the push-chair until it passed, seemed like hours, but of course was only a few minutes. Thank goodness the other two kids were in school at the time.

Our house has been standing since the late 1800s so I think I would take my chances - although I might be found under the kitchen table. My grandson got it right when he recently said to me "gran you're always in the kitchen".

Sylvia446

[Sylvia]

29th October 2008.

This has been the coldest day we have had this year. The topic of conversation is "Brrr it's really cold!"

I'll post the temps when they have been verified.

Sylvia

[Sylvia]

The temperatures reported on Scottish Television say that the temperatures are at 6o Centigrade, with no ease up over the next few days.

Time for the hot water bottles, electric blankets etc.

Sylvia

[suehorne5892]

Hi Sylvia...we're having a heat wave this past weekend - temps in the high 70's - low 50's in the evening - just right for looking at the stars while on the deck. We hope to get some snow this winter - Kelly has a snowboard that he loves to use. We will be lucky to get 2 inches in our area. ;D

[chefgal]

I live where the weather stays warm we have a few really cold days but mostly a mild temp ,we have no snow or ice storms .Weather for Las Vegas, NV -
48°F
Current: Clear
Wind: N at 6 mph
Humidity: 28%Wed

65°F | 38°FThu

65°F | 40°FFri

68°F | 47°FSat

72°F | 49°F

[Sylvia]

Hi Chefgal,

Must be nice having such mild temps. We spend a lot of money seeking out temperatures like yours.

Everyone says you get used to the weather where you were born uh uh, I must have been born in the wrong country.

I do hope you realise how fortunate you are in the health stakes, the % of arthritic diseases must be low where you are?

It's nice to hear from you, don't be a stranger - keep in touch.

Sylvia446

[Sylvia]

We had heavy snow Sunday and Monday, thaw Tuesday, severe frost Wednesday - minus 6oC at 7 am. Today there's snow flurries and the temperature at 9.30 am was 1oC. We are expecting a lot more snow and the temperatures to go down even further. Another day at home.

The latest news from down south, is that the English are or already have run out of salted grit.

Sylvia446

[Sylvia]

Hi Sue,

I'm getting so fed up with these low temperatures and all the snow and slush. I've even taken to decorating food - something that I've never done - ex when the boys were young.

Our heating costs are going to be exceptionally high this year.

But, I'll keep (trying) to smile.

Sylvia

[Sylvia]

I've been looking back over the entries since starting this topic and I can't believe that I was complaining about temperatures of 6o in October. I suppose I was comparing back to previous years, when the temperatures in October were never that low.

We had more snow overnight, the temperature at 2 am dropped to minus 3oC.

When, oh when will it get warm?

Sylvia446

[Chris in NM]

Well, Sylvia, it is so cold here we had snow flurries this afternoon! We aren't used to this cold like this. Just about 3 days ago I could have worn shorts! Today, sweats! We have 3 cold fronts and frigid weather from the North coming in the next week. I hope you warm up soon! At least so you can thaw out. LOL Take care! Chris

[Sylvia]

Hi Chris,

Today is a heart lifting bright, sunny, frosty day. I wouldn't mind a few weeks of this. I'm used to the cold and dress appropriately, not just sweats though, woolly everything, jumpers, hats, scarves, gloves and boots. Our daffodils and tulips are a about 4-5" through the ground, it would seem that they haven't been held back by the cold frosts or snow.

You probably don't know what a hot water bottle is he he he, very handy.

Sylvia446

[Sylvia]

Snow, Snow too much snow and still falling

Another day for staying at home, not much choice there anyway.

Sylvia446