Winter 2013

[Stanley]

I've noticed a slight improvement in day length as well Wendy. Funny how the improvement seems to shift between dawn and sunset. Liz, 12C would be tropical here!
Cold and it's raining this morning. Glass is down at just over 28.1" as another low races over us. Forecast is for rain to get less likely during the day but coming back tonight, wind rising slightly but not severe. Only good thing about it is no sign of snow!

[Cathy]

The far north of SA experienced 49C today (thats 120F), unbelievable, I know i wouldn't survive that without going a bit gaga. Luckily for Adelaide we had lots of lovely gentle rain that fell for most of the night and intermittently today. Love the smell of rain. 23C again for tomorrow and more showers. Perfec!!

[LizG]

Another coolish day today in Melbourne, about 19. Not great for summer but the veggies are flourishing. I'm feeling sorry for the poor people in South Australia.

[Stanley]

It's dry and not cold with a slight breeze here in Barlick this morning but listening to the forecast for the SW we are having the best of the weather at the moment. A combination of gales, high tides and heavy rain has resulted in the highest number of severe flood warnings ever, 21 of them. The glass is heading south rapidly, falling fast and almost down at 28" at the moment. Tiz will be watching the water levels rising.... Forecast for Barlick is that the temperature will fall to below 5C and with the wind chill this will feel like about 1C. High chance of rain all day and it looks bad for the next two days. No danger of flooding of course, we are on the watershed and there is a good fall through the town, only danger is if a culvert blocks up. We don't feel the wind down here because the houses protect each other but Wendy will have a wild wet day, no walking down to Kelbrook today!
06:30. Just been outside to bring coal in for the day. Wind is rising and it's starting to rain. I may have seen the best of the day!

[Wendyf]

We are quite well sheltered by the hills from south & south westerly winds Stanley, it's only when you venture further down the track that you get the full force! It was a nice sunny day yesterday, and my friend and I walked down Sidegate Lane into Lothersdale and then back through the village and home via "Winter Gap" Road. The mill dam in Lothersdale is empty of water at the moment but almost full of silt.
Bright and breezy so far today.

[Stanley]

Same here Wendy. That early morning spatter of rain was all we have seen and it's a nice day here in the town. We seem to be getting the best of the weather. Glass still down at 28.1". Seems to be steady which is a good thing.

[Tripps]

Must be our turn at the moment, I've got loud thunder, and rattling hailstones. Unusual for January?

[Stanley]

Just a manifestation of severe weather conditions David, not usual but quite common.
This morning in Barlick is like a re-run of yesterday which was quite a decent day, we escaped the rain. Glass is up slightly at 28.4" but forecast is a bit better, less chance of rain and a lot less wind. Things could be a lot worse!
Heavy snow in US NE States, very often a precursor for snow here. Could we be heading for a bit of winter?
Met office says that December was the windiest month since 1993 and they expect another low hitting us on Sunday. Deep Joy!
08:30. We have had our walk, slightly earlier as the days start to lengthen. It's a dry, calm cold morning. You couldn't want for much better at this time of the year. We are having a very easy ride!

[Stanley]

Cold and wet this morning but not actually raining at the moment. Glass is struggling upwards and is on 28.5". Forecast is for a cold day, chance of icy patches for a few hours but brightening up during the morning. Greater chance of a shower this afternoon. Wind id light but will increase gradually during the day. Over the next couple of days the winds will gradually increase and the chance of rain increase. Wednesday looks like a good writing day!

[Cathy]

Tizer, wondering how things are in your neck of the woods? We had reports that parts of Somerset are in serious flood and being pumped out.

PS Have just caught up with Climate Change and Global Warning

[Pluggy]

To date this winter has been stormy but not very cold. I'd rather have wind and rain than snow and ice.

[Gloria]

A lot colder this morning. The weather is fine with very little breeze, but it you are in it then it is quite biting.

[Stanley]

Cold here as well Glo but mostly dry. Lovely sky first thing with very high mackerel clouds under-lit by the sun coming in from the East. Quite beautiful!
Glass is falling again, down at 28.2". As I've said before, my barometer is inaccurate at the extreme end of the scale, it's reading far too low but the movement is accurate and that's the main pointer to what the weather is doing. It's trying to rain at the moment and this accords well with the forecast which is for a chance of more rain than of late in Barlick today with the wind gradually increasing. Pluggy is right, rain is better than snow because the town lies mainly at 550ft above sea level and there is a good way out for the water to the Ribble and Aire basins. Lots to be said for living on the watershed which passes through the town roughly on the same line as the canal. There are some low lying areas between Foulridge and Earby but most have not been built on. So today's weather is bad news for some but we shall be OK. Not bad weather for the time of year! There are many who would love to be able to say that.
09:00. A bright cold dry morning in Barlick. We seem to be getting the better end of the deal when you listen to the dire forecast. Mind you, if it does rain it's almost cold enough for snow....

[Stanley]

Damp morning but relatively mild. Glass is rising towards 28.5". Forecast is for a wet breezy day but there may be a dry spell for our first walk!
I have been watching the cold weather in the northern half of the US and this morning remembered a story an old Northfield resident told me about the cold winters of his youth when he lived on the farm and they had an outside lavatory. He told me they kept the lavatory seat in the kitchen next to the stove and when you went out you took it with you. If you didn't there was a good chance of your bum freezing onto the seat!
Luckily we don't have to deal with that problem!

09:00. We've had our walk. Cold wind and an occasional spatter of rain but nothing to worry about. It's definitely feeling colder and at one point I swear the raindrops were sleet or ice. Back in the warm, stove fired for the day, coal brought in and dinner warming on the stove..... Things could be worse!

[Stanley]

Cold, wet and windy this morning in Barlick. Glass is still rising and is almost on 28.9". This signals to me that we are heading for dryer but colder weather, we'll see. Forecast is for a mainly dry day with the wind dropping gradually. Rest of the week is that it will gradually dry up and get colder. Weekend could be quite good for walking!

[Moh]

Went tp Morecambe yesterday as we neared Lancaster, after driving in heavy rain, the roads were dry and the sky was blue with lovely sunshine. As we returned we ran into rain again - they seem to get better weather round that area.

[Gloria]

We went to Settle yesterday, up to lunch it was a bit damp but ok, when we came out after lunch the heavens opened. We got drenched going for the car. Got to Gisburn and it was fine again, and the same when we got home.
Today was very watery sun this morning, but we now have heavy cloud. Not cold though.

[Stanley]

After the early rain we didn't have a bad day. Wind subsided and it started raining in the evening, looks as though it has rained most of the night and still drizzling now. glass got up to 28.6" but has fallen back to just over 28.5" this morning. Forecast is for the rain to cease round about morning walk time and return late tonight. Moderate westerly wind. Mild for the time of year but feels cold....

[Gloria]

Feels a lot colder here, but fine as yet.

[Stanley]

Jack and I had two dry walks but the afternoon was miserable. Wet and breezy again this morning and a bit of a nip in the air. Glass is rising, up at 29" this morning. To me that means dryer colder weather at this time of the year and the forecast agrees with me. Today is forecast to be mixed but with dry spells and getting colder, tomorrow is even better. Funny thing is they don't mention frost but I would lay money that tomorrow we will have a frosty start with icy roads.

[Cathy]

We have had mid to high 30C's this week and today we were told that a severe heat-wave is on it's way. Perth is starting it off with 44C tomorrow. It might last a week but it could hang around until Australia Day (Jan 26th).

[Stanley]

Cathy, daughter Susan flew out of Perth this morning on her way back to us after her Xmas with her sisters in Perth. She will arrive back to clear bright weather with the temperature around freezing. I have advised her to wear her thickest knickers.....

[Stanley]

Clear sky, calm and damp flags in Barlick first thing. No frost then but I think it could have started freezing now. Glass is up again on 29" and the forecast is for a dry, bright day with a slight westerly breeze that will increase slightly during the day. Temperature will stay low and with wind chill will be hovering around freezing point all day. A good day, get out and enjoy it! We are having a very easy passage up to now.....
Anyone in Oz suffering hot weather would love it here today!

[Wendyf]

Blizzard conditions! What happened to the nice day!

[Stanley]

Quite! Jack and I just got caught in a sharp snow shower. I think it will pass Wendy.....