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Severe weather warning sun/monday

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Pebble

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You may or may not be aware that a very strong storm may hit the UK sunday night through monday. Currently it is still too far away so the weather models from the various weather organisations do not all agree as to exactly what path it will take....and the worst of the storm might even miss us and hit France instead.

HOWEVER - if it does hit us, which at the moment is likely, they are forecasting very strong sustained winds of 60-70mph with gusts up to 80mph particularly in the south. Given many of the trees are still in full leaf, there could be a lot of disruption with trees and power lines down.......and also lots of rain with the potential for flooding especially with drains being blocked by leaf debris.

The Met office have issued the following AMBER warning for Sun night/Monday for the South and a Yellow warning extending into Wales, across the Midlands/Pennines and up to East Yorkshire
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html

Please take care and prepare this weekend by ensuring any outdoor hutches, tarpaulins, rubbish bins, BBQ's, patio furniture, hanging baskets etc are securely anchored/stored away and that your animals are not at risk of flooding/falling trees/wind-blown objects.

If you can bring your pets inside for the duration of the storm that might be best as these winds could be strong enough to blow hutches over.

The meteorologists will have a better idea of the path the storm will take and its intensity by saturday so I will update then.

x
 
Thank you for bringing this up, hope that all small furries remain safe.
Mine only know what sunshine is.:)
 
Sticked this thread for a few days :)
 
Oh my I had no idea, thank you so much. I shall make sure I do everything I can. Whilst my piggies are indoors iam very very rural and do have a habit of losing power! Most irritating.
 
Mine have got the heater on in their shed, luckily we are on the same circuit as an old mental health hospital, so all the electricity cables were buried so we don't lose power when the lines are blown down in high winds. ;)
 
The last great storm in 1987, I was stationed in Aldershot with the Royal Military Police. Young Lance Corporal Highway Man had attended a police club function and was well oiled. About 2 o'clock in the morning, I crawled back to my room and went to sleep. I woke up later that day, I'd been visited by the "bear" - the one that spends all your money, throws your clothes all over the floor and ***** in your mouth! My bed was soaking wet and I thought I'd had an "ahem" little accident. It was only when I prized my eyes open that I noticed that the whole side of the building had been ripped off by the storm! I'd slept through the whole thing, even the on duty guys who'd been hammering on my door couldn't wake me up as I was out of it! Let that be a lesson kiddywinks - don't drink too much! :)) :)) :))
 
UPDATE:
A few things to note:

a) It still could miss us and end up in France - we won;t know until noon saturday and rest assured i will post an update...but this evening it is looking increasingly likely that England/Wales will have a direct hit
b) Nevertheless....we should all make every effort to "protect ourselves/properties/animals" given the amber warnings already issued...and from the forecast weather then fridat afuernoon/sat morning affords you an opportunity
c) Do NOT underestimate how damaging this storm event could be...it is forecast to be the worst storm in over 20 years

I'm not trying to frighten anybody....just want to make sure that everyone in the target area understands the seriousness of the risk and has made provision for their pets

x

Bottom line: if you;re animals are outside....you need to get them in for sunday night/monday....and you also need to secure you gardens in respect of anything anything that might "be blown" some distance

PSS - Highway Man...loving your recollections as someone also with a connection to Aldershot Militaryxxxx
 
I am in Dorset. I really hope it will miss us!
My guineas are inside, but my rabbits are outside and I have no way of being able to bring them in!

I will definitely do my best to shelter my bunnies!
Horses will be going nuts at the stables down the road from me too...
 
hrl20100 said:
I am in Dorset. I really hope it will miss us!
My guineas are inside, but my rabbits are outside and I have no way of being able to bring them in!

I will definitely do my best to shelter my bunnies!
Horses will be going nuts at the stables down the road from me too...
Click to expand...

Brilliant another Dorset member :)) think that makes 2 of us :))

Glad to say my girls are in their hutch inside a custom built shed (heavy duty) with an extra enclosed car port type thingamy on it , so the girls should be safe.
Thanks for the warning though as i will need to bring in the perspex wind&rain covers for their run, don't want them blowing away or breaking :(

xx
 
hrl20100 said:
I am in Dorset. I really hope it will miss us!
My guineas are inside, but my rabbits are outside and I have no way of being able to bring them in!

I will definitely do my best to shelter my bunnies!
Horses will be going nuts at the stables down the road from me too...
Click to expand...

Fantastic that your guineas are inside.
Are the bunnies in an "elevated" hutch with run underneath that could potentially be blown over? If so...even a cat-carrier inside for 24rhrs would be fine..
.[*]Needs must! [/*]

As for your horses......you need to ensure the Stables are happy about the robustness of their stable construction and have emergency planning procedures in place in the event there is a problem

Being in Dorset, I'm afraid you are in the high risk area firing line......Contact me on PM if you want to discuss further

Hugs
x
 
I'm just down from you guys in Devon. Luckaly my girlies are going in the spare shed as the hutch anchors have bent in the current one. Dh can't fix it until next week so they will have to go in there. Would love to bring them in but my landlord would go spare if he found out.
 
So pleased our piggies are indoors and they certainly don't mind me braving our weather to bring their food home :)
Stay safe everyone and your furries x>>
 
We live in Brittany and the weather here at the moment is awful, it's pretty much rained none stop for the last 3 days and we had a power cut the night before last that lasted several hours, thankfully all here are tucked up warm and snug, except the flipping guinea fowl who "discussed" the storm for about 20 minutes while I got soaked trying to put them back in there shed!
 
I have been contemplating bringing our guinea pigs indoors for the winter, but as we are due to have some dusty building works done in a few weeks I was hoping to leave them out another month. The weather has been horrible lately and last winter they were inside, as they were babies.

With the forecast I have just seen I will definitely bring them in for at least a couple of days.
 
Pebble said:
You may or may not be aware that a very strong storm may hit the UK sunday night through monday. Currently it is still too far away so the weather models from the various weather organisations do not all agree as to exactly what path it will take....and the worst of the storm might even miss us and hit France instead.

HOWEVER - if it does hit us, which at the moment is likely, they are forecasting very strong sustained winds of 60-70mph with gusts up to 80mph particularly in the south. Given many of the trees are still in full leaf, there could be a lot of disruption with trees and power lines down.......and also lots of rain with the potential for flooding especially with drains being blocked by leaf debris.

The Met office have issued the following AMBER warning for Sun night/Monday for the South and a Yellow warning extending into Wales, across the Midlands/Pennines and up to East Yorkshire
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html

Please take care and prepare this weekend by ensuring any outdoor hutches, tarpaulins, rubbish bins, BBQ's, patio furniture, hanging baskets etc are securely anchored/stored away and that your animals are not at risk of flooding/falling trees/wind-blown objects.

If you can bring your pets inside for the duration of the storm that might be best as these winds could be strong enough to blow hutches over.

The meteorologists will have a better idea of the path the storm will take and its intensity by saturday so I will update then.

x
Click to expand...

UPDATE: The Met Office has just updated the warnings and if you click on the link above, you will see that the AMBER region warning of strong winds is now covering half of England.

xx
 
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My friend has just lent me a 4ft cage would this be ok for the girls for day and night? I have checked the spare shed and the roof looks very dodgy and don't think it will hold. My landlord has agreed to them coming in.
 
foxy2279 said:
My friend has just lent me a 4ft cage would this be ok for the girls for day and night? I have checked the spare shed and the roof looks very dodgy and don't think it will hold. My landlord has agreed to them coming in.
Click to expand...

That would be perfect for your piggies, it’s only for a few days at most anyway :) I think meeting cage requirements isn’t as important in these sort of situations, just bare in mind that smaller cages may need more regular cleaning as theres less place to wee, well at least i’ve found that with my piggies!
 
SATURDAY UPDATE:
Storm "Christian" has just started to form in the Atlantic, exactly where predicted. The different weather models are now starting to agree.....it will definitely hit the UK although the exact track across the country is still not certain. They are still forecasting very strong sustained winds of 60-70mph with gusts up to 80mph. The worst winds will be south of the M4 as the low travels from Wales through central England but then they will change direction as the low exits the north sea and Eastern areas inc Kent up to East Yorkshire could see some damaging gusts. The heaviest rain is being forecast for south west/Wales/west mids/north west but surface water flooding from blocked drain and gulleys could happen anywhere and the torrential rain could cause flash flooding of some streams and rivers already primed by the wet weather so keep an eye on the Environment Agency flood warning website.

The storm will be passing through approx midnight sunday night and through monday. Timing is still not accurate but the latest models are now showing it will hit the south east during monday rush hour rather than during the night as previously predicted which is a worry. Timings may however change again over the next 24 hours

The Met office have upgraded their AMBER warning for Sun night/Monday and we are now only one step away from the red warning, which is expected to be issued tomorrow lunchtime for some areas. This particular storm is very unpredictable and may have a sting in its tail, so keep an eye on the met office website.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...&zoom=5&lon=-3.50&lat=55.50&fcTime=1382918400

Although the wind speeds will not be as great as the Hurricane of 87, the saturated soil and many trees still in leaf means that these lesser winds could be just as damaging in terms of fallen trees/power outages/property damage. The biggest risk of property damage will be from debris such as falling roof tiles/tree branches. Sunday will be windy and wet for most so I thought I'd put up a checklist today of the sensible preparations that need to be made rather than wait for tomorrow.

  • Are all small furries and feathers in safe secure sheds/outbuildings/inside for the duration and away from single-glazed windows?...people with open run C & C in glass roof conservatories please take note.
  • Is everything in the garden tied down or stored safely away so it doesn't become a projectile? This includes hutches and runs. You can turn heavy patio tables upside down, put away BBQ's take down hanging baskets and move plant pots to a sheltered area. Fold/tie up rotary washing lines. Any plastic furniture should be stored inside or if not possible, it must be securely tied down.
  • Have you checked/emptied your water butts? - both mine are already overflowing.
  • Do you have torches/batteries/candles and is your mobile fully charged? - even if landlines don't go down, many of today's phones won;t work when the power goes off. Have you also got a car charger for your mobile?
  • Are all windows, doors and loft hatches etc able to be securely closed?
  • Are there any large trees near your property? If so think about where you might wish to park your car sunday evening.
  • Is your buildings/contents insurance policy up to date?
  • Think about cancelling any plans for monday morning that involve going out in the worst of the storm ...(especially if they might involve boat trips/hot air ballooning/camping or caravanning :))) Have you bookmarked relevant websites to check for local disruption before you venture out?

For those who might be at risk of flooding:

  • Are all precious items/mementos safely above potential water levels?


The Environment Agency current flood warning weblink is here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx

There is no need to panic or be frightened. Hopefully the storm will have weakened by the time it reaches us but given current forecasts, timings and ground conditions the potential impact it could have on a densely populated area of the country during rush hour is significant...hence the warnings.


Ignore some of the more sensational press articles but please respect mother nature and be prepared, be sensible and stay safe. Next update sunday lunchtime

x
 
This is a great thread as it’s things i wouldn’t really think about! Luckily my pigs are indoors and always oblivious to any thunder or storms while i sit there worried that it may upset them and they just snooze away!
I must admit i’m very lucky living halfway up a very steep hill, so don’t run much risk of flooding but i do feel sorry for the people in the village at the bottom of the hill who regularly flood, they’ve all got their sandbags out though so hopefully everyone will be well prepared! Stay safe slaves and piggies!
 
Aahh didn't think of the window in the shed it's single glazed.

Will see if Dad can make shutters while he's out there securing it for the bunnies or get some sticky back plastic to attach to it so if it does go it won't shatter over the bun's.
 
My piggies live in a shed but I am staying at my parents house this weekend where the piggies have a heavy duty hutch in their sheltered and enclosed garden.

Does anyone know what the forecast is like in Nottingham?

I really do not feel comfortable leaving them outdoors if it is going to be as bad as they say so I am thinking of moving the hutch in to the shed tomorrow. The problem is, my parents shed is plastic. I'm not worried about the shed being blown away but is a plastic shed suitable for piggies? I know they aren't in the summer and really cold weather but what about now?

I have a large converted dog cage that is used for extreme and colds weather conditions but it would t fit in my tiny car with everything else I had to bring :(

We had a taste of the bad weather in Manchester last night when we had golf ball sized hail stones and now the roof of my car is covered in dents :(
 
Claire W said:
My piggies live in a shed but I am staying at my parents house this weekend where the piggies have a heavy duty hutch in their sheltered and enclosed garden.

Does anyone know what the forecast is like in Nottingham?

I really do not feel comfortable leaving them outdoors if it is going to be as bad as they say so I am thinking of moving the hutch in to the shed tomorrow. The problem is, my parents shed is plastic. I'm not worried about the shed being blown away but is a plastic shed suitable for piggies? I know they aren't in the summer and really cold weather but what about now?

I have a large converted dog cage that is used for extreme and colds weather conditions but it would t fit in my tiny car with everything else I had to bring :(

We had a taste of the bad weather in Manchester last night when we had golf ball sized hail stones and now the roof of my car is covered in dents :(
Click to expand...

Hi Claire

Thanks for posting and appreciate your concern for your pigs.

The CURRENT charts show the eye of the storm tracking centrally across the country which means Nottingham will either be west of the centre and have the heavy rainfall or directly in the eye of the storm so miss a lot of the action. At any rate it is currently less at risk of the really severe wind speeds being forecast for those south of the eye.

HOWEVER - having said that - earlier models showed the eye much further north which would put Nottingham on the south windy side......and it could all change again very suddenly and unexpectedly in terms of the track/intensity of the storm between now and when it hits sunday night and even during its course across the UK.

The shed may be plastic but will it withstand a flying object and is it really anchored securely enough not to be blown away? The forecast wind gusts could take out beach huts and lift roofs. Personally because this storm is so unpredictable and potentially dangerous, I would bring the pigs inside on sunday night in a cardboard box if needs be as it's only for a few hours. I have done this before with my pigs in severe windy weather and they once spent a good 6 hours in pet carriers upstairs in the bathroom when my house/garden was flooded a few years ago before we were all rescued by the fire brigade. This is a quick moving storm and the main risk of gusts should hopefully all be over by monday afternoon so keeping them in a cardboard box inside for the duration should not be an issue for the pigs and will probably stop you from worrying.

Hope this helps
x
 
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Hi Foxy

Well done for thinking about the shed windows. From your location, which is also coastal, unfortunately it looks like you are going to be subject to some of the worst of the winds and that could easily include punching out shed windows.
Good thinking about the sticky-back plastic.....you could instead cross-tape with parcel or seloptape if needs be. If you can contain the buns in a hutch inside the shed for the duration rather than keeping them free-roaming that might give extra protection.

Hope your chucks will be OK

x
 
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twiams said:
This is a great thread as it’s things i wouldn’t really think about! Luckily my pigs are indoors and always oblivious to any thunder or storms while i sit there worried that it may upset them and they just snooze away!
I must admit i’m very lucky living halfway up a very steep hill, so don’t run much risk of flooding but i do feel sorry for the people in the village at the bottom of the hill who regularly flood, they’ve all got their sandbags out though so hopefully everyone will be well prepared! Stay safe slaves and piggies!
Click to expand...

Hi twiams

You have raised an interesting point living half way up a hill...and also being in a southern risk area.
Does you water company rely on a pumping station to get water up the hill in order to feed it to all the properties? If so, a power cut will stop the delivery of mains water.

Other people in this position have been advised to fill their baths with mains water for washing on sunday night and buy in bottled water for drinking.

Being a flood victim in a flood risk area myself, I would like to wish all your lowland villagers well and am glad that they are already prepared with sandbags.

x
 
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