How's your weather?

[Pebble]

Strange period of weather here, has been very cold with night time dipping down to -10, followed by periods of heavy rain which either washes all the salt of the road or freezes on contact, as a result most of my usual quiet country roads are just too dangerous for two wheels. Wish it had all come down as snow instead.

Still been getting my miles in (up to 300 so far this year), have had to stick to busier roads which is not really my thing but they are well gritted, and the main cross border routes are certainly much quieter than usual. I'm a bit chicken so jump off when I see wagons coming up behind.

Just love the cold weather, can suffer badly in nov & early dec, but once I get acclimatised I just love it, -2° when I set off this morning and only 1° above when I got back 4 hours later, and amazingly never remotely cold.

Had a great weather moment at the beginning of the week, after many days of sub zero the temp went up to 6. When I got into my van it was like climbing into a deep freezer, -4 in the van +6 outside. My breath was condensing out as white ice on the inside of the windscreen - weird but wonderful!

we need another beast from the east to make the winter a bit more memorable though.

[Oldjohnw]

Today we have an hour more fault than a month ago.

[simonineaston]

Friend of mine put me on to a local weather station, which it turns out, is situated in a back-garden not far off the route of what I recall used to be known as my 'commute'... it has a webcam so I don't even have to open the curtains!

[fausto copy]

Wow, that's really impressive Simon.
I hadn't realised how generally mild your patch is, given the lowest temperature recorded for today's date was minus 1.1.

I wish we had a local station like that around here.
Living on the extreme west coast we find we've usually already had the weather by the time it's been forecast.
For instance, the forecast here today was for rain arriving pm and it's been piddling down since 7 a.m.

Yesterday was glorious here and I said to Mrs. Copy that it reminded me of several January visits we'd made to Baltic Wharf caravan park, when we'd arrived around lunchtime and either had a short ride to the Downs or walked the Floating Harbour loop.
Happy days.

[simonineaston]

Once I found out about Martin's website, I kind-of assumed there'd be loads of other folks, doing a similar sort of thing, all over the country, but if there are, I can't find them...

[Mick F]

Chap down the road from here has a rain gauge.
Ask him how much - or little - rain has fallen, and he'll tell you.

As for weather data "locally", our Met Office locale is Tamar Valley Mining District ........... but the station they take the info from isn't in the Tamar Valley Mining District, but way out of the valley towards Callington.

Today, on World at One BBCR4, they finished off by saying that rain would be coming into the SW later this afternoon. This was at 13:45.

When did the rain start here?
About 10:45.

[PDQ Mobile]

The Met Office was pretty much spot on here in NW Wales though.
We even saw a glimpse of sun around 10am.
The fine drizzle started about 13:00.

It is now forecast to continue to rain for the best part of 48 hours.
Up to 150mm on the higher hills. The whole place is already saturated.
One hopes for a little less than the amount forecast.
Ditch and gulley cleaning weather.

[fausto copy]

Given the forecast I fully expect the Conwy Valley to get its annual flood.

[PDQ Mobile]

Given the forecast I fully expect the Conwy Valley to get its annual flood.

It is an interesting comment.
I know someone that needed to cross the Conwy to go to school in the 60's.
And to shop.
Over the bridge and across the flood plain.
They told me that in those school years that they seldom had to go round in winter but the main and regular massive flood would be the "Lli Awst"- the August Flood.

In each winter now there are usually at least two significant valley floodings.
And I expect you will be proved right if the forecast totals come to pass.

As an aside.
We used to get more NW weather in winter I think.
Maritime polar. Hefty frequent towering and often fast moving showers from the NW, sometimes of snow or hail. But total precipitation amounts were less than from mild moisture laden S Westerlies.
Having said that the longer range forecast IS for just that type of NW weather.
Will shall see.
If we are not washed away first.

[Mike Sales]

I know someone that needed to cross the Conwy to go to school in the 60's.
And to shop.
Over the bridge and across the flood plain.

Llanrwst?

[PDQ Mobile]

I know someone that needed to cross the Conwy to go to school in the 60's.
And to shop.
Over the bridge and across the flood plain.

Llanrwst?

Yes, sorry.

[Cowsham]

Rained heavy continually here ( ' for peetee' north coast of ni ) all day long from at least 8am still raining now at 5pm --- edit -- still raining at midnight.

[djnotts]

Contrary to forecast, dry all day here until about 15 minutes ago. Needlessly confined myself to stationary bike!

[pwa]

This afternoon I went for a walk down to the sea cliffs west of Nash Point (S. Wales, opposite side of the Bristol Channel to Porlock) and I had to take my flat cap off to avoid losing it in the strong gusts of wind. There was a bit of horizontal rain too but it wasn't really cold, and though I did slide around a bit on the mud it was good to be out. I could see a ship at anchor out in the channel and wondered what it would be like to be stuck on a vessel in that swell.

[Mike Sales]

Llanrwst?

Yes, sorry.

Not at all, not many places fit your description.
I have vivid, happy memories of the long, exhilarating descent to Llanrwst on the Llangernyw road, then jinking over the bridge on the way to Bettws, and the climb home on the A5. The long drag up past the Swallow Falls, the Llugwy and the last ten miles downhill were so often the conclusion of a great day in the saddle.
I am so grateful to have my head full of such memories.