philglossop

Well, as a football secretary for a club at Step 5 in the Non League system- the dryish winter did me a favour. We only lost 1 league game at home in Saltash due to weather and that was after the wet spell of the weekend of 7th and 8th January. Weirdly no other pitch inspections which is very very rare! Away we've not been so bad either, only loosing 19th February away at Street- but that was Eunice weekend in the league, and Buckland (Newton Abbot) in league cup on 16th February. We've started Spring and the rearrangement at Street has gone already last night! We do seem fated with Street this season- the home game was P-P due to a medical incident before the game and the air ambulance landing on the pitch! All in all- that middle of February period was clearly the worse period of our winter.

Roof has gone from Sennon Lifeboat station as well.

Taw Bridge A361 closed in Barnstaple. Tamar Bridge restricted. No King Harry ferry in Falmouth. Road closures in Holsworthy, Yelverton, Bow, Staunton and Colyton. Trees down in Plymouth, Exeter, St Austell and Redruth. Flights gone from Exeter airport. In a word- dreadful.

9300 homes out of power Cornwall.

Trying to mend machines is fun this weather…. IMG_5414.MOV

A38 closed in Cornwall now by Liskeard Tamar Bridge down to 2 lanes but under review. Horrendous here in Plymouth. 5000 homes in Cornwall no power.

Its definitely building here in Plymouth- we are losing signs and branches off trees. Tide has led some some road flooding.

IMG_5410.MOV Plymouth Hoe. Its horrendous out here

IMG_5408.MOV From top of Theatre Royal Car Park - evil. Nearly got blown off

So two major Cities one of which is on the coast aren’t under red warning. Plymouth and Exeter. And boy is it ramping up now out there. I’m off to work…

Wind is definitely building here hour by hour, and I’ve seen Mount Batten has recorded a 53mph recently.

Well that was a pretty dreadful night sleep. From 1am it’s been seriously building here and with my bedroom facing South West it’s taken the brunt.

Is it? Not on my ap it’s not?

93mph for Plymouth? Still Amber? Laughable.

Candle central here. It may be dark but it’ll be a mix of Home Bargains/IKEA big scented candles throughout

Just been out to get some camping gas for my camping stove- as I live in an all electric flat and it’s unpredictable at the best of times. Wind starting to become more noticeable out there compared to a few hours ago. Nothing serious yet but just letting you know it’s there. It’s incredibly mild as well today.

High tide at Devonport tomorrow? 0657hrs. The storm of 1990 flooded Plymouth Barbican and surrounding roads. That’s odds on for tomorrow morning. Amazed with the wind and tide times we aren’t red.

Which is why I remember December 89 and January 90 as being bad. What is different this time is that that winter was stormy throughout down here, but winter has been pretty quiet bar Arwen. This quiet spell has led to a feeling of of this not being bad. I fear the opposite- this is serious and a severe danger to life as it’s in morning rush hour. When the met goes Red in some areas which it will- watch out.

Snap but this feels like Burns Day storm in 1990 for severeness. I think we’ll get a red here.

Having lived through the storms of 1987 and 1990 and remember both very clearly, I think this one is going to join it as being as memorable. I remember the Burns Day the damage it did here in Plymouth and South Hams and I like others expect a red warning here tomorrow morning unless we get a sudden downgrade. Today is prep day!

Remember 1987 and 1990 very clearly and I’d say this for time and impact is on a par with Burns Day storm. Winds over 80mph here forecast.

1986 was a cracking year. Freezing cold easterly February with tons of snow, Dartmoor was hit hard as was Plymouth unusually. I was at secondary school and we had to turn a corner to walk E and boy I remember it taking my breathe away day after day. Snow came mid month from memory? The summer holiday was a right off, a cold August, ex Hurricane Charley crowned off a miserable month. Then September was cold as well. That led into winter and January 87 which if anything here was even worse and much better than 2010!

Remember the day very clearly. We had gone to take my Nan out for the day in Torquay but we abandoned any thought of that and stayed in her bungalow in Newton Ferrers. The tree opposite her home never stood a chance and the rain was just relentless all day. Definitely the worse August bank holiday in my lifetime.

I think whilst pretty benign down here, the cold April took a lot by shock and then following on, May was just a shocker. We had a good spell at the end of July here- not overly warm but sunny and useable. September was good, still shorts weather at football even at the end of the month. Then came Arwen which took a very quiet Autumn and threw that into the bin- proper wind and cold. Guess I knew December's cold wouldn't hit us as forecast (cheers Models!) but it's been long turgid month. As a football secretary- amazingly we've not had one game P-P this season either home or away yet due to weather- it's rained on Thursday and Fridays more giving the pitch chance to soak it up for Saturday which has been very pleasing.

My football team Saltash United are playing away at Mousehole tomorrow in the Western League. Whilst the village will be sheltered, Mousehole’s ground is at the top of the cliff totally exposed to those Northerly’s. Think I’ll getting a call from their secretary tomorrow morning. Ironically Mousehole are opening their new stand named after the Solomon Brown lifeboat which was lost in storms in December 1981. It’s going to be hellish getting there let alone playing. I pity the poor folks in the NE- that’s on a par with storms of 87 and 90!