Getting the windup....

[Davy51]

Is it a sign of expected changing weather patterns that Britain is now subjected to storms having names? Is it an Americanism too far or has a whole new met office department been created to come up with these names ? One thing we can be sure of is that it won't be cheap.

[asperity]

Weather forecasting is a money making enterprise, and the naming of storms is part of the advertising process. Weather isn't changing, the climate is (because that's what climate has always done - change) and the weather patterns change year on year.

[Evil Sid]

On the plus side it makes it easier for the insurance claim when your roof ends up in the boot of next door but ones car. none of this "it was that big storm we had last year" business. now it's "Babs did it". :lol:

[Davy51]

Nice one Sid.

[algy]

The rain squal we had yesterday afternoon was the heaviest I  have ever experienced, the wind was howling and the rain was so heavy we could hardly see the properties across the close and water was flowing down the road like a river, then after about ten minutes it stopped as quickly as it had started, I can only imagine that it was something that perhaps asp experienced at sea!.

[Davy51]

I was visiting a friend in the Borough when that storm hit & the wind was even whistling through their double glazed windows but like you say it went as quick as it came.

[observer]

Conor next - reminds one of the monsoon, just wish it was as warm !

[asperity]

The problem is that in this country we don't know what violent weather is really. What passes for a storm in this country is regarded as a seasonal inconvenience in many parts of the world. The TV weather girls and boys build it up into earth shattering events, when really it's just that unusual weather here is just that..... unusual. So unusual that we aren't prepared for it. Snowfall, for example, leaves this country paralysed.  Exceptional rainfall devestates communities for weeks/months. Heatwaves (we wish) has us fainting from exhaustion although the temperature is actually lower than the normal for the tropics etc etc etc. Enjoy the unseasonal mild Xmas we're having this year, but remember it's just weather.