Snowmageddon!!

[vball]

Just drove from Edinburgh up to Inverness.
Roads clear but the windscreen washers kept freezing so needed to stop to spray some de icer on windscreen.
Arrived home and parked car on drive way.-6.5 at 3pm.

Better get coal on the stove and if it gets much colder, my have resort to lighting it.

[Sandstorm]

Roads clear but the windscreen washers kept freezing so needed to stop to spray some de icer on windscreen.

Use vodka in the washer bottle instead

[Blackmac]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

[SaintK]

Roads clear but the windscreen washers kept freezing so needed to stop to spray some de icer on windscreen.

Use vodka in the washer bottle instead

He’d drunk it all

[inactionman]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

My wife gets a bit frustrated as I take the kids on days out to the Trossachs or up to Tentsmuir despite having the Pentlands on our doorstep, but if there's any hint of attractive weather (snow or sun) then the Pentlands can rapidly descend into carnage.

It's far from ideal, but I'd rather take a full day out and drive a bit further to get some peace.

The other parts of the Pentlands tend to be much quieter, mind - and for some reason it's mainly the Flotterstone/Glencorse part that seems to attract the idiots - maybe they're all going up Scald Law and want to keep the walk as short as possible. Head over to Red Moss/Threipmuir or Harlaw and it's quieter with less clownish parking.

In defence of the idiots, it is a lovely spot to get a bit of fresh air. We stayed in Auchendinny a few years back whilst our house went through probate, and it was lovely walking up and around Glencorse on the cold, fresh winter's mornings. Had it in my head you were in Fife for some reason?

[Biffer]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

Daft isn’t it.

I usually park somewhere inside the bypass around Dreghorn and walk over from there.

[Blackmac]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

My wife gets a bit frustrated as I take the kids on days out to the Trossachs or up to Tentsmuir despite having the Pentlands on our doorstep, but if there's any hint of attractive weather (snow or sun) then the Pentlands can rapidly descend into carnage.

It's far from ideal, but I'd rather take a full day out and drive a bit further to get some peace.

The other parts of the Pentlands tend to be much quieter, mind - and for some reason it's mainly the Flotterstone/Glencorse part that seems to attract the idiots - maybe they're all going up Scald Law and want to keep the walk as short as possible. Head over to Red Moss/Threipmuir or Harlaw and it's quieter with less clownish parking.

In defence of the idiots, it is a lovely spot to get a bit of fresh air. We stayed in Auchendinny a few years back whilst our house went through probate, and it was lovely walking up and around Glencorse on the cold, fresh winter's mornings. Had it in my head you were in Fife for some reason?

No, Penicuik. It's an incredible resource right on our doorstep and I've been up three times in the last week alone. I often head down to the southern Pentlands and park up around West Linton. You are often the only ones around.

[Slick]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

Is this a relatively new thing? I’m sure it was never this bad when we first came up

[lemonhead]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

Same here in the peaks, feckers double parked on both sides of the road so gritters can't get past.

Hope they got similar treatment.

[dpedin]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

Same here in the peaks, feckers double parked on both sides of the road so gritters can't get past.

Hope they got similar treatment.

Wish I had been there to watch! I have same issues with Colinton village where visitor twats in big SUVs seems to think it is ok to park/double park and block the road to save them walking an extra 20 yards to the Spylaw Tavern. It gets worse on a Sunday morning, for some reasons church goers are exempt from parking restrictions and seem to think it is ok to park on double yellow lines!

[Blackmac]

The levels of ignorance and entitlement of those visiting the Pentland Hills via Flotterstone Car Park on the A702 south of Edinburgh is mind blowing. Pavements blocked for 100s of yards, bus stop blocked, farm access roads blocked and every available verge getting churned up and a major trunk road being made almost impassable.
I'm lucky enough to be able to walk up from the house and it was delicious coming back down after lunch to see 6 police cars and 3 tow trucks dealing with it.
The indignation of one Morningside luvvie whose car had been towed was superb to watch.

Is this a relatively new thing? I’m sure it was never this bad when we first came up

It's always been busy but got ridiculous during Covid. Cars even parking on the roundabout further up. Any good weekend and snowy weekend it just gets as bad.

[average joe]

The birds are eating me out of house & home keeping the feeders stocked !!

I even had a Red Squirrel doing a trapeze act to have some of the sunflower hearts out of it, & a fox is wandering around the garden scavenging too

You've red squirrels? Nice one.
We've a grey squirrel visitor. Even pops up to the patio door for a peek in at us.

Here he/she is, they do love sunflower hearts; I've seen them have fights over their turn at the feeder.

Thats just some balding gingers topper that blew into a tree

[Soapy]

No, Penicuik. It's an incredible resource right on our doorstep and I've been up three times in the last week alone. I often head down to the southern Pentlands and park up around West Linton. You are often the only ones around.

On Sunday, my Mrs S and I were going to walk from West Linton up to Cauldstane Slap and do East and West Cairn but the cloud came down and rain swept in so we decided to have an extended walk round the Pencuik Estate instead. I'd never been there before despite being in Edinburgh since Gavin Hastings missed a sitter v England in RWC91. It was lovely in the snow and quieter than I expected. On the way past, the parking at Flotterstone looked like the tailback from a multiple lane blockage of the M25 at rush hour.

[robmatic]

No, Penicuik. It's an incredible resource right on our doorstep and I've been up three times in the last week alone. I often head down to the southern Pentlands and park up around West Linton. You are often the only ones around.

On Sunday, my Mrs S and I were going to walk from West Linton up to Cauldstane Slap and do East and West Cairn but the cloud came down and rain swept in so we decided to have an extended walk round the Pencuik Estate instead. I'd never been there before despite being in Edinburgh since Gavin Hastings missed a sitter v England in RWC91. It was lovely in the snow and quieter than I expected. On the way past, the parking at Flotterstone looked like the tailback from a multiple lane blockage of the M25 at rush hour.

Me and the missus attempted to do a similar walk from West Linton one August day and had to give up due to the wind and rain. I don't miss Scottish weather.

[fishfoodie]

Here we go again !

Status Red - Storm warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea
Southeast winds veering west will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11.

Valid: 00:00 Friday 24/01/2025 to 18:00 Friday 24/01/2025

Issued: 16:17 Wednesday 22/01/2025

Storm Éowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h

https://www.met.ie/warnings/friday/marine/EI820

[dpedin]

Here we go again !

Status Red - Storm warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea
Southeast winds veering west will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11.

Valid: 00:00 Friday 24/01/2025 to 18:00 Friday 24/01/2025

Issued: 16:17 Wednesday 22/01/2025

Storm Éowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h

https://www.met.ie/warnings/friday/marine/EI820

This one looks pretty destructive! Batten down the hatches guys!

[fishfoodie]

It's heeeere !



This is the forecast for my area

[Hal Jordan]

I blame Aragorn.

[Slick]

Here we go again !

Status Red - Storm warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea
Southeast winds veering west will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11.

Valid: 00:00 Friday 24/01/2025 to 18:00 Friday 24/01/2025

Issued: 16:17 Wednesday 22/01/2025

Storm Éowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h

https://www.met.ie/warnings/friday/marine/EI820

Weather report sponsored by Spinal Tap

[fishfoodie]

Here we go again !

Status Red - Storm warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea
Southeast winds veering west will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11.

Valid: 00:00 Friday 24/01/2025 to 18:00 Friday 24/01/2025

Issued: 16:17 Wednesday 22/01/2025

Storm Éowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h

https://www.met.ie/warnings/friday/marine/EI820

Weather report sponsored by Spinal Tap

Yep !

The last hurricane strength storm hitting Ireland that I can remember was Hurricane Charlie & that infamous Michael Fish moment, & when Seven Oaks became 2-3 Oaks ?

This shows every sign of being as strong a storm.

There's an Ash suffering from dieback on my boundary, & I really hope it survives the night, so I can arrange to get it felled soon

[fishfoodie]

That Buoy#6 that I posted the pressure reading off, has now gone offline !!!!

It's now proper windy outside, & its hours yet to go to peak wind strength

[Sandstorm]

Hope you Northern Lads are all safe and dry this morning.

[Blackmac]

Every flight cancelled, quite rightly, out of Edinburgh apart from Ryanair. Unbelievable that that's acceptable.

[Uncle fester]

Here we go again !



https://www.met.ie/warnings/friday/marine/EI820

Weather report sponsored by Spinal Tap

Yep !

The last hurricane strength storm hitting Ireland that I can remember was Hurricane Charlie & that infamous Michael Fish moment, & when Seven Oaks became 2-3 Oaks ?

This shows every sign of being as strong a storm.

There's an Ash suffering from dieback on my boundary, & I really hope it survives the night, so I can arrange to get it felled soon

Stronger than Ophelia?

[lemonhead]

Every flight cancelled, quite rightly, out of Edinburgh apart from Ryanair. Unbelievable that that's acceptable.

They kept everyone on the long finger at Dublin too before blanket late cancellations, Aer Lingus pulled all theirs hours before.

[Uncle fester]

We have four large leylandi cypress at the end of the garden and the trunks are swaying in the wind.

[Slick]

We have four large leylandi cypress at the end of the garden and the trunks are swaying in the wind.

Also slightly worried about a couple of trees next door

[Biffer]

Every flight cancelled, quite rightly, out of Edinburgh apart from Ryanair. Unbelievable that that's acceptable.

KLM went at 0545

[Blackmac]

That bloody government alarm going off randomly at all hours of the night. First time they have had to use it and they have screwed its effectiveness because most people have now muted it.

[Blackmac]

Every flight cancelled, quite rightly, out of Edinburgh apart from Ryanair. Unbelievable that that's acceptable.

KLM went at 0545

Well before the worst of the winds. Seems a silly point to score.

[inactionman]

This is a disaster. All the supermarkets are shut and I've run out of milk. My mid-morning tea break is scuppered.

Winds aren't too strong here yet, but worst is due at about an hour or so - gusting over 80mph according to Met Office. We've a few trees in the garden which I suspect will be shedding a few branches, just hoping not on anyone's head

[tabascoboy]

Record wind speeds recorded at Mace Head, Galway though granted it's a very exposed location.

It’s possible the west coast of Ireland has been hit by a "sting jet".

This can occur in powerful storms where strong winds higher in the atmosphere are forced to the ground, resulting in wind speeds in excess of 100mph (160km/h).

We can normally detect a sting jet on a satellite image as the hook – or "sting in the tail" – to the southern side of the storm.

They normally occur as a storm system reaches its most powerful stage and can last for up to four hours, bringing the most damaging winds.

During the infamous great storm of 1987 in southern England, it is thought a sting jet was responsible for the strongest gusts.

But, in the late 1980s, little was known about the phenomenon and we didn’t have high resolution satellites to help in identifying them.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy5kwlpzlnkt

[Slick]

This is a disaster. All the supermarkets are shut and I've run out of milk. My mid-morning tea break is scuppered.

Winds aren't too strong here yet, but worst is due at about an hour or so - gusting over 80mph according to Met Office. We've a few trees in the garden which I suspect will be shedding a few branches, just hoping not on anyone's head

Yes, it hasn't been terribly impressive so far, although the one chair I missed in the dark last night just went scooting across the garden.

Just seen a picture of a garden table that has gone through the back window of a new Mini. Said table was apparently flytipped last night... fucking scum.

Also, amazing number of people that put out their bins last night which are now across various roads with the contents blowing down to the sea. Fucking stupid scum.

[inactionman]

This is a disaster. All the supermarkets are shut and I've run out of milk. My mid-morning tea break is scuppered.

Winds aren't too strong here yet, but worst is due at about an hour or so - gusting over 80mph according to Met Office. We've a few trees in the garden which I suspect will be shedding a few branches, just hoping not on anyone's head

Yes, it hasn't been terribly impressive so far, although the one chair I missed in the dark last night just went scooting across the garden.

Just seen a picture of a garden table that has gone through the back window of a new Mini. Said table was apparently flytipped last night... fucking scum.

Also, amazing number of people that put out their bins last night which are now across various roads with the contents blowing down to the sea. Fucking stupid scum.

I'd not be surprised if people forgot to take a few things in, but as for actively leaving things out....

I remember chasing a communal wheelie bin down Leith Walk in high winds, once the wind's got into it they're off and gone.

[Blackmac]

This is a disaster. All the supermarkets are shut and I've run out of milk. My mid-morning tea break is scuppered.

Winds aren't too strong here yet, but worst is due at about an hour or so - gusting over 80mph according to Met Office. We've a few trees in the garden which I suspect will be shedding a few branches, just hoping not on anyone's head

Yes, it hasn't been terribly impressive so far, although the one chair I missed in the dark last night just went scooting across the garden.

Just seen a picture of a garden table that has gone through the back window of a new Mini. Said table was apparently flytipped last night... fucking scum.

Also, amazing number of people that put out their bins last night which are now across various roads with the contents blowing down to the sea. Fucking stupid scum.

Gaffa taped my bin lids shut last night and lay them down with a couple of sleepers on them.

Also the best test yet of the gazebo I built last year. Fingers crossed.

[Biffer]

My desk when wfh is next to the window in my spare room. That faces SSW, and there's several miles of unobstructed run up to it as I'm next to the railway line, which goes broadly in that direction.

Think I might move into another room.

[inactionman]

This is a disaster. All the supermarkets are shut and I've run out of milk. My mid-morning tea break is scuppered.

Winds aren't too strong here yet, but worst is due at about an hour or so - gusting over 80mph according to Met Office. We've a few trees in the garden which I suspect will be shedding a few branches, just hoping not on anyone's head

Yes, it hasn't been terribly impressive so far, although the one chair I missed in the dark last night just went scooting across the garden.

Just seen a picture of a garden table that has gone through the back window of a new Mini. Said table was apparently flytipped last night... fucking scum.

Also, amazing number of people that put out their bins last night which are now across various roads with the contents blowing down to the sea. Fucking stupid scum.

Gaffa taped my bin lids shut last night and lay them down with a couple of sleepers on them.

Also the best test yet of the gazebo I built last year. Fingers crossed.

We've got a fenced-in bit of patio for the bins, as a sort of bin store. I'll find out how well that works later on today.

House diagonally opposite has had a shedload of work done after being almost abandoned for 4 years, there's a few pallets and rubble sacks I'm looking at rather nervously. I checked my insurance and thankfully I didn't forget to renew.

[Biffer]

Can think of a few pubs I'd happily be sat in for the day. Underground / cavern / down a wee alley type of things. In Edinburgh maybe the Globe, the Jolly Judge, the Bailie, the Cumberland

[dpedin]

BBC reporting a Stanstead to Edinburgh flight is struggling to find somewhere to land having aborted landing at Edinburgh and might end up in Cologne!!! FFS how can any responsible airline put folk at risk like this? Oh ... its a Ryanair flight so perhaps that will be Cologne (Edinburgh) airport?

[Biffer]

BBC reporting a Stanstead to Edinburgh flight is struggling to find somewhere to land having aborted landing at Edinburgh and might end up in Cologne!!! FFS how can any responsible airline put folk at risk like this? Oh ... its a Ryanair flight so perhaps that will be Cologne (Edinburgh) airport?

They actually tried to land but had to go around then headed to cologne from there.