Preparing for Winter V

[Deleted User]

quote found from met office twitter

@metoffice When are u going to issue red warnings regs nxt few weeks? We have weather models with the polar vortex hammering over the UK within a reliable time-frame and you and your partners tell us there's chance of "a little snow". Get your act together before it's too late.

greenbee

There's some good information here:

https://twitter.com/liamdutton/status/965858561581395969

https://www.channel4.com/news/by/liam-dutton/blogs/why-you-shouldnt-believe-a-uk-snow-forecast-more-than-three-days-ahead

fuddle

There's folks on that thread that haven't even told their family yet. It's so changeable and those who know, know that. But for me, it's not about believing a forecast, it's about being warned and prepared.

[Deleted User]

spot on fuddle. The least that we should tell them is to get some extra foodstuffs in and definitely to take spare warm clothing, drink and energy bars in the car. I do remember people being stuck in freezing cars all night

THIRZAH

We keep a couple of fleece throws on the back seat of the car-useful for picnics in the summer too. We also have a box which fits under one of the seats which contains a spare hat, scarf, gloves and walking socks for each of us as we have been known to forgot them when going on a walk. ( I put my foot in a puddle once when changing from shoes to boots).

If it looks like snow I fill a flask with hot water and put that in the car along with a few teabags and chocolate bars.

We keep a folding snow shovel in the boot.

I always walk with poles when out in the hills. I'm not very good at going down hill. They are also useful for measuring how deep the mud is! I shall not be hill walking in the snow. It spoils a walk for me if I'm worrying about it snowing and us having difficulty getting home. The Snake Pass has been closed on a few days already this winter.

mardatha

I'm in netweather forums, the Scottish weather one. They are pretty good re interpreting charts and have been buzzing for a week about this cold snap.

zeupater

Hi

We tend to keep an eye on a number of forecasts and see if there's any kind of consensus, but I've become very sceptical about the accuracy of short-term weather forecasting.

Most forecasts are okay(ish) on temperature or wind, but the accuracy of what the sky will look like tomorrow, later today or even outside the window right now is really poor, which is particularly annoying if you want to plan to use the washing-machine when solar panels are generating well or are simply looking to put washing out on the line!

For really short term sky condition forecasting we just tend to look at an animated series of recent satellite images, see what's coming our way, and 'guess' what's likely to happen over the next few hours or so. We've found it's normally far more accurate than relying on the £millions spent on computers and their complex weather models which aren't detailed enough for a truly local conditions ... the best format for doing this that we've found for the PV is on the Vriconian site using this link ... <Satellite Weather> ... it may be some use, we find it so!

HTH
Z

[Deleted User]

zeupater, what do you know about ground source heat pumps, apart from the expense? How big a garden would I need. I will be moving house and this is something I would seriously consider. Is it still efficient at temperatures of -15?

My `eco` rhi stove is wood pellet and there is a european wide shortage of the special pellets :mad: . I am allowed to use portable electric heaters and still get rhi but 10kg bags of these pellets are impossible to get at the moment and the situation may only get slightly better in summer

[Deleted User]

gosh I am wearing a midi skirt and knee highs and it feels as warm as my trousers!!

fuddle

My grandma always wore a skirt and tights. I only ever saw her in slacks when she was going to travel. Her house was breeze block and very little else and was cold. There has to be something in skirts/tights for warmth.