Storm Isha

[dolabriform]

It's already a bit bouncy on board in Dover, and it's only a 7 at the moment. The marina emailed us all to say they are going to be extra vigilant and will be checking all the boats. I've already made up new lines with big snubbers, I think I'll add a couple more lines as backups just in case.

Looks like all the big stuff is moving north of Margate to try and shelter.

 

[johnalison]

Sounds like a good day to go out and try your heavy weather gear. Not too many ships to worry about.

 

[Cantata]

F7 in Dover, while here in Herne Bay 20 miles N of you I’d say it’s a F4. ‘Interesting’ how the wind tends to funnel through the Dover Strait.

 

[harvey38]

Got someone checking my lines for me in Ramsgate, thankfully we're in the inner marina.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I went down today.

I know east coast sailors are double hard, but the recent wind chill factor has been trying.

At least storm Isha has brought a much warmer wind .

 

[franksingleton]

You guys must be psychic. I was just about to start a thread about named storms, wondering if we were getting a little blasé about them.
The first year of named storms was 2015/6 when we had 11 in total. Since then, we have usually had around 6 or 7 although 2022/3 was quiet with only 2 Met Office named storms, although we were impacted by 2 other storms named by other countries.
The naming season runs from September to August. So far this year we have had 9 named storms, so this could be a record breaking year. It is, of course, just too easy to talk about climate change and El Niño. However, I think that it is clear that we should expect more and more severe, storms. That view is supported by Storm Isha Suzanne Gray expert comment - University of Reading

 

[johnalison]

You guys must be psychic. I was just about to start a thread about named storms, wondering if we were getting a little blasé about them.
The first year of named storms was 2015/6 when we had 11 in total. Since then, we have usually had around 6 or 7 although 2022/3 was quiet with only 2 Met Office named storms, although we were impacted by 2 other storms named by other countries.
The naming season runs from September to August. So far this year we have had 9 named storms, so this could be a record breaking year. It is, of course, just too easy to talk about climate change and El Niño. However, I think that it is clear that we should expect more and more severe, storms. That view is supported by Storm Isha Suzanne Gray expert comment - University of Reading

There are historical accounts of epic storms over the last couple of hundred years, so storms in themselves are not new, but I accept that the potential increase in number is an important concern. My only regret is the abandonment of girls’ names. My, admittedly chauvinist, view is that giving monsters the names of the fairer sex has a certain charm arising from the implied paradox. Storm Wilfred just doesn’t carry the same cachet as storm Marilyn somehow.

 

[franksingleton]

There are historical accounts of epic storms over the last couple of hundred years, so storms in themselves are not new, but I accept that the potential increase in number is an important concern. My only regret is the abandonment of girls’ names. My, admittedly chauvinist, view is that giving monsters the names of the fairer sex has a certain charm arising from the implied paradox. Storm Wilfred just doesn’t carry the same cachet as storm Marilyn somehow.

Of course, we have always had severe weather and some past storms of similar ferocity. I was in the Met Oofice hot sear for 10 years, on a roster of 6 maintains 365/24 watch. I know it was a long time ago, but I cannot recollect having to deal with so many severe storms in any one year. A measure of the improvement in forecasting is the, apparently unfailing. ability to issue such good warnings, so far ahead. Quite unknown in my day.
Looking at UK Storm Centre, it is clear girls’ names are used. It was my understanding that they alternated. However, sometimes I am not sure what sex is under the names. Another age related affect.

 

[johnalison]

Of course, we have always had severe weather and some past storms of similar ferocity. I was in the Met Oofice hot sear for 10 years, on a roster of 6 maintains 365/24 watch. I know it was a long time ago, but I cannot recollect having to deal with so many severe storms in any one year. A measure of the improvement in forecasting is the, apparently unfailing. ability to issue such good warnings, so far ahead. Quite unknown in my day.
Looking at UK Storm Centre, it is clear girls’ names are used. It was my understanding that they alternated. However, sometimes I am not sure what sex is under the names. Another age related affect.

I know that we have had a lot of storms but my impression is that we haven't had many storms going on for more than a day or two, at least in SE England, unlike the Morning Cloud gale that went on for much of the week, something that I remember well, having been stuck in Brightlingsea from Saturday to Friday. Of course, this is not a statistically significant sample but just how it feels at the moment.

 

[The Q]

Just been reading about a series of big storms that wiped away most of a nearby village...

1570-1571

 

[Tradewinds]

Bit of a damp squib here in Ip17 at the mo. Only gusting c42kt at Harwich.

 

[Nauti Fox]

On the Medway at Cuxton.

 

[diverd]

NE scotland has been battered this year, with storms almost weekly. I think its something like 6 storms in 10 weeks, something like that. We have had boats damaged in storms this year already, but like all marinas have some boats well maintained and fendered and others snapping ropes weekly. I think management are looking at the rules as its always the same boats that cause problems.

We are finding that large heavy steel springs in the mooring line help a lot. Changing our marinas jolting motion to a more spring and sway one. The jolting was brutal, ripping out cleats and fairleads on many boats. It is like whacking it with a hammer ever 20 seconds for 14 hours! One boat got the steel springs, then more than a dozen and it really calms the action, no more jolting so less damage on lines and cleats. We are finding that you need to bypass the spring with bight of rope, so should it fail you just move perhaps 6 inches more, the failure is just like a slack rope. I had a used one i was given fail, all my new ones are still sound and consensus of opinion is they are great. Those staying on board during the storms, so look after theirs and others boats are reporting a far smoother nights sleep. You still need the best of mooring lines and fendering, but it makes the whole thing less damaging and more comforting. Just our findings so far, in what has been a hellish 4 months!

 

[Tradewinds]

When I was berthed at the Mayflower Marina, Plymouth they used car tyres as a 'spring'. The Mayflower really suffered in SW winter gales and the tyres really worked (at least for me).
It's no fun being berthed alongside in extreme/violent conditions, so sympathy to those who are on board & suffering.

BTW It's picked up a bit in IP17 but still it only appears to be gusting sub 45kts - according to the wind stations on the HHA website - not too bad.

 

[Nauti Fox]

Fortunately we have snubbers on all the mooring lines.

 

[franksingleton]

Clearly, memories are selective, mine as much as anyone. There have been plenty of epic storms in the past. I Googled “most severe uk storms in history“. The results are a little varied but none seems to deny my strong impression that the numbers of severe storms per year is way higher than in my lifetime and, certainly, more than in my 10 years as a senior forecaster at Bracknell and an earlier 3-year spell at Bomber Command, High Wycombe.

 

[wonkywinch]

Gusting 47 kts at Hamble Harbourmaster just down the road from me.

Windycator v2 - Live weather reports from coastal stations and offshore buoys

 

[oldgit]

F11 gust about 10.00 last night !
We are about 10 miles west of Sheerness and well sheltered from anything Westerly, "felt" this one go past, it registered a few moments later at the IOSSC anemometer.
On lumpy club pontoons yesterday, wind and tide going in same directions.

 

[dunedin]

F11 anyone

Here we go again. A gust with wind speed equivalent to the range for F11 does not make a F11. It is the sustained wind speed that should be counted. A proper F11 may have gusts well above that.
However clearly very windy yesterday and into today so hope not too much damage suffered.

 

[Alfie168]

Has anybody been affected ? We have no floods at all here( I can see the river Nidd from my house) yet only 25 miles north, flooding on the Ure and Swale has blocked roads and no doubt York will get another pasting as the floodwaters head downstream. It wasn't even all that windy here last night with 45-50 mph gusts. It seems to have hit the far north of England and Scotland hardest.