Storm Corrie

[Ralph]

We got absolutely scudded on Sunday night / Monday morning by storm Corrie. I have never experienced anything like it. 100mph plus winds.

 

Thousands of trees down including our big old oak that clipped the garage but luckily missed the house and any people.

 

Power has just come back on this morning. Trying to get roofers and tree surgeons at the moment but everyone is flat out.

 

Just having a moan really but here are some photos.

 

 

[ProDave]

On the bright side, good pickings for firewood, though if you don't have a chainsaw I bet you won't find any in the shops now (my chainsaw is broke and I was thinking about buying a new one)

 

The distinct thing about Friday night / Saturday mornings storm here, was how quick the gusts hit, they didn't build up as normal, they just literally hit with a bang

 

Sunday night / Monday mornings storm seemed worse here but I think that was the direction, more from the NW where we have little shelter (Fridays storm was more SW)  but although it seemed stronger here, all the weather stations tell me Fridays storm was the strongest.

 

[Ralph]

You can get a chainsaw or a generator locally at the moment. Mine was knackered so I've just ordered a new Stihl online. I'm going to try and do something with the trunk, everyone tells me it's worth some money but I suspect I would be dissapointed.

 

The neighbours are coming round on Saturday morning with chainsaws to access but I think we may need some machinery to lift. 

 

The Cairnwell weather station which is at the back of us had a 10min gust that hit 122mph. 

[SteamyTea]

After the 1987 storm that hit the SE of England, friend of mines brother went out with a chain saw to cut some logs up for firewood.

At least there was no shortage of timber to make his coffin after a tree fell on him.

 

 

[SteamyTea]

56 minutes ago, ProDave said:

The distinct thing about Friday night / Saturday mornings storm here, was how quick the gusts hit, they didn't build up as normal, they just literally hit with a bang

Almost the definition of a storm, rather than a gale (apart from windspeed).

The isobars are very close together, so a rapid change in windspeed as pressures try to equalise.

 

1 hour ago, Ralph said:

I have never experienced anything like it. 100mph plus winds.

Quite common down here, why we don't have many trees or tall buildings.

[Thedreamer]

That big oak looks like it would be a good for a variety of purposes.

 

It was windy here on Friday and Sunday night but nothing too bad. We have a good amount of shelter from trees and bedrock. We had one small birch come down (planted on the edge of a ditch) and a small alder came down in the neightbours garden, both should regenerate. 

 

I usually expect the east coast winters to be cold and the west to be windy and mild, however it seems to be all the worst the storms have hit the east this year.

[SteamyTea]

6 minutes ago, Thedreamer said:

I usually expect the east coast winters to be cold and the west to be windy and mild, however it seems to be all the worst the storms have hit the east this year.

La Nina years can be more unpredictable, but there are climate models that show that an increase in overall temperatures will push extreme weather events further north and south.  It is really a matter of where the air cools as to where the strong winds are centred from.

 

[saveasteading]

I was surprised how many mature pines fell over, that had been through many storms before.  Mostly along with the roots but some just snapped in the trunk.

The power of nature is amazing, and scary.

 

With that may I give one little piece of advice re metal cladding fixings, that I often see not to be done.

At all exposed edges, eaves, ridge, corners, and especially at the corners of the roof, the wind force can be many times worse than in the central areas. this is partly to do with swirling and partly because the load is not spread to adjacent areas. (Varying gusts of wind are surprisingly small in area).

So at all these exposed areas of cladding and to flashings, make sure that there are extra fixings, at least double, from sheet to purlin/batten and also plenty fixing for the support to the structure.

[Ralph]

1 hour ago, Thedreamer said:

That big oak looks like it would be a good for a variety of purposes.

 

It was windy here on Friday and Sunday night but nothing too bad. We have a good amount of shelter from trees and bedrock. We had one small birch come down (planted on the edge of a ditch) and a small alder came down in the neightbours garden, both should regenerate. 

 

I usually expect the east coast winters to be cold and the west to be windy and mild, however it seems to be all the worst the storms have hit the east this year.

If I can get it processed on site and store it it might make some nice furniture in 3 or 4 years. I see a lot of oak smoked venison and pheasant in my future.

 

[Ralph]

On 02/02/2022 at 14:10, saveasteading said:

I was surprised how many mature pines fell over, that had been through many storms before.  Mostly along with the roots but some just snapped in the trunk.

The power of nature is amazing, and scary.

 

With that may I give one little piece of advice re metal cladding fixings, that I often see not to be done.

At all exposed edges, eaves, ridge, corners, and especially at the corners of the roof, the wind force can be many times worse than in the central areas. this is partly to do with swirling and partly because the load is not spread to adjacent areas. (Varying gusts of wind are surprisingly small in area).

So at all these exposed areas of cladding and to flashings, make sure that there are extra fixings, at least double, from sheet to purlin/batten and also plenty fixing for the support to the structure.

Entire plantations of sitka spruce went down in no time at all around here, massive processing job and I think a lot will end up as fire would. It was sad to see a massive Monkey Puzzle tree down along the road. Driving about the area it looks so different. 

[saveasteading]

1 minute ago, Ralph said:

Entire plantations of sitka spruce went down

I did not at first recognise your picture of a flattened woodland. (looked like foreground to the picture above it).

I never thought of Angus as a windy area. 

Good luck with your repairs. Not easy at that height, and probably needs a replacement ridge section for aesthetics and because the protective coatings will be damaged.

[ProDave]

Well reap when you can, I have just given the Landy it's first outing this year and come back with a good load of fire wood, plenty more where it came from so I will no doubt be going out again.

[Thedreamer]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

I did not at first recognise your picture of a flattened woodland. (looked like foreground to the picture above it).

 

I did a double take aswell, thought he had a model train track in the garden.

[Ralph]

Knackered but getting there. New gutters, ridges, roof panels and some cedral required. Still a lot of tree to cut.

[Ralph]

Not that I’m obsessed by the scale of the damage around here but this before and after of the woods along the road (taken by the company in the photo) really shows how many trees are down.

 

.

[markc]

Omg! First thought was the area had been felled but then realised how many root balls are visible

Edited February 7, 2022 by markc

[Ralph]

Down in the space of a few hours, it's about 400 acres in that woods alone.

[ProDave]

But surely most of that will now be collected and sold in the normal way?  The practical effect is the forest has been harvested a bit before it was mature. Then it will be replanted.  I can't see it just being left to rot.

[Ferdinand]

Can I look on the positive side?

 

Does anyone have any new views?

And how much space has been created for planting new mixed woodlands?

[Ralph]

They normally fell a section at a time once the trees get over 40 years depending on what they are goign to use them for. Clear, plant, fell repeat.
Last I read Scotland had lost 8 to 10 million trees and that was just after storm Arwen. I doubt there is the processing capacity to deal with that kind of volume in any timely manner. I'm sure they will get to them but I would imagine a lot will go for paper and firewood. 

[Ralph]

3 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Can I look on the positive side?

 

Does anyone have any new views?

And how much space has been created for planting new mixed woodlands?

This is what I would like to see, more mixed and less sitka. 

[Dave Jones]

wow just wow

 

mother nature

[joe90]

35 minutes ago, Ralph said:

This is what I would like to see, more mixed 

Mentioned by David Attenborough on green planet last night, mono culture is ripe for Disease and disaster.

[saveasteading]

37 minutes ago, Ralph said:

I doubt there is the processing capacity to deal with that kind of volume

Caberflor osb factory at Inverness imports trunks from Norway, this sort of size.

[Ralph]

31 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

Caberflor osb factory at Inverness imports trunks from Norway, this sort of size.

I think we import the majority of our timber. They problem is going to be getting it out of the woods, those single grip harvester machines are amazing and I would think the operators are going to be on double bubble for a while. 

 

42 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Mentioned by David Attenborough on green planet last night, mono culture is ripe for Disease and disaster.

Those almond farms are insane. People are always surprised at how sterile the Sitka plantations are when you walk through them, you don't see whole lot of wildlife. There's about 30 acres of mixed forest at the back of our house and it's teaming by comparison, roe deer, red squirrel, foxes, badgers and loads of birds.