Storm Ciara Blowing Round my House
Roaring and thundering in the stratosphere, swooping down to rattle the doors and squeeze through cracks in the windows. It's a blustery, blowy day, overcast, threats of rain and snow and disruption to travel.
The fastest post-Concorde flight from New York to London, coming in at four hours and fifty-six minutes this morning, while across the country train companies are issuing "Do Not Travel" notices, bridges and parks are closing, and a month of rainfall is expected in one day.
Video from the Met Office with fantastic graphics showing the British Isles obliterated by wind, rain and cloud during Storm Ciara.
The ten-day forecast from the Met Office showing the jet stream developing in North America and moving towards the British Isles.
Source Storm Brendan hits Adventure Island in Southend on the east coast of the British Isles earlier this year.
Source Large waves hit the sea wall as a train passes through Dawlish in south west England during Storm Brendan.
Source Storm Brendan throwing waves in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.
I'm cosy in the house, relieved there are no power outages in Leicester, a full pantry and several layers of clothes. All my outside jobs were done yesterday. Today is being mellow, writing blogs, listening to music and baking bread.
I wonder about the rough sleepers in Leicester, currently there are over thirty of them. I wonder if they have found shelter, whether The Bridge and the churches are open today.
The Homelessness Reduction Act became law in April 2018.
The Act improves the existing homelessness legislation, and adds two new duties:
Duty to take steps to prevent homelessness:
Councils must help people who are at risk of losing their home within the next 56 days. This means people can get help earlier. They must help by working with the person to create a personal housing plan, and then trying, together, to either keep the current home or find a suitable new home.
Duty to take steps to relieve homelessness:
Councils must help all people who are already homeless. They must help by working with the person to create a personal housing plan, and then trying, together, to find a suitable new home.
Both duties are regardless of whether the applicant is ‘intentionally homeless’ or ‘priority need’. This should mean that all eligible households are offered help to find a home, rather than some people being turned away. It should also make sure that the true scale of homelessness is recorded. (Source: LeicesterCity Council).
Things haven't changed too much yet, in fact they seem to be getting worse, but I am hopeful this legislation will change things for many people. They need it.
I'm inside watching stuff blow around the garden. Don't see much damage, but the old cover on our camper van has a big rip. Just heard from neighbour that our shared greenhouse suffered. Would definitely not want to be sleeping out. It's a disgrace that so many people have to in this country and others.
Here, the wind doesn't seem to be too much at ground level, you can hear it roaring but the trees are hardly moving. Although it's quite mild, the strong winds and rain, and sleet expected later, means its very unpleasant outside. The rough sleepers are the tip of the ice-berg - there's something like 7,000 people homeless in Leicester, either in temporary accommodation or couch surfing.
Sorry to hear about the greenhouse, hope you're feeling better.
So far it's clouds and a bit of sun and not too much wind here in the Weser Uplands. Only my mobile is running amok with one meteorological warning after the other ;)
Ah, technology, sometimes it gets overexcited 😎
Looking at th graphics on the video, the storm is making its way southwest to northeast across the British Isles, dense in the middle and fading to the edges, so you are maybe getting the ripples ... hope it just continues on and dissipates.
It is very blowy over here in west Wales, but luckily so far no damage that I can see. - although I keep an anxious eye on the greenhouse and polytunnel.
Fortunately in the rural area where we are homelessness does not seem to be an apparent issue, although in the bigger towns like Carmarthen and Aberystwyth there are some people that need help. Down in the cities of Swansea and Cardiff I am sure it is a much bigger issue alas.
Good to hear all is well with you - the polytunnel lifted by the wind could be quite an event! Let's hope the forces stay high - even now I can hear the wind roaring but the trees are still.
Homelessness - I must investigate this more in Leicester. The homelessness charities have lost funding, and I know in London some councils are responding better than others.
Sounds like a great way to spend a blustery day and I bet your house smells lovely. Wonder if anyone is out flying a kite today?(if that past-time even exists anymore)
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I'd love to do that one day. Meanwhile, I just had to recover the wheelie bin that had got blown down the street.
When I saw you'd posted I thought it might have been about the child abuse in the 70s and 80s. I saw there was press coverage yesterday.
It looks really bad from your news clips, take care !
Thank you. My delivery van made it through, just in time, it's started raining heavily now. Hope all is well with you and you are safe.
Wow, that's some serious forces coming in...
Stay safe, Shanibeer!
Greetings ;)
Thank you - you too, always.
Give thanx :)
I've hardly noticed it here - it's a bit gusty and rainy, but we've definitely escaped the worse.
It's not a great time to be homeless, that's for sure.
It was brilliant sunshine here by 4pm, I was able to go out for a walk. Although I think it's going be unsettled over the next day or two. You must be in a little sheltered lee.