Storm Éowyn

[demographic]

If I was in charge I would forbid the naming of storms and stop all the media fear mongering that goes with them. Its a nonsense. We have always had this weather and it only in the last twenty years that everyone is sxxx soft.

Riiiiiight, so I take it your particular bubble escaped the worst of the weather so you feel that the other areas of the country where there was severe risk to life didn't matter?
I guess its not an issue unless it actually happens to you eh?
All those gable ends of houses downed where they could have easily killed someone could have been saved if only someone just put on a thicker jumper?

I can assure you the winds where I was were actually dangerous, o e of the leasure centres locally had a temporary roof and that thing was abbolutely flapping about. It was constructed from a LOT of scaffold and that would have definitely stung if it hit you on the back of the lug.
There being less people on the roads and about generally will have saved lives

 

[Paul_B]

There's a lot on here who discuss prepping and things like that. However, when there's a storm that's heading our way, as a country not individual areas, that had 113mph winds recorded in the places it hit before us there prepping is for softies or being over prepared or wrong in some way. I don't get that mentality personally.

Of course with the wide dispersion of BCUK members it is forgivable to not realise that not everyone here lives in your neck of the woods. Some might be getting the brunt of the most damaging and powerful storm for over a decade.

Never mind, I'm sure there will be a big storm heading your way soon enough to give you some understanding on this matter.

 

[Glow_worm]

Look out kiddies, here comes 'Mr Windy'.

I'll readily admit I too find the naming of weather systems pathetic and am glad I don't have a TV/radio or look at internet news. I have gone through life expecting rain or wind, so don't leave stuff lying around outside. If it's blowing a gale I either don't go out, or choose to go out expecting adventure and some risk to life and limb.

I reckon the dumbing down and naming storms thing has as much of a negative effect as a positive one. Not your fault your kids' unsecured trampoline hopped the fence and smashed next door's greenhouse. It was naughty storm Trevor. Blame culture!

 

[Pattree]

There might be more to a global policy than you suggest!

 

[ijohnson]

I mean has there ever been a Nigel that has caused a lot of damage?

Some might say a certain Mr Lawson caused a lot of damage, but they might be straying into politics if they did, which of course is not appropriate on this forum.

 

[William_Montgomery]

 

[Woody girl]

Wot? No stash?

I obviously have a massive hole in my disaster preps!

Not to make light of those who are clearing up after suffering damage, or flooded out of their homes.

It did strike me as totaly ridiculous that I only had to worry about a lack of choccy biccys.

It was a bit of an ironic,/ toungue in cheek post.

 

[Chris]

I think both things can be true at the same time:

Storms can cause lots of damage, injury and stress for people impacted and we should be mindful of that.

Giving them names and having the news bang on about them 24/7 when actually they're not a new element of our existence, is fear mongering and annoying.

 

[Tengu]

Yes.

I checked in on my Scottish friends.

A tree down, wheeley bin escaped and a short powercut.

But they know people who have had it worse.

 

[Paul_B]

Some might say a certain Mr Lawson caused a lot of damage, but they might be straying into politics if they did, which of course is not appropriate on this forum.

Or a certain M:r Mansell for damage to personality. J:eez! that guy wass dull when talking but great behind a steering wheel!!

 

[Paul_B]

There is a difference now with what I experienced in the 70s and 80s wrt storms. I can remember several serious storms over the last three to 4 years I have lived here. From my childhood I only remember the one big storm in 84. And where we were it was not that big!! Over the last 10 years there have been some pretty powerful storms and memorable ones too. Like the one where I now live but back then my gran lived accross the road. She was with my Mum when they both saw a mini tornado go along the private road in front of their house!! The same storm had videos of several waterpouts touch down in Morecambe Bay.

I think the significance is that we are getting more of them that are also more serious. Same with floods, once in a hundred years floods almost every 5 years. People are not treating the weather events with the care they should so the psychology of naming them waas developed and is now being used all around the world. Asian typhoons, american Hurricaines and tornados, even those vicious ice storms get names. You think this naming would spread without a good reason or theory behind doing it? Whilst you might poke fun at them and minimise the risks or dangers, but at the end of the day they are having a positive effect, emough for the idea spreading widely.

 

[demented dale]

Riiiiiight, so I take it your particular bubble escaped the worst of the weather so you feel that the other areas of the country where there was severe risk to life didn't matter?
I guess its not an issue unless it actually happens to you eh?
All those gable ends of houses downed where they could have easily killed someone could have been saved if only someone just put on a thicker jumper?

I can assure you the winds where I was were actually dangerous, o e of the leasure centres locally had a temporary roof and that thing was abbolutely flapping about. It was constructed from a LOT of scaffold and that would have definitely stung if it hit you on the back of the lug.
There being less people on the roads and about generally will have saved lives

Riiiiiight, so I take it your particular bubble escaped the worst of the weather so you feel that the other areas of the country where there was severe risk to life didn't matter?
I guess its not an issue unless it actually happens to you eh?
All those gable ends of houses downed where they could have easily killed someone could have been saved if only someone just put on a thicker jumper?

I can assure you the winds where I was were actually dangerous, o e of the leasure centres locally had a temporary roof and that thing was abbolutely flapping about. It was constructed from a LOT of scaffold and that would have definitely stung if it hit you on the back of the lug.
There being less people on the roads and about generally will have saved lives

I was in the middle of it and the west coast coast of Ireland got it the worst so I reckon that qualifies me. I spent the entire storm in a bell tent in the woods so I guess I know about risk too. It pays to be in command of some facts. The point i was making was about media hype. If you read what I later wrote you will see I acknowledged damage but it was just a storm. we have had them for years. Its not a big deal.

 

[demented dale]

Whichever national met office who first deems it to be a threat to person or property first. As in a big storm and the first nation it makes landfall on. In this case a Gaelic sounding name so I guess Republic of Ireland's met office. The herminia was the Spanish one.

AIUI in the past nobody took much notice of warnings and it was likely that death or injuries happened because of it in the worst storms. I do recall people driving into floods and dying in the car a couple of times in the past. SO a bit of research into behaviours found out that giving it a name personalises the storm and people heed the warnings with a higher probability of taking care.

Whatever the case if even one life is saved by a simple act of naming a potentially dangerous storm then there is no harm in it and indeed it is a good thing. It would be good to cboose better or funnier names. Perhaps a storm Nigel. I mean has there ever been a Nigel that has caused a lot of damage? How about a storm predicted to hit the west country hard calling it Rupert after the army slang for an army officer. Or a Tarquin if it hit the Eton area??

Can you think of a funny storm name and possibly where it would suit to be linked too??

Yes storm Paul B. It could take place in a tea cup. I have really ruffled your feathers. Relax its just weather

 

[Glow_worm]

Whilst you might poke fun at them and minimise the risks or dangers, but at the end of the day they are having a positive effect, emough for the idea spreading widely.

Are there any scientific studies to back up that opinion, or is it equally likely it's just mindless media content creation or governments dumbing down?

 

[Stew]

Are there any scientific studies to back up that opinion, or is it equally likely it's just mindless media content creation or governments dumbing down?

It’s opinions all over the thread whether that’s about the positives or negatives or that the storms are the same or worse.

 

[Pattree]

There’s it’s nothing new in naming storms.

 

[Paul_B]

Are there any scientific studies to back up that opinion, or is it equally likely it's just mindless media content creation or governments dumbing down?

There was something about the research behind it whenthey first introduced it in the UK but I have no inclination to revisit. Interviews with Met office people and the like when the news media explained the reasons behind the naming. i have no inclination to revisit that but anecdotally whenever there is a names storm round here and at work we see lesss people out and about say in our village and more people at my work in my team and others choose to not go in to site on named storm days. On non named storm days it is pretty much business as normal. I walk my dog at lunch times when I WFH and I usually end up seeing people I know loosely from dog walking. Thee usual suspects on named storm days tend to not be there or the popular walking routes seem less busy. Anecdata but somewhere there will be study on it.

AS for media they have always gone over the top at times with storms. Daily Express and Daily mail are known for their storm fear stories or beast from the east two months of coldest weather on record winters predicted every year that never turns up. Always beeen so and in the Uk people tended to just get on. I think it changed with named storms. Not the over the top from thee usual suspects but general population seemed to notice and perhaps plan for the weather.

Going over the top in news media is not new and storm names do not change that. However if they adjust the preplevels of people for damaging storms the better Like the house opposite that lost the part built extension gable end in the last big storm up here (named). Nobody hurt that I know of but just how heavy is a gable end wall of a house when it collapes? IF names stop such events causing serious injury then name on I say. Or even the chance it might have. what price is a name over serious injury if normal unnamed warnings get ignoreed.? The Name does nothing wind and rain if heaavy enough can do something not very good.

 

[Paul_B]

Yes storm Paul B. It could take place in a tea cup. I have really ruffled your feathers. Relax its just weather

Interesting point. Anyone who argues the opposite point to you has ruffled feathers and get told to relax. Trust me there are no ruffled feathers I just don't agree with your POV.

 

[Glow_worm]

It’s opinions all over the thread whether that’s about the positives or negatives or that the storms are the same or worse.

There's a difference here between opinions such as 'naming storms feels patronising and stupid' and statements such as named storms are having a 'positive effect' without being able to quantify. Somebody at the met office (not known for their grasp of statistics, they can't even get basic weather forecasts right for my area!) saying it improves safety isn't evidence.

I'd hazard that for every ten dog walkers who stay at home while storm Gavin huffs and puffs and knocks the wheelie bins down, one content creator heads out to the coast to film himself doing something in the 'extreme' weather the media keep banging on about and get loads of hits on yoootoob. Overall much greater risk as people use the weather to draw attention to themselves.

Just watch, if the media keep it up, we'll have US-style storm chasers soon. Probably already a big thing, I haven't checked.

 

[Stew]

There's a difference here between opinions such as 'naming storms feels patronising and stupid' and statements such as named storms are having a 'positive effect' without being able to quantify. Somebody at the met office (not known for their grasp of statistics, they can't even get basic weather forecasts right for my area!) saying it improves safety isn't evidence.

Is there a difference between that and someone saying the storms are just the same as in the past? Call for evidence on both....