The Lincolnshire Bird Club

For those of you interested in recent weather events and the bigger picture……………..

The following link gives access to the Pdf report into the recent storms and floods in the UK launched this week and produced by the Met Office and Centre of Ecology and Hydrology. If you have a few minutes it provides an interesting read.

Whatever the hotly contested views are surrounding climate change, there does seem to be emerging evidence surrounding a changing climate (whatever the causes may be).

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/ne ... and-floods

Matthew

I have cycled over the Humber Bridge 1000s of times over the last 20 odd years. I can boast of crossing in every weather you can imagine but last night I was crossing south after work and I have never experienced anything like it.

In the approaches to the north side I was very concerned about falling mature trees as the noise from them was as loud as a jet engine in thrust.

I thankfully reached the Bridge itself and climbed towards the north tower. The wind was exceptional in strength but I could maintain very slow and unstable progress in first gear.

As I approached the North Tower the SSW gale intensified as it forged around the pillars. This immense power stopped me dead, pushed my bike to the side and then tumbled me against the roadside slope. I have only once before been stopped by the wind around the Towers and that only stopped me where I was and I could walk forward.

It had actually blown my chain off completely.

I tried to get passed the tower 4 times, straddling my crossbar and pushing hard with my feet on the floor. Each time my bike was physically lifted upwards [upwards] and I was tossed backwards, staggering to keep upright.

It must have been near hurricane strength and very loud. I was tumbled around the tower and pushed against the concrete. I felt trapped and was running out of ideas.

My final assault, almost laid over my handled bars, inched me through the wind tunnel and into 'just gale force wind' beyond. From this point I still had to walk my bike and even then this was a very hard push.

The south tower was slightly less powerful for some reason and I made it home after an hour on the Bridge.

The noise and power were frightening.