In the UK the weather is notorious for being unpredictable whatever the time of year. But in the winter months it is not only unpredictable but at times it can be dangerous. Keeping abreast of the weather in the UK is notoriously difficult as it can be changeable due to the maritime climate – for example, remember the hurricane that swept across the south of England in 1987? It was only hours before the hurricane struck that Michael Fish the weather reporter as well as the MET office who stated that there was no hurricane on the way.
Unfortunately, they were wrong and that night of the 15th – 16th October, the high winds of around 100 miles per hour caused devastation across the south of England – trees were blown down onto building and roads, and boats were destroyed, as well as the fact that eighteen people were killed by the storm.
Although this severity of weather is not that common in the UK it doesn’t have to be a hurricane to cause big problems for the home. As well as high winds, heavy rain and snow fall all make regular appearances in the winter months and it is important to make sure that our homes are capable of dealing with this and protecting us from the weather outside.
As temperatures drop, this poses a health risk in many ways. In the winter it is important to keep warm, so making sure that our central heating is working properly is important. If you have an issue with the boiler or radiators it is important to have it repaired by a qualified professional such as this boiler repair Gloucester based company https://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-repair-gloucester as soon as you notice that something is wrong with it.
As well as health risks like hypothermia and respiratory illness from low temperatures, there is also the danger of slips and trips on paths and gardens when the ground is icy. It is a good idea to keep a bag of grit handy for the path around the home at this time of the year which will make it less slippery.
Rain is a typical feature of the weather in the UK but in the winter, long periods of heavy rain can lead to flooding. As rivers overflow homes that are nearby can flood, as well as the drains which can’t cope with the high quantities of water flooding into them, so they then overflow making the water unsanitary. Sandbags are something that you should have handy especially during the winter months.
As we have seen high winds can cause a lot of damage! It doesn’t need to be a hurricane to bring a tree down however. High winds can cause a lot of damage – make sure that your fences are all in good repair as well as any items that you have outdoors and if you have garden furniture it is a good idea to put it away in the winter as it can be picked up and blown away in high winds.
