gutted for them as for the 100 days of snow ...right now i could eat that pr*cks liver

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/LIVE-UPDATES-Rail-travel-hanging-thread-track/story-20563661-detail/story.html

And so, with hindsight, it wasn't a good idea to close the alternative route to Cornwall via Okehampton some years ago.

Power just back on here, having flickered off at 9:30PM last night. Very gusty, but somehow everything is still intact. Some large branches down on the minor roads around Alresford and the Candover Valley, and so much water about . Huge hailstorm at about 4:30AM too! Pretty much ticking off the hours until we get through tomorrow, Friday and Saturday

Arguably with a modicum of foresight it was a bad idea for a strategic rail link to rely on a single route at the very edge of a vulnerable section of coastline.

Shame to see some nasty impacts from last night and this morning 

Leaving my residence this morning, I did nearly find my route cut-off by that large area of surface water I mentioned yesterday, but it wasn't quite at that stage. I had to rush to my lecture so had no time for a picture... imagine my momentary horror when I returned to find that a drainage system had been put in place to remove all the water, meaning no interesting photo for me 

At least the building isn't being flooded. I guess it must have been getting close!

The amount of surface water on the fields now is incredible - seems like Whiteknights Campus wants to gain an extra few lakes! 

Today's second occlusion wasn't as intense as predicted at home or here in Reading, with 4-5mm generally as opposed to near 10mm. Convective showers are still adding to the total, but those aren't particularly frequent either, and 00-06UTC produced 6mm, so today might be fairly unspectacular in terms of the diurnal total... but when you factor in yesterday's rain, it starts to seem a bit more remarkable, and when you consider tomorrow's rain and Saturday's... well, then it starts to seem like some kind of, erm, rainapocalypse... or whatever. Basically:

I was explaining the same thing to my 10 year old this morning whilst we were watching the coverage on BBC Breakfast, there was also the route from Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton, Tavistock and Bere Alston. I don't think either was particularly suited to high speed trains but it would have provided alternative roads to Newton Abbot and Plymouth unless they were affected by run off from Dartmoor?

So far today we're only had 4mms of rainfall so not the washout some forecasts were interacting for here.

Tomorrow's system however, does look far more potent for the East Midlands.

Drove down to Barton-on-Sea, just east of the Dorset border. Hostile conditions in gale force winds and a very angry sea, especially as I arrived just after midday to get the high tide. Wet on the way down there, especially on the M27 when it went very dark and pxssed down. Winchesters rainfall from midnight is 11mm

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack0.gif

Tomorrows trouble seems alittle further west.

Surely there must be record breaking snowfall over the Scottish mountains by now Michael surely

When things ease up there, there should be some very good skying conditions indeed.

Some excellent snow cover up there Michael

Down here it has been a very windy afternoon/evening

An update of what happened in Torquay last night.

YouTube Vid. The person who shot this video said its the biggest storm he's ever seen hit Torquay Seafront: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gilrx3-qzb4

NEWS:

• Winds gusting to over 91mph were recorded at Berry Head, Brixham.


• The beach shop in Oddicombe was left destroyed as huge waves crashed ashore.


• On Torquay prom sections of the octagonal paving slabs and heavy benches were lifted and thrown about by the waves.


• Considerable damage has been caused to the Torquay harbour infrastructure and some boats, Torbay Harbour master reported.


• A Torbay Council said the resort suffered significant damage to a number of its coastal areas


• FAMILIES faced a battle against time to try to save businesses on Oddicombe Beach in Torquay as waves tore up giant concrete blocks last night.


• Son Ryan said he believed the shop was a write off. He said the storm had lifted huge blocks of concrete on the promenade and smashed the old slipway in half.


• "We were down there from 12.30am. I think structurally the building is finished. The waves have moved 10m by 4m concrete blocks on the promenade.


• "The sea has come up through the foundations and lifted the roof.  We knew it was going to be bad. We saw huge, huge waves just going over the top, we have never seen them so big. It's been horrendous. The old slipway has been broken off and some 20 tonnes of concrete moved down the beach and the steps have been snapped in half as well. My steel lined doors have been ripped right off. We have got everything salvageable out and are just waiting for the insurance.


• Husband Paul Bettesworth said they went down just after midnight. "The whole of the front of the cafe has gone, the steel storm shutters have just been crumpled like paper. Rocks the size of dustbins have ripped right through the whole thing.

Plus there's been over 20 trees down and where the largest date palms are on the promenade the area was turned into a swimming pool so I'm expecting damage to many of the gardens and exotics. Right by the palms the promenade was actually torn up and I've never heard of anything similar in the 20 years I've lived here. I'm very concerned now about all the other storms heading our way.