flood watch

[kenneal - lagger]

It is reported to be a combination of increased melt water and record monsoon rains and is by far the highest level anyone can remember.

[PS_RalphW]

Met office is predicting a la nina winter, colder than normal from November, followed by heavy flooding in February, whilst the UK remains in official drought, with very hard ground causing heavy rain run off.

[kenneal - lagger]

We could do with a bit of cold. I've got cabbage white caterpillars on my swede plants at the moment. Good job they are very well grown already. Daily Express is predicting a warm spell, 17C, before it gets cold.

[BritDownUnder]

An interesting story from the Sydney Morning Herald about a religious group (Exclusive Bretheren) selling houses 'en masse' from a flood prone suburb of Sydney and presumably moving to somewhere where climate change exacerbated flooding is less of a problem.

‘The great Brethren migration’: Church in mass exodus from Windsor

Windsor has had six flooding events in 18 months, three of them with significant inundation.

Real estate agents in the area have been keenly aware of what they dub “the great Brethren migration”.

More than 40 privately owned houses of Brethren members have sold and more than a handful are still for sale.

[PS_RalphW]

The exclusive brethren are a charismatic cult, about 150 years old. My spouse’s ex husband was brought up in it. A more austere version of the Plymouth Brethren. They will be saved by God from the apocalypse, but you must not be contaminated by too close association with the dammed. They are economically quite successful because they run fully owned businesses and only employ brethren. Also, they will only live or work in detached houses, never a semi or flat unless the building is entirely Brethren. Once you leave or expelled, you are dead to them, including your family. No tv or other frivolous technology. They used to run the Brompton bicycle franchise in Cambridge.

[BritDownUnder]

The EBs are, or at least were, very big in New Zealand and attempted some interference in politics funding the reasonably right-wing National Party in 2005 with disastrous results. I think their numbers are largest in Australia and the head of the organisation is an Aussie but you don't hear much of them here. New Zealand is a very religious country overall and probably second to the US in my opinion and is home to some very strange religious cults.

As you rightly say EBs are not into television but are famous drinkers.

Not allowed to be employed by non-EBs and most seem to go into small business from what I gather.

Clearly, avoiding the now regular floods in North-West Sydney makes good sense to prepare for the real apocalypse.

[Potemkin Villager]

New Zealand is a very religious country overall and probably second to the US in my opinion and is home to some very strange religious cults.

I wonder why that is? It could be related to extreme Calvinism. There is a particular "colourful" cult in
Northern Ireland related to matters discussed on this forum.

Green Pastures was in receipt of irregular huge wads of dosh from electric bus manufacturer Wrightbus which led to
the company nearly going bust. Their huge "temple complex" is in extreme architectural bad taste and features a monstrously large
car park with SUV size parking spaces. Contrary to popular belief, the the most popular religion in Northern Ireland is actually the worship of large expensive cars!

[BritDownUnder]

New Zealand is a very religious country overall and probably second to the US in my opinion and is home to some very strange religious cults.

I wonder why that is? It could be related to extreme Calvinism. There is a particular "colourful" cult in
Northern Ireland related to matters discussed on this forum.

Green Pastures was in receipt of irregular huge wads of dosh from electric bus manufacturer Wrightbus which led to
the company nearly going bust. Their huge "temple complex" is in extreme architectural bad taste and features a monstrously large
car park with SUV size parking spaces. Contrary to popular belief, the the most popular religion in Northern Ireland is actually the worship of large expensive cars!

New Zealand is not really like Northern Ireland. I have not seen one instance of 'my religion is better than yours' there. More the case that the Maori and Pacific Islanders are quite spiritual but not necessarily Christian (there are interesting Maori religions including a few offshoots of Christianity). The early British settlers were also religious unlike the Australians who built a pub before they built a church.

[adam2]

Auckland declares a state of emergency due to severe flooding.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64421920

[Potemkin Villager]

I wonder if the Exclusive Brethern and the other "very strange religious cults" in New Zealand were all saved by god from this?

[adam2]

The flooding in Auckland has worsened with three lives lost and several persons missing.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64440319

[BritDownUnder]

One thing you can say about Auckland's weather is that it does rain very heavily. 2000mm per annum is about the norm I think.
Flooding happens but this one is exceptional. One thing to note is that Auckland is about the same latitude as Gibraltar so the seas are much warmer than the UK and effectively has an Ocean on either side of the city. New Zealand is a world leader in landslides and flooding.

Another thing worth noting was the 'rabbit in the headlights' look of total inexperience of the new New Zealand Prime Minister post-Jacinda.

[adam2]

"At least 20 dead in in Delhi floods"
"Vermont, USA declares state of emergency over flooding"
"Japan suffers heaviest ever rain"

As reported on various news media. Climate doom does appear to becoming more frequent.

[johnny]

"At least 20 dead in in Delhi floods"
"Vermont, USA declares state of emergency over flooding"
"Japan suffers heaviest ever rain"

As reported on various news media. Climate doom does appear to becoming more frequent.

Floods have been climate doom before, Noah can testify to that. But floods in our future are an opportunity, not a doom. One of the interesting side effects of climate change is that weather variability will increase, and with both excess and lack of water being a consequence. The problem becomes one of timing and location, to turn one problem into a solution. Just as happened with LA recently, they went from drought to not knowing what to do with all the water, because they didn't have the new, climate change improved infrastructure to capture large water events for future use. No different than Vermont, they also need a change in infrastructure, capturing extra water and finding places to hold it for when "less water" is the issue sometime during the year.

[Catweazle]

"At least 20 dead in in Delhi floods"
"Vermont, USA declares state of emergency over flooding"
"Japan suffers heaviest ever rain"

As reported on various news media. Climate doom does appear to becoming more frequent.

Floods have been climate doom before, Noah can testify to that. But floods in our future are an opportunity, not a doom. One of the interesting side effects of climate change is that weather variability will increase, and with both excess and lack of water being a consequence. The problem becomes one of timing and location, to turn one problem into a solution. Just as happened with LA recently, they went from drought to not knowing what to do with all the water, because they didn't have the new, climate change improved infrastructure to capture large water events for future use. No different than Vermont, they also need a change in infrastructure, capturing extra water and finding places to hold it for when "less water" is the issue sometime during the year.

Floods are an opportunity ? Get a grip on reality.