Storm Doris at Kingfishers Bridge!

23/2/2017

On the 21st February the Met Office named 'Storm Doris*' issuing yellow and amber warnings for wind, snow and rain. The 23rd February 2017 saw Storm Doris move across the UK bringing gusts of up to 94 mph accompanied by heavy snowfall across Scotland. Overnight and into the morning of the 23 February, Storm Doris underwent explosive cyclogenesis labelling it a weather bomb.

*NB. Storms are being named as a pilot project by the Met Office and Met Éireann which aims to increase awareness of severe weather and ensure greater safety of the public. During 2016/17 wind storms with the potential to affect the UK and/or Ireland will be named to help effective communication of the storm and its impacts (Information from the Met Office website 2017).

13.08hrs Westerly Winds across the Lake at Kingfishers Bridge!

The Poplars (along side the River Bank) begin to fall!

As the Westerly Winds 'hit' the North Westerly corner of Kingfishers Bridge it created devastation bringing down almost 230 Poplars, having a 'domino' effect. Unfortunately the trees were falling onto the nearby perimeter fence causing much damage.

The Following Morning!

The following morning of Friday 24th February, the destruction caused by Storm Doris was extraordinary, with whole trees up rooted, and the destruction caused by the storm was very apparent.

In order to secure the area and make it promptly safe, help was immediately required. Friends, neighbours and volunteers kindly rallied to help with clearing the outer wood, chain sawing, shifting logs and brush wood, where safe to do so.

The first week of March saw Contractors come in to deal with the massive task of clearing the whole woodland of Poplars...