At the end of February 2010, we suffered a wind storm like none I've known. Wind speeds reached hurricane force where we live. It was much, much worse on the Atlantic coast. The storm was called
Xynthia; until then I didn't even know that they named storms in France. The winds were so strong that they lifted several concrete tiles from our roof and dumped them into the driveway below. Fortunately, there was little or no rain associated with the storm in our region, so we didn't have any water damage.
The big hole in our roof after the storm went through. We called a roofer who came immediately to replace the tiles.
Fortunately, we had some extras.
Our loft wasn't yet converted to living space, so we were sleeping on the
main level of the house. We closed all the shutters to protect the windows from flying debris. The wind shook the house and it was quite scary. A sleepless
night, to be sure. The recent wind storms we've been having are nerve-wracking, but they're nothing like that one.
We hadn't moved over permanently and I was over here with a friend, Stuart, who was helping me with laying a special 24v underfloor heating upstairs, then covering it with wooden flooring. When the storm hit it was exciting and worrying at the same time.... and we lost all power for 5 days.... fortunately, the work required only daylight!! And handsaws....
ReplyDeleteAround here, though, Xynthia appeared to have started to "bounce".... perfectly unharmed areas and then masses of flattened trees, then fine again, followed by bad damage... one of the damaged areas had a wooden barn that looked like a giant foot had squashed it!!
I remember Xynthia very well, it blew off the gates to our passage at the other house. The storms here this winter have been more memorable for the flooding than the wind, so still very scary. I lie in bed at night listening to the rain lashing against the windows and think "please, not again".
ReplyDeleteI wonder where they got the name do you know?
ReplyDeletetim, I don't remember seeing a lot of damage in our area, other than our roof and a good number of toppled trees.
ReplyDeletejean, I know what you mean! Wind really gets to me.
michael, I don't really know. I read that it's just a first name, but I've never know anyone called Xynthia. Maybe it's related to "Cynthia?" It is an unusual name, isn't it!