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Weather, Sunset & Eventide Picture Gallery |
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Quick links to: Icicles in 1985 sledging in the 1950s snow in 1982 coastline at sunset storm in 2004 hail and snow in 2005
The following six photographs were shot within a maximum of five minutes. They were taken from the top of Southerndown cliffs at Cymdda Car Park on Monday, 29th July, 2002 on what had been a sunny afternoon and show how quickly dangerous sea mists can engulf the Bristol Channel in a very short space of time. The faint black "smudge" to the right of centre in the first picture is a small yacht that had been sailing in bright sunshine just a few minutes before and disappeared as the mist rolled in.
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Sea mist at the top of Southerndown cliffs looking across to Exmoor - the faint smudge is a yacht (1 of 6)
Two photographs of frozen water and icicles on the cliffs taken at Dunraven Bay, Southerndown, in January, 1985 back to top
Boys being pulled on a sledge was in the 1950s in the field where St. Brides Major School now stands and Heol yr Ysgol houses were built. The buildings in the centre of the picture are barns that belonged to Tyn y Porth Farm (where Meadow Court is situated today) and the Fox & Hounds pub is just to the right on the junction; across from this is now a car park and village shop, next to the bungalows. back to top
Heavy snow fell on Thursday, 7th and Friday, 8th January, 1982 that was made worse by high winds which caused huge snowdrifts to form. The first day was beautiful, sunny and still, then by 10.00 pm powdery snow was falling silently and overnight the howling wind blew it into deep drifts. This was repeated the following day and night which resulted in many communities being totally cut off for several weeks, especially in West Wales. Members of a political party who had arrived for a conference had to prolong their stay in Porthcawl and were airlifted out by helicopter. Milk was delivered to Porthcawl by boat from Swansea. The first photograph in the sequence below was taken in St. Brides Major with St. Bridget's Church in the background; the next six along Lon-yr-Eglwys at the Church end; and the next six photographs were taken on Sunday, 17th and Monday, 18th January, 1982 at the other end of Lon-yr-Eglwys and on Southerndown Road, when some of the drifts were still more than 10 ft high. The photo of heavy snow on the roof gives an indication of the difficulties it caused - after the first fall there was about 4 ft at the door and after the second there was a wall of snow covering the door and over the guttering. Many bungalows had snow driven higher than the eaves and cars were completely covered, yet others in the same street appeared to have only had a light dusting. The milkman was brilliant, continuing to deliver by Landrover and walking around the village. back to top
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Channel cut through 10-12 foot snowdrift with St. Bridget's Church in background (1 of 13)
Five pictures of the coastline at sunset back to top
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Red sunset
Seven photos of Dunraven Bay taken during a storm in September, 2004. back to top
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Storm at Dunraven Bay, Southerndown
The photo on the left below is of an unexpected, sudden, sharp hailstorm at about 4.00 pm on 19th April, 2005 in St. Brides Major; the rest of the day was lovely sunshine! The photo on the right is of the first snow of winter in St. Brides Major at 7.00 am on 25th November, 2005 and was submitted to the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 after the presenters requested viewers to send in their pictures. back to top
....and don't forget to have a look at the Commemorative Trees and Plantings page!!!
For information on extremes of weather, visit Weatheronline website
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