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Comment by David Harradine on January 23, 2010 at 9:33

Winter's Weather 1

Comment by David Harradine on January 21, 2010 at 20:47

I've been seeking out different people to meet to talk with about the weather each time I'm on a research trip. This month I'm meeting a couple who used to work for the Met Office. This is the email I got back in reply to my request to meet:

"We will happy to meet you on Saturday 30th of January at home, if you’re willing to make the effort to come here. After 3 weeks of drifting snow, the minor road from Marchlyn to Dinorwic past our house (Garreg Wen ) has just been dug out by JCB. This has left a narrow gap between high walls of snow, with no room for passing other vehicles, and one parking space by each house. It will be ages before the conditions improve, so please park on the Marchlyn dam road near Talywaen Grid ref 594 634 ( our VW van is there now ) and walk the last ½ Km. To Garreg Wen Grid ref 592 637. If there’s an easterly wind on the 30th, don’t be surprised if there’s a blizzard on the slopes of Elidir, even if its calm and sunny in Bangor!"

Is anyone in north Wales now, who can tell me what conditions are like? Do you still have snow...?

Comment by David Harradine on December 19, 2009 at 10:32

An extract from my research notes from December's visit:

Porthmadog, on The Cob, looking towards the mountains.

The arrival of the sky.

The whole sky (the clouds, the light, the mist, the breaks where the blue shows through) moving inland. What are clouds to begin with become ground mist as they reach high ground. Haze clouds hang still over the low tree covered slopes. The sky is mirrored in the marsh water.

The arrival of the sky. The arrival of later’s weather, being delivered here in front of me. The landscape still, waiting. The sky keeping on rolling, sliding, pressing in.

Cold. Fingers numb, dry, but not painful, not yet.

Cloud. Grey. Mist. Grey. Yellow. A break, and blue. Light. Grey. All greys. Cold still.

Comment by David Harradine on December 19, 2009 at 10:30

December Weather Report

I'm in Pentir just outside Bangor, in a lovely cottage looking up at the mountains (thanks, Rhian), here to take my first set of weather readings for The Weather Factory. I've been doing a lot of driving, taken a lot of photos, stood in a sudden snowstorm in my T-shirt trying to record a description on a wet dictaphone with chattering teeth, written a lot of notes, and had a brilliant conversation with Twm Elias, a lecturer at the Snowdonia National Park study centre and expert of Welsh weather lore.

On Thursday I also had a look at a couple of sites that we might use for the project. And no, me, Mike and Mathilde didn't accidentally fall through a not-quite-open door into a depot in Bangor, and no, no-one called the police, and no, we didn't get a shock when two bobbies walked into the space we were reccying. Not at all.

More from this visit when I get back home and can upload images. This dongle isn't playing along...

Comment by Tom Beardshaw on November 12, 2009 at 15:10

Comment by David Harradine on November 9, 2009 at 8:09

Thought I'd let you Factory followers know that I'm going to be visiting Snowdonia once a month for a year, starting next month, so take a series of weather readings that will feed into the development of the project. Some of these readings will be very literal - measurements of the temperature, and wind, and...er...rain; gathering of weather-related newspaper articles, etc. I'll also be taking "human readings" through a series of conversations with people who live and work in Snowdonia. If anyone has any suggestions for interesting people who would be up for talking with me about the weather for an hour or two, please do let me know.

I'll also be posting stuff on here throughout the research process.

bye for now, David

Comment by David Harradine on November 9, 2009 at 8:05

Thanks Sarah, that's very kind.

I'm very excited to be coming to Wales next year, and feel very privileged to be part of such an extraordinary first year. It's gonna be crackin'!

Comment by Sarah Argent on November 5, 2009 at 10:15

Very excited about Fevered Sleep coming to Wales. Have participated in a number of workshops and discussions with David (Harridine) - a lovely man and a really fascinating artist!

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