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Originally Posted by casstony
Two recent fronts produced wind gusts around 100kmh in Warragul last week and we lost a large claret ash. What wind speeds are forecast ahead of this one?
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Tony at this stage the predictions are 90-100km gusts with average winds are 50-65km hour as the flanks of the low pass through. Bit of a screamer but normal for the types of lows we get in SA during winter and autumn.
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Originally Posted by glend
Good luck Paul. Anything extra you can do to secure the observatory? Mine survived the 115kmph winds of the 2015 East Coast Low, and no water got inside.
I usually bring all the equipment into the house during a big weather event, just leaving the mount head on the pier under a big towel and plastic bag (just in case). I duct tape over the front flap on the slide off roof if I have time. Roof tie downs double checked and track locks engaged.
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Glen, the observatories have been through quite a few big ones now. Removing gear is not really an option for a remote facility but I get your meaning. Last year one of the lows that came through recorded as gust of 125kph. Lifted the roll off roof and moved it 1 foot along the rack and pinion drive. Next morning I turned on the camera in the observatory and saw that the roof had moved back a bit. Drove down to the obs to move the roof back and check on equipment. Some damp floor but the equipment was fine. I have purposely orientated the observatory so that the weather comes from the south and the higher roof protects the moving roof and stops lift generally. So far the obs has faced about 10 storms and that was the first incident. Most other storms were 110-115kph though. An added protection is that the wheels of the roll off roof run in C sections and this holds the roof down. That negates the need for hold down clips. That said the lift last time has me a little concerned. I will be watching carefully as the low crosses.
The Scope Dome though is rated for much higher wind speeds and has not had a problem, nor do I expect it to be the case. It is parked into the wind and ready to resist the gusts.
The house where the observatories are located is also similarly rated for withstanding high wind speeds. Time will tell.
