Preparing your business for a typical autumn
Certified by the Institute of Highways, Peter Brown, Winter Commercial Operations Manager, has undertaken the only UK-accredited course for Winter Services Decision Makers and Managers and achieved Professional Development in Winter Services Decision Making.
Amongst autumnal season changes, Peter shares what he expects to see in a ‘typical season’ and how Ground Control services can keep sites safe and secure.
From a meteorological standpoint, autumn is here from 1st September, and for many of us, the first couple of weeks has seen typical autumnal conditions as we transition to wetter, cooler and stormier weather patterns. Although for some this weather is no surprise, with the BBC reporting “the wettest ever summer in parts of the West Highlands” with other areas parts of the UK also experiencing “a summer wet enough to make it into their top three”.
You can see the change taking place by the leaves on the trees changing colour and the shortening days. But what does the changing weather mean for our clients?
A typical autumn
Due to a more active jet stream and increased likelihood of low-pressure systems being more dominant, autumn brings increased winds. When combined with trees preparing for winter and losing their leaves, leaf litter can start to cause a nuisance and danger across many sites.
As it breaks down leaf litter becomes slippery and sludge-like. Working with our maintenance teams, and depending on the site, we recommend clearing this litter to avoid trips and dangerous walking conditions. Not only this, but leaves can also block gutters, clog drains and increase the chances of expensive flooding issues.
As winds pick up, autumn storms are the first to reveal unsafe trees. The increased wind speeds can cause unstable, dead, or diseased branches to suddenly fall. This danger can be mitigated with proactive tree surveys and safety inspections that will identify issues, provide details of potential dangers, and recommend how to keep your staff, customers, and grounds safe.
The chance of sun
As we transition into autumn and away from summer (yes, there were summery conditions in some places!), there is still plenty of warmth in the sun. If high pressure builds then depending on the position of the jet stream, warmer air could rise from the south. With warmer conditions sandwiched between wet conditions, it is highly likely to experience a sudden growth in vegetation, weeds, and almost give a second wind (pun intended) of growth.
A milder 2023 winter
Last year, we experienced a milder than average winter. This was primarily due to a dominant pattern of Atlantic weather systems resulting in unsettled weather: moderate temperatures, increased winds, and precipitation.
As we move into this winter season, look out for our ‘Winter Weather Updates’ to see what to expect. Our winter gritting and snow clearance service has a range of different options, from our ‘No Frost, No Cost’ service where you pay-per-visit, to a rolling seasonal package that protects you all winter.
Get a quote for any of our autumn services
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Introducing the GC weatherman
