How to use the online alarm clock
As you hand the river watch to the person taking over, set the alarm for 11:20 pm so they can check the level after the evening downpour. That leaves a clear handover point before 12:00 am, with enough time to explain which marker to inspect and where the latest reading was taken.
A river check in wet, quiet surroundings needs an alert that suits the person on duty. A soft tone may be enough if they are waiting nearby, while a persistent sound is more suitable if they are packing equipment or finishing notes. Set the volume before the handover and test the chosen sound once. Keep the browser alarm running on an awake phone or computer, because otherwise the river check will receive no alert when 11:20 pm arrives.
Before the replacement heads out at 11:20 pm, leave a dry layer and a torch beside the door rather than buried in a bag. Damp evening air can make clothing and equipment feel clammy quickly, even after the rain has eased. Wipe the torch lens, keep any written readings in a waterproof sleeve, and allow a moment outside for the eyes to adjust before approaching the river.
Common questions
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 11:20 pm?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
Do I need an account or an app?
Neither. Choose a time and a sound, press Start, and it runs in this browser tab. Nothing is downloaded, nothing is registered, and closing the page leaves nothing behind on the device.
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