Burns Day Storm Flashcards
What date was it?
25th January 1990
Impacts
Overall the winds affected a much larger area than in October 1987 and they struck during the day so consequently there were more deaths and injuries with overall 47 lives lost. The wind speeds were also comparable to those in 1987 but they were higher over parts of southern England and Wales.
The strongest winds were in the late morning and afternoon with hourly mean speeds in excess of 46 mph across a large part of southern England and Wales and over 58mph in exposed coastal areas.
Insurance companies estimate there has been at least £750 million worth of damage compared to the £1.2 billion in insurance claims in the 1987 storms.
Climatologists say the storms of recent years are caused by the Greenhouse effect as the warm air from the tropics hits the cold air from the poles and causes depressions that sweep across the Atlantic.
Responses
Source: The Guardian: Today our “ensemble forecasts” (running multiple simulations of the weather from different starting conditions) would predict the Burns’ Day Storm as early as four days in advance, but in 1990 ensemble forecasts didn’t exist. Instead forecasters plugged in data from weather stations and ships, and cranked the computer up to run a model forward in time.
Why did it form?
The storm begun as a shallow area of low pressure off the coast of North America.
