Great Storm Flashcards
When?
16th October 1987 - UK/France
1 in 200 year event
Why did it happen?
Warm Tc air from N Africa met colder N Atlantic air
Deepened to 958 mb because:
•jet stream further S than usually = formed over N France and S England
•therefore warmed over Bay of Biscay (N of Spain, W of France)
•latent heat energy released = warm air = lower pressure
It’s sequence
Formed over bay and moved rapidly north on the 15th October
Crossed English Channel and moved across the South of England to the Humber Estuary on the E coast and intensified
By 6am weakened and moved away from North Sea
Effects
Winds 100mph
18 died
15 million trees (97% in some places)
= houses, cars, railways, roads
= unable to get to work/school/hospital
Power lines were gone with no electricity for 24 hours in some places
This meant Gatwick had to close
150,000 homes had no phone connection
Historical places like Shanklin pier in the Isle of Wight were completely destroyed
Damage cost £1.4billion
Short term responses
4 months worth of emergency calls in 1 night
Clearing up roads/repairing houses and powerlines*
Emergency crews were sent from the N where the damage was less
Days and weeks passed before infrastructure operated normally
*criticised by ecologists - said they were removing damages broad leaf trees which would have recovered with time
Long term responses
The Forest Commission set up the Forest Windblown Action Committee to recover fallen trees and give advice for replanting
Realised mistakes - severe weather warning given just 3 hours before (steers to N track quickly)
= Met Office Review
•improves quantity and quality of weather observations from ships/aircraft/buoys/satellites
•computer models refined
25 years on
Developed National Severe Weather Warning Service
Takes normal weather forecasting data and predicts potential impacts
Carries out placebo tests to check efficiency
Resolution 80km - 1.5km = more detailed, individual weather systems
