A New North Atlantic Low Pressure Record

[knocker]

This has no doubt been posted before but not to worry.

 

 

ON 14/15 December 1986, the explosive deepening of a very active depressionbetween Greenland and Iceland resulted in the central pressure falling below 920mbar.As far as can be ascertained, this is the lowest barometric pressure known tohave been recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean, and very possibly the lowest in theworld outside of tropical storms (and possibly the centres ofviolent tornadoes).

 

S. D. Burt's account of the storm.

 

http://shpud.com/atlantic-storm-1986.pdf

 

I was reminded of this whilst having a clear out (joke) and came across the charts for a severe storm in the Atlantic in January 1962 in which I was involved. I was on a Weather Ship on station India at the time and we had a disagreement with CFO on the pressure at the centre. The senior forecaster maintained that our barometers were reading about seven mbs too low. We were using mercury in glass at the time and, mounted on the bulkhead, they did take a bit of a pounding.

 

http://www.weatherships.co.uk/memo2.htm

Edited March 16, 2014 by knocker

[Polar Maritime]

Iv'e a bet you have many an interesting story to tell from being out on the high seas Knock.., not everyone's cup of tea!

 

Was this the worst storm you endured during your time on a Weather Ship?

[knocker]

It was pretty bad but there a couple that were worse. I'm afraid I can't manage dates these days but one of the worst experiences was in a F10/11 and I was out filling the radiosonde balloon (which was dodgy anyway) when I suddenly realised the wind was blowing into the balloon shed which meant the ship wasn't hove to into the wind. The blasted cold front had gone through whilst I was out there.

 

With hindsight I'm amazed nobody was killed over the years as in 60-80 foot seas the balloon deck was periodically completely underwater. Fortunately you got to know when this would happen so you clung on to whatever was handy. The dodgy bit was when you were actually launching the balloon when you were completely exposed. A good friend of mine got caught like this and got washed along the deck but luckily got away with broken ribs.

 

Well time to get the violin out........................................

[Polar Maritime]

It was pretty bad but there a couple that were worse. I'm afraid I can't manage dates these days but one of the worst experiences was in a F10/11 and I was out filling the radiosonde balloon (which was dodgy anyway) when I suddenly realised the wind was blowing into the balloon shed which meant the ship wasn't hove to into the wind. The blasted cold front had gone through whilst I was out there.

 

With hindsight I'm amazed nobody was killed over the years as in 60-80 foot seas the balloon deck was periodically completely underwater. Fortunately you got to know when this would happen so you clung on to whatever was handy. The dodgy bit was when you were actually launching the balloon when you were completely exposed. A good friend of mine got caught like this and got washed along the deck but luckily got away with broken ribs.

 

Well time to get the violin out........................................

 

Thanks for the little insight, would of loved to experience the vast power and strength of the high seas. The worst i have been in would be a F4/5 while out charter fishing in the North Sea, but that's not a patch on F10/11.. You must have had balls of steel!

[mike Meehan]

There's a thing - I must have plotted some of your obs

[knocker]

Fame at last.

 

Going off on a tangent slightly the Weather Reporter was involved with the Flying Tiger Super-Constellation that came down in the Atlantic in September 1962. If anyone's interested there is an account here but the official report can be googled.

 

http://www.swiss-ships.ch/schiffe/celerina_060/rettung/CELERINA%20FT-Rescue%20English.pdf

[knocker]

Thanks for the little insight, would of loved to experience the vast power and strength of the high seas. The worst i have been in would be a F4/5 while out charter fishing in the North Sea, but that's not a patch on F10/11.. You must have had balls of steel!

 

Not really, you just had to be quietly insane. But it's why I have nothing but admiration for the volunteers who man the lifeboats. That sure as hell takes some guts for which they on occasion pay the ultimate price.