Storm Eunice - 18th February

[ChannelThunder]

6-hour power outage is over here, thank you engineers! 

I've got about 30 pages of this thread to catch up on over the weekend! In the meantime, would anyone kindly confirm that there wasn't a sting jet in the end? I feel so out of the loop!

The storm delivered everything expected, and more, down here. As a severe weather fan I really quite enjoyed it, but I do hope we've got away with no loss of life across the board.

[Weather of Mass Disruption]

The tin of baked beans I had last night on my jacket potato caused bigger gusts of wind around here - Not IvyBridge, I'm now based in Nottingham / Uttoxeter!

Seems to have been well over hyped by the media. It's not a bad thing I suppose as I like trees so hate the thought of millions being felled in one swoop, I remember the storm of 1987 fondly. Plus, I wouldn't want to see anyone come to any harm.

Although, extreme weather does bring a certain level of excitement, it has to be said so in a way there is a tinge of disappointment   

Edited February 18, 2022 by Weather of Mass Disruption
Twitched

[Portsmouth Sun]

2 minutes ago, MattStoke said:

Forecasters did a good job on this one, warning people days before the storm even existed and no doubt saving lives. Still though get some who moan that it was all scaremongering because they themselves weren’t badly hit, ignoring the damage and disruption elsewhere. Some people will always be ignorant and selfish by their very nature.

And they would be the same people who would be first to complain if a gust of wind blew their roof off. 

[Tom Montalbano]

1 hour ago, Man With Beard said:

Localised differences. The really bad winds didn't really materialise in the Midlands and East Anglia, I am guessing. Clearly it was bad in the SW but not sure if it was more than a 1 in 3 year event there. However, from Dorset up to the Solent where I am, it seems it was bang on track with the worst forecasts, I think the fact we've broken the English wind speed record on our doorstep says it all. Not sure how those further inland (N Hants, Surrey, Kent) would view the event?

Totally agree with your assessment MWB, earlier in the Day, regarding the ranking of Eunice, as a notable wind event.

1st  and by a long way, The "Hurricane", that never was. - 15th/16th October, 1987 2nd - Burns Day Storm - 24th/26th January, 1990. 3rd - Storm Eunice. 

At the time of the "Burns Day" Storm, I was working in Croydon, Surrey, and like ALEXISJ9 and D.V.R., came to know the Town, very well.

The evolution of the "Burns Day" Storm, was pretty similar to how Eunice developed.

Developing on the steep temperature gradient, out in Mid Atlantic,

Croydon Town centre was a pretty "hairy" place, to be walking around, during the Afternoon of 26th January, 1990.

There used to be a large Blockbusters, in Croydon Town Centre but the strength of the Burns Day Storm, blew the windows out. If memory serves, Croydon Town Centre had to be closed, at the height of the Storm.

West Croydon Bus Garage had to be closed, when windows on Office blocks, overlooking the Bus Garage, blew out.

Some scaffolding and a tarpaulin, above M & S, came loose and hung precariously over the North End, shopping precinct.

Croydon became known to Yours Truly, as the "Windy City", its many high rise Office Blocks. such as B.T,'s Southern H.Q., and the Nestle building, greatly accentuated the strength of the wind, when it was blowing a hoolie!! 

          06z 24th January 1990                                   12z 25th January 1990                                         

         

Today's strong winds did abate somewhat, around mid Afternoon but have become squally again, with the arrival of a pretty heavy shower.

Regards,

Tom.  

Edited February 18, 2022 by TomSE12

[Muffelchen]

Strongest it's been all day here in the last hour and a large Norway maple (130 years old or so) down in my road. Pity, it's part of an avenue. Somewhat surprised when I went out to walk the dogs!

[Johnp]

Why do people seem to be of the view that because the storm wasn’t bad in their back yard, then it mustn’t have been bad for anyone?

[Simon Shorten]

North Norfolk coast, wind as strong now as it has been all day 

[CurtisOliver]

4 minutes ago, Johnp said:

Why do people seem to be of the view that because the storm wasn’t bad in their back yard, then it mustn’t have been bad for anyone?

Exactly, for me these were the worst gales I've seen. It wasn't just the strength but the longevity too. I mean even now we are still occasionally gusting up. 

All I will say, is that we were incredibly lucky to not of experienced any significant damage. A few fences and trees down here and there etc.

Edited February 18, 2022 by CurtisOliver

[NigelM]

Fascinating this storm.  Lots of damage but in very localised places.

SW Bristol area barely touched - a couple of strong gusts but barely anything beyond a storm you might get a once a year.

All schools closed but seems hugely overdone.  Always better to be safe than sorry of course.

 

 

[seb]

A few of us said yesterday that the SE needs watching based on SW wind speeds trending down in most models while in the SE they were increasing.

I think we got that spot on albeit no gusts higher than 90mph apart from a few exposed locations.

It was definitely the worst around here for decades (the damage in Kent and Essex is proof of that) and in the end the Met Office got it right despite all the criticism. Speeds were very similar across the South and when the red warning for the SW was issued confidence for the SE was still a bit lower (the increase had only been shown since yesterday morning). The red for the SE was issued with more than enough time to keep people indoors.

Does the warning system need to be simplified, I think so but in the end the message got out regardless and despite a very pathetic performance of the BBC. ITV and especially GMB’s Laura did an amazing job.

[Mark Bayley]

A rather potent storm here in north London, and probably just worthy of the red warning. We are somewhat lucky that this hit when the trees are bare, otherwise i suspect we'd have had rather more disruption!!! Damage seems to be limited to numerous fence panels, tree branches, and somebodies wall!

 

[Bristawl Si]

14 minutes ago, Johnp said:

Why do people seem to be of the view that because the storm wasn’t bad in their back yard, then it mustn’t have been bad for anyone?

I'm not sure every poster that has posted it is not too bad in their own backyard has then gone to say that it hasnt been bad for everyone. 

[kold weather]

Just one more little interesting tidbit.

28 stations in 1987 went over 69mph during the great storm.

Today we've made it to 41....

[CurtisOliver]

This was from my borough.

 

Storm Eunice: Gigantic tree crashes through Brentwood home and destroys Mazda MX5 - Essex Live

WWW.ESSEXLIVE.NEWS

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The home has been severely damaged in the storm

Yes, i think the models were spot on for the SE too. I think my area got up to low 70's at times. Most gusts were high 60's. But it remained on/off like that for hours. Even now with average gusts of 45-50mph there are occasionally 50-60mph gusts still. 

I would love to know what the peak gusts were, at some points the noise was thunderous.

Edited February 18, 2022 by CurtisOliver

[Bristawl Si]

3 minutes ago, kold weather said:

Just one more little interesting tidbit.

28 stations in 1987 went over 69mph during the great storm.

Today we've made it to 41....

Are there more stations in operation though, compared to 1987?

Are the ones you quote just the Meto ones? Or a mix of Meto and private?

[jam2010]

Can see why the red warnings was given and thats where the strongest winds was forecast so thats good. could of been more fatalities if them red warnings was not given.

IMBY - was only really gusty for an hour and the amber could of been a yellow but due to the nature of the beast and how it was difficult to know it's route can't really blame the Met Office. 

 

[kold weather]

4 minutes ago, Bristle Si said:

Are there more stations in operation though, compared to 1987?

Are the ones you quote just the Meto ones? Or a mix of Meto and private?

I'm not sure, alot have closed since then and some new ones made, I'd guess the difference isn't that great though in terms of total numbers. 

I believe those are met ones. 

It is worth remembering that the geographical hit of 87 wasn't actually that large, but it was considerably more intense than this storm in terms of peak winds, discounting the monster needles record today.

[NigelM]

9 minutes ago, Bristle Si said:

Are there more stations in operation though, compared to 1987?

Are the ones you quote just the Meto ones? Or a mix of Meto and private?

I think this is it.  So much more awareness today vs. 1990 or 1987.  1987 was an absolute monster.  I lived through that in Kent - tiles off roofs everywhere.....roofs off...millions without power.....many died that day.  Intensity of that storm was vicious.

[Essex Chelle]

Imagine it differently, no Internet no social media no met office red warnings, just a forecaster sticking plastics stickers on a chart last night, imagine it happening over night no warning, then waking to see o2 roof ripped apart, holiday camp roof missing, giant old trees fallen, caravan roofs gone, trampolines in trees, power station chimneys missing, numerous fence panels down - would we all think it wasn't much and over hyped, less worry less anxiety less destruction than 1987 - I'm not so sure we would.

[Man With Beard]

Hearing that the Needles actually hit 125 mph.

I think my location was almost directly upstream from there in terms of wind direction, about 15 miles, this morning. 

[Bristawl Si]

2 minutes ago, kold weather said:

I'm not sure, alot have closed since then and some new ones made, I'd guess the difference isn't that great though in terms of total numbers. 

I believe those are met ones. 

It is worth remembering that the geographical hit of 87 wasn't actually that large, but it was considerably more intense than this storm in terms of peak winds, discounting the monster needles record today.

There are more than 200 Met O ones these days; dunno if they had that many 35 years ago.

What i remember about '87 was the sheer intensity for what seemed like an age (that day), more sustained wind speeds for long times rather than gusts. Obs that is for Bristol area.

My posts today were imby, because i was sat in da house. But not far from here around the coasts esp the North and West facing ones it was, predictably, much worse.

[Weather-history]

Winds really picked up after 1pm

 

[Mapantz]

I've just read that a fatality occurred in London, after a tree fell on a car.

[TropicThunder]

House in Southampton lost it's roof

Lots of trees down too

LIVE: The latest travel news for Southampton after Storm Eunice chaos

WWW.DAILYECHO.CO.UK

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We will be bringing you the latest traffic updates across Southampton, as Storm Eunice continues to batter the city.

 

[Wold Topper]

3 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

I've just read that a fatality occurred in London, after a tree fell on a car.

Just heard on bbc news