Barometer readings - Hurricane

[ABS]

Hi All,

I was camping in north wales over the weekend & my barometer read 964 mBar in the evening, which I'd read was a reading you’d usually get with a Cat 1 hurricane. 
 

Naturally, I ignored it & went to bed, but was woken up by really violent winds that ripped the tent out the ground & carried us about 3 meters along. 
 

I’m assuming it was the tail end of Hurricane Ian, but not actually a hurricane itself, so I’m wondering whether it would typically produce a hurricane reading if it’s the ‘hangover’ of a hurricane or should it just have produced a reading relating to gale force winds? 
 

Any enlightenment would be much appreciated

 

Thanks. 
 

[SnowBear]

On 18/10/2022 at 11:21, ABS said:

Hi All,

I was camping in north wales over the weekend & my barometer read 964 mBar in the evening, which I'd read was a reading you’d usually get with a Cat 1 hurricane. 
 

Naturally, I ignored it & went to bed, but was woken up by really violent winds that ripped the tent out the ground & carried us about 3 meters along. 
 

I’m assuming it was the tail end of Hurricane Ian, but not actually a hurricane itself, so I’m wondering whether it would typically produce a hurricane reading if it’s the ‘hangover’ of a hurricane or should it just have produced a reading relating to gale force winds? 
 

Any enlightenment would be much appreciated

 

Thanks. 
 

A low pressure system at higher latitudes lacks one important factor which is present nearer the equator, warm seas. 

A hurricane needs that energy from the warm seas to generate the storms we see in those areas, typically a deep layer of seawater with a sea surface temperature around 26°c or above. 

So yes, we would probably see a hurricane with a core pressure of 964 in the tropics if conditions are favourable, but it wouldn't at higher latitudes. 

Edited October 20, 2022 by SnowBear
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[ABS]

Thanks for that.

so I’m assuming that my reading would have been incorrect? 

[SnowBear]

2 hours ago, ABS said:

Thanks for that.

so I’m assuming that my reading would have been incorrect? 

Not sure what the pressure records were over last weekend, but it does sound low to me for the weather recently. 

Maybe someone can give the pressure value from an archive and you can then see how far out you were. 

[SnowBear]

Just for info.. 

Lowest pressure recorded on land in the UK is 925.6 mb in 1884.

The Great Storm of 87 fell to 953 mb. 

Recently Eunice fell to 965mb.

But as for your opening question, yes we can get readings of low pressure equivalent to those seen in hurricanes in lower latitudes, but the storms we get are not hurricanes. 

I suspect you need to check your equipment though 😊

[Midlands Ice Age]

Didn't the EastCoast Flood disaster get down to 920 something (upper end)  in Jan 1953.

Can also remember NorthAtlantic storms getting down to the 940's, in the 1960's  though not sure how many actually touched land.

MIA

Edited October 20, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[mike57]

On 18/10/2022 at 11:21, ABS said:

read 964 mBar in the evening,

Just an obvious question, did you calibrate you reading for altitude? The higher above sea level you go the lower the reading.