Christmas Eve severe gale of 1997

[Weather-history]

One of those weather events I won't forget, the Christmas Eve gale of 1997 was one of the worst gales to hit northern England and Wales in the last 10 years. A vigorous low tracked across Northern Ireland bringing severe gales to Eire, where gusts reached 80mph bringing down trees, powers lines and causing structural damage. The low, its central pressure was 976mb by that time, then tracked across southern Scotland and it was along its southern flank that the strongest winds occurred across north Wales and northwest England. Wind gusts in this region approached 90mph causing much structural damage to buildings, uprooting trees, bringing down power lines and at one stage, 50,000 people were without electricity. It was certainly one of the worst gales to hit this region probably since 1990.

The sound of the gusts down the chimney was unforgetable and the lights flickered at times. Thought we were going to lose power. I remember Peter Cockcroft giving a severe weather warning between TV programmes, a fairly rare event. Christmas morning revealed the damage caused the winds, slate tiles broken on the ground, branches and even trees uprooted. A real mess.

Edited December 17, 2006 by Mr_Data

[Snowly does it]

I remember this one. I was living in the city (yuck) at the time, and even down here it was a really blustery affair, I went out for Xmas drinks on Xmas Eve and struggled walking home (probably because I had drunk too much wine!)

IIRC, New Years was also very windy?

[Osbourne One-Nil]

I remember it too...a few days into married....erm....bliss and my new Cumbrian house and I lost half the roof and had no power on Christmas Day.

[Weather-history]

I remember this one. I was living in the city (yuck) at the time, and even down here it was a really blustery affair, I went out for Xmas drinks on Xmas Eve and struggled walking home (probably because I had drunk too much wine!)

IIRC, New Years was also very windy?

Yes, it was a very stormy spell of weather with that tornado hitting Selsey in early January 1998 to boot

Edited December 17, 2006 by Mr_Data

[M'Lady]

I remember it too... Like OON I was a newly wed.

I'm terrified of gales at the best of times, but that particular evening I was alone because Lord P had gone to his work's Christmas do... and I was due to give birth any day.

Not fun.

[Weather-history]

Hard to believe it was 10 years ago, today. B)

[rossco89]

I remember it bein windy, although not as bad as boxing day 1998.

I remember the Selsey tornado being on the news early in the morning. Poor old pat moore had his house damaged and his big telelscope had a very lucky escape.

Tornados always have fascinated me, my uncle was 1 mile away from the big F5 in Oklahoma, may 3rd 1999 (or was it 98), winds were over 320mph. I have all the newspapers from there on that week after the F5.

[Stoxs]

I remember it too...a few days into married....erm....bliss and my new Cumbrian house and I lost half the roof and had no power on Christmas Day.

I guess you told the new bride it was the earth moving form your romance!!!!