Severe Atlantic storms February 2014

[IanR]

are there any sfereics in the NW at the moment, because I have just seen a flash in the sky that resembled a power flash to the west,

 

 

after watching tornado clips on youtube I am familiar with what they look like,  must be lightning  or a power line arching

 

some powerful gusts now

[Luke Anthony]

It is calming down over here in Dublin, mostly moderate gales and the odd gust, no rain.

 

I have to say today was a good day because I like storms, but I do feel sorry for the ones been affected by this storm and the coming bad weather ahead.

 

I would like to say thanks to all here for your stories and reports it has been worth reading every post.

 

Be safe stay safe and think safe, be weather smart.

 

Over and out.

....................................................................................

 

RTE News Update Wednesday 12 February 2014 19.21pm

 

ESB Networks has said 260,000 customers are without power due to storm damage caused by winds of up to 160km/h.

The worst affected areas are in west Cork and Kerry and around 200,000 customers may be without power overnight.

Managing Director of ESB Networks Jerry O'Sullivan said: "We are dealing with a situation that is as bad if not worse than anything that we have seen in the past decade."

He said today's damage was of a different magnitude to disruption experienced in December, and that it will take longer to repair.

Gusts of 160km/h were recorded this afternoon at Shannon Airport and Waterford Airport recorded winds of 150km/h this morning.

Met Éireann has issued a status orange warning counties Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, with severe gusts of up to 130km/h forecast.

A major emergency plan, which was activated in Co Kilkenny due to damage caused by high winds, has been stood down.

Gardaí and county council officials have advised people to stay indoors and avoid any unnecessary travel.

Kerry County Council is urging people to stay indoors, with reports of damaged tress, tiles and debris.

The storm brought high seas and damaging winds, especially in exposed coastal areas.

Eircom said 11,000 faults have been reported on its network as a result of the recent bad weather.

AA Roadwatch has said a number of roads have been blocked in the south and southeast by fallen trees, telephone poles and other debris.

Gardaí have appealed to motorists not to make unnecessary journeys as the storm tracks north and eastwards.

A major emergency plan has been enacted in Limerick as a result of the storm damage in the city and county, with many roads affected by fallen trees and debris.

The University of Limerick was on lockdown for several hours because of the weather conditions this afternoon, and students were advised to stay indoors.

All evening classes and lectures have been cancelled.

The roof of Limerick Boat club along Sarsfield bridge blew off as a result of the wind.

Part of a building on nearby Sarsfield Street also collapsed, forcing the closure of Sarsfield bridge.

It will remain closed until at least 9pm tonight.

University Hospital Limerick is attempting to clear as many beds as possible to cope with an increased demand for services.

Elective surgery has been cancelled for tomorrow.

Service is disrupted at a large number of Post Offices across Kerry, Limerick and Clare due to power outages.

An Post is warning that services across the country may be affected if the bad weather persists.

Cork Airport suspended operations for safety reasons while Shannon Airport has reopened following its closure earlier.

Dublin Airport is advising that it remains open but passengers are advised to keep in contact with their airlines as the weather situation changes.

Iarnród Éireann has said there are no trains operating between Heuston Station and counties Cork, Kerry or Limerick this evening. 

There are also delays on all lines this evening.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime, spokesperson Barry Kenny said it was not possible to organise alternative road transport for passengers on the Cork, Kerry and Limerick lines because of road blockages caused by fallen trees.

City and Expressway bus services in Galway have resumed after being suspended due to high winds.

The Westside Library in the city has been evacuated after a number of windows at roof level were blown in.

The library features a number of large glass panes and there a fears more could be damaged in the strong winds.

Residents of the Killarney Nursing Home in Co Kerry were evacuated after the building was badly damaged.

It is understood that part of the roof of a neighbouring building was blown off and struck the nursing home on the Rock Road damaging a number of rooms.

Residents are being accommodated at a number of different locations in the town.

A section of the roof of a new, €7m swimming pool in New Ross was also blown off in the high winds.

What has been described as a mini tornado has caused extensive damage to houses, cars, trees and some telephone poles in Roscommon town and the village of Athleague.

Motorists urged to drive with care

Fallen trees and debris have led to a number of roads being closed around the country as local authorities work to clear as many routes as possible.

The worst affected areas are Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Kildare and Wicklow.

Trees have been cleared on the N71 Skibbereen to Cork road, but there are a number of fallen trees blocking the road between Bandon and Ballinhassig.

The Lee Road is impassable due to flooding and excess surface water has been reported on several roads in and around Cork city.

There are reports of debris, including shed roofs, in a number of areas on the Dingle Pensinsula.

Several roads in Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford are blocked or partially blocked due to fallen trees.

In Co Laois, the Monasterevin to Portarlington Road, the Block Road in Portlaoise and Ridge Road are all closed because of fallen trees and ESB lines.

In Co Wicklow, the Wicklow Gap and Sally Gap should be avoided due to blizzard like conditions and the Thornhill Road in Bray will be closed overnight because of a fallen tree.

[Darandio]

UAE 19 now preparing final approach at Glasgow.

[Summer Sun]

Met Office Storms

 

Wind gusts over 100 mph recorded in four consecutive hours at Aberdaron this afternoon. Highest gust in last hour 85 mph.

 

Strongest winds now transferring to northern England. Recent gusts 84 mph at Blackpool Airport and 80 mph at Crosby.

[Robbie Garrett]

Just had lightning in London, anyone else see that in the distance?

[LadyEv06]

Wind seems to have picked up even more in the past few minutes, constantly gusting

[ANYWEATHER]

So after months of watching lows nearly make it to the UK at hurricane force, one finally has done today. It was just a matter of time really, we couldn't keep dodging the bullet.

 

Unfortunately, due to over-hyping of previous storms, I don't think this one was taken seriously enough. The red warning was far too late - by 10am, everyone was at work or at school - the silly situation arose in Pembrokeshire today where children were sent home from school at the same time as police were advising people not to travel. And they only just got out in time because the roofs of two schools were blown off! Worse still tonight with commuters on trains suddenly being told their journey had ended because of the storms. But anyone watching the models over the last 48 hours could easily have predicted gusts in excess of 90 mph and possibly 100 mph (as indeed many of us have been doing). It was obviously going to be a different storm from all the ones we've had so far this winter. The media really should have been telling those in North Wales / NW England last night not to travel after 12pm today. I will be extremely surprised if we don't hear of avoidable fatalities on the news later. 

 

I imagine the response will be to go media crazy over Saturday morning's storm even if it ends up being far less intense - I'm guessing at the moment it has perhaps a 25% chance of matching today's storm but it's more likely to be a touch less stormy, and the difference between 80mph gusts and 100mph is absolutely huge when it comes to structural damage - and the timing will help too with it coming at night-time.

This storm was well predicted by the gfs days ago and even though it changed the storms track slightly, the bottom line is that it was very accurate in its modelling. Im surprised that the meto did not give there red warning out last night,  it looked very severe a few days ago and did not look any different last night, so hats off to gfs and thankfully we are just about over the worst of the winds, although sometime to go before winds moderate in the north...Friday/Saturdays storm looks more like a rainmaker rather than wind . not to say it wont be very windy though!!!  

[toggerob]

Rain and Lightning over the Emirates stadium a few mins ago.

[Mapantz]

This storm was well predicted by the gfs days ago and even though it changed the storms track slightly, the bottom line is that it was very accurate in its modelling. Im surprised that the meto did not give there red warning out last night,  it looked very severe a few days ago and did not look any different last night, so hats off to gfs and thankfully we are just about over the worst of the winds, although sometime to go before winds moderate in the north...Friday/Saturdays storm looks more like a rainmaker rather than wind . not to say it wont be very windy though!!!  

That depends where you are, the wind speeds look higher Fri/Sat here than today, and we took a battering, damage all over Dorset.

[matty40s]

UAE 19 now preparing final approach at Glasgow.

And now they land and find that there are no southern transport links open to get back home!!

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

Looking like this has rivalled the 23rd December storm in many parts. Truly unreal. 

This Friday storm was initially a rainmaker more than wind, but in all honestly it seems to be upgrading in wind potential as we go along too. 

I will not be forgetting this winter for a long long time for the exceptional amount of relentless storms it has produced. 

[matty40s]

Rain and Lightning over the Emirates stadium a few mins ago.

thats Wengers team talk after the weekends results..

[Thunder Snow]

Just gusty here at the moment, every now and then. However no where near as strong asjan 2005 storm, are the winds ment to get stronger

[stevofunnelcl]

Friday low just a rain-maker? (flood hit areas won't like that)

 

Not after seeing this !

 

https://twitter.com/RyanMaue/status/433666040917024768/photo/1

[WillinGlossop]

Really big gusts atm fencing down, tree down... Just put bins out....

[dismantled29]

Please can somebody tell me when this is due to ease off - stuck at work here in the red warning area dreading the drive home!

[bma79]

Back end of this now picking up in Northern Ireland

[sb44]

Dog just been forced to empty her bladder and found that we have at least two roof tiles in the back garden.

[AderynCoch]

A really wild evening here with the lights flickering and the wind making an unholy racket through the fireplace. Glad I don't have to go out!

[drgl]

Ridge tile Off neighbours roof. Not good. Stay safe people.

[on the coast]

2 roof tiles of and front fence down. Wind really is ferocious.

[SF-02]

Where will be worst affected on Friday/Saturday? Hasn't been too bad in the SE today - wind reasonable but nothing compared to elsewhere. Rain not too bad. Trains 95% ok too. 

 

Same on Friday or much worse here? And is it a Friday afternoon event or midnight and later?

Edited February 12, 2014 by SF-02

[Thunder Snow]

UAE 19 now preparing final approach at Glasgow.

grounding planes??

[Nick123]

Really quiet in Newcastle! Bit breezy!

[Liam J]

Gusting into the 70's now, really fierce.