UK Weather 4 Jan 1979

[exmpa]

I am currently writing an account of events I was involved in on the night of 3/4 January 1979 in the Southwest Approaches to the UK. There was a very significant winter storm that night and whilst I am able to write about what it was like to be in it I would like to locate some data to illustrate the account. I have found on this site a 500mb (hpa had been invented then ) chart, but would rather like to find a surface analysis as the account is intended for a non-professional audience. In addition, I would like to find either regional forecasts or reports for the period or ideally, Actual Weather Reports (Actuals) or Terminal Airfield Forecasts (TAFs) for the UK Master Diversion Airfields (MDA) . 

Can anyone assist me?

Thanks,

exmpa

[philglossop]

That was the night of the so called Torcross storm, which hit Torcross and Slapton badly. Very much like what happened in February 2014 at Dawlish as the winds were in the correct direction for a hit with SE severe gales.

 

I can just remember being taken there by my Nan afterwards and the houses were all boarded up- Afterwards they built a massive sea wall defence which saved the village in February 2014, although the A379 was washed away where no defences were made.

 

I'll have a look in Plymouth library for the Plymouth Herald at that time and the Sunday Independant. The local Torbay paper is Herald Express- they may help?

 

Regional TV- ITV was Westward TV (sigh) back then so you could buy a DVD copy of Westward Diary with Graham Danton giving the weather and BBC Spotlight with Craig Rich may help. The archive is the South West TV Images archive.

 

Hope that helps.

[philglossop]

Something I started back along

[stewfox]

I use to write a page of A4 (diary) every day back then. Sure I would mention something re the weather. Lived in Surrey then. Jan 79 great month for snow

[exmpa]

I think it's appropriate that I provide a more background, I recall that night very clearly because I was 1st Pilot of a 42 Sqn Nimrod that was scrambled to assist at an incident off Guernsey that resulted in the loss of the MV Cantonad. We were then retasked to locate a second vessel in distress some 40 miles south of The Lizard. This  proved to be the yacht Peacock with two people on board, a third having been lost overboard.  Conditions that night were the worst I ever flew in throughout a flying career of over 40 years. I already have the report from the Western Morning News of 5 January and  number of reports from the Guernsey press. I have also been in touch with some other participants in the events of that night, although our numbers are steadily diminishing.

 I am writing an account of the incidents from our perspective as a Nimrod crew. There were many other factors at play that morning and I should like to locate met observations for the period. In particular I am interested in observation for the following airfields:

St Mawgan

Lyneham

Waddington

Valley

Kinloss or Lossiemouth

Leeming

Leuchars

Thanks,

exmpa