‘DORIS DAY’: Intense Storm Turns into a Weather Bomb Hitting Britain

DORIS wreaks havoc across Scotland with 151-km winds

Storm DORIS has rapidly intensified over the last 24 hours as it has undergone what is called Explosive Cyclogenisis turning it into a Weather Bomb, UK Met office reported.

• Details are available from UK Met Office.

Superstorm Striking W Europe – Satellite Image Update 2

Atlantic Superstorm inching closer

IR – Rain Satellite image at 22:30UTC February 7, 2014.  © Copyright EUMETSAT/Met Office

Weather Warning

The UK Met Office has issued Level 2 amber severe weather warnings through  Sunday, expecting “significant impact” by the storm.

“There is a risk that defenses which have not already been flooded could be, with rainfall totals looking very high in areas already affected,” said a spokesperson.

Flood Warning

UK Environment Agency has issued about 500 Flood Warnings and Flood Alert throughout the country, including 2 Severe Flood Warnings, meaning “danger to life,” as of posting.

A Region Devastated by Floods

“There is a high risk on the Somerset Levels [an area already submerged by earlier floods.] River flooding in this area is expected to be exacerbated by further rainfall,” said the UK Environment Agency.

Meanwhile, official data show that England and Wales experienced the rainiest December to January period since records began 138 years ago.

Related Links

• Catastrophic Superstorm Targetting Britain – Satellite Image February 7, 2014
• Catastrophic Superstorm to Smash into Britain Shortly February 7, 2014
• Superstorm to Hit UK February 5, 2014

Storm Kills at least 15 in Northern Europe

Record gusts of 191 km/h (119mph) reported over the North Sea

A major storm battering NW Europe has killed at least 15 people including seven in Germany, four in Britain, two in the Netherlands and one each in France and Denmark.

The storm hit Britain with gusts of up to nearly 100mph early Monday, leaving a path of damage across large parts of southern UK, before targeting mainland Europe.

A crane smashed into the U.K. Cabinet Office in central London, forcing Deputy Prime Minister to cancel a news conference, while a gas explosion caused by toppled trees killed at least two people in west London, according to reports.

Flights and ferry services as well as road and rail transport were severely affected throughout the vast storm-battered region.

The storm knocked out power to about a million homes and business across northwestern Europe, including 750,000 customers in Britain.

Winds of about 155 kph swept across the low-lying Netherlands, killing at least two people, and causing widespread damage.

Giant waves crash against a lighthouse in Port of Boulogne, France October 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters. Image may be subject to copyright.

Denmark and Sweden issued storm warnings, as hurricane force winds gusting to about 162km/h hit Scandinavia, causing widespread damage across the region, while meteorologists measured record winds of  191 km/h (119mph) over the North Sea.

Related Links

• Severe Weather Warning Issued for South of England  on October 24, 2013
• Deadly Storm Batters Southern U.K. October 28, 2013

Deadly Storm Batters Southern U.K.

Britain’s deadly storm unleashes wind gust of 159km/h

The strongest storm in a decade to hit U.K. battered the southern regions early Monday, uprooting scores of trees, cutting power lines and blocking roads and railroad tracks.

A wind gust of 159km/h (99mph ) was recorded at Needles Old Battery, Isle of Wight, at 05:00 GMT on Monday, Britain’s Met Office reported.

Up to  third of a million homes lost power, and two reactors in Dungeness nuclear power station were automatically shut down after power to the plant was cut off.

Roads and railroad tracks were blocked by scores of fallen trees severely disrupting travel plans for millions of commuters.

Authorities issued at least a dozen flood warnings in southwest England, East Anglia and the Midlands, as well as132 flood alerts across England and Wales.

• The storm has claimed at least two lives.
• At least 130 flights were cancelled at London’s Heathrow airport.
• London’s both Heathrow  and Gatwick airports have warned of further flight delays and cancellations.
• The damage was “worse than expected,” said UK’s Network Rail.

“While conditions were as forecast during the early part of the morning, the damage caused by the storm has been more severe than expected as it has tracked eastwards to the north of London and across to East Anglia,” said Network Rail, the owner-operator of most of the rail infrastructure in  Britain.

“As a result, the West Coast, East Coast and Midland main lines are all currently blocked at their southern ends as a result of fallen trees and damage to power lines and all services are currently suspended on the Anglia route, where the storm is currently.”

A fallen tree ruptured a gas main, leading to a gas explosion in Hounslow, west London. The London Fire Brigade said three houses had collapsed and two others damaged following the explosion. Photo credit London Fire Brigade.

Related Links

• Severe Weather Warning Issued for South of England  on October 24, 2013