Storm Eunice – Charmed up with that?

Remember these are knots, not mph – 1kt = 1.15 mph. Wind gusts above 80kts plus (92 mph) were widespread inland and away from exposed coastal locations. Top speed is 107 mph at Aberporth. Avonmouth hit 97 mph while the horizontal Sheerness in Kent went higher at 101 mph.

The latest Met Office forecasts show winds of 80 to 90 mph along the Bristol Channel. Nothing to recommend anything much above 90 mph. except on top of a high, exposed cliff.

Further north, winds of 70 kts or more (80 mph) were common in 1990. In Sheffield we expect maximum winds of 60 mph tomorrow:

Sadly, I have no doubt that the BBC/Met Office will pick a few clifftop and high-rise sites to claim 100 mph winds. Shame on them if they did, for having made political propaganda out of a human tragedy.

Storm Dudley

While we’re at it, let’s take a look back at Storm Dudley, which I seem to recall had wind forecasts above 100 mph.

In fact, it’s just a typical winter storm. As always, the Met Office uses inappropriate websites and is not representative of leading websites. Capel Curig is located halfway up a mountain in Snowdonia. Emley Moor, which I usually cycle, is about 800 feet above the ITV mast, etc.

One of the saddest things about the Met Office’s determination to give every storm that crosses our path a silly name is that it undercuts the truly memorable events.

In twenty years’ time, who will remember Eunice? It will be just another in a long line of miller storms. In contrast, Burns Day or the great hurricane of 1987 will be remembered for many years to come, precisely because they were so extraordinary and so named at the time.