The exact time 80mph winds are set to hit Scotland due to tropical …
Scotland[1] has been placed on a 80mph storm footing, with hurricane-force winds barrelling in from the United States. Moisture from tropical storm Ophelia has been scooped up by a deep low pressure system[2], expected to make landfall in Scotland on Wednesday.
It has resulted in a severe weather warning[3] from the Met Office predicting possible power cuts, flooding and “a danger to life.” The high-speed winds are expected to hit all of Scotland, except from the far north, from 3pm on Wednesday and will last until 7am on Thursday.
Meteorologists have been tracking the development of the storm since last week, when its first impacts were felt by communities on the eastern seaboard of the USA[4]. In North Carolina and Virginia, 70,000 residents lost power and a state of emergency was declared after a coastal sea surge of three feet was recorded.
Here, the Met Office say moisture from Ophelia has been scooped up into a powerful and deep low pressure system heading 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. Computer models are not entirely sure of its exact point of impact in the UK but the Met Office believes it will first hit southern Ireland on Wednesday before rapidly moving up the Irish Sea.
Forecaster Ellie Glaisyer said:”Scotland is going to be very wet and windy from Wednesday and into Thursday. Inland, we widely expect winds of between 50 and 60mph and possibly 70-75mph on coasts facing the Irish Sea. A few isolated gusts of 80mph are expected in south west Scotland.”
The Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale begins at 74mph, which confirms the upcoming event as hurricane-force. If it meets the criteria for a named storm, the Met Office will call it Storm Agnes. It is hoped it does not replicate conditions caused by Hurricane Agnes, believed to be the most powerful hurricane in US history, which caused severe flooding in 1972.
Met Office weather warning
The current Met Office warning suggests this week’s event could be ‘significantly disruptive.’ It states:” There is a small chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris
“There is a slight chance of some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs. There is a slight chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
“Longer journey times are likely, or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected. Some roads and bridges are likely to close. There is a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties; with a chance of some minor flooding of coastal roads.”
The danger period begins at 10am on Wednesday and lasts through until 7am on Thursday. Scottish areas at risk include Dumfries and Galloway[6], Lothian and Borders, Grampian, Central, Tayside and Fife, Highland and Islands and Strathclyde.
Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, Mark Sidaway said: “The start of next week will continue showery for many with strong winds in northwestern areas. There is the potential for a deep area of low pressure to bring further heavy rain and disruptive winds on Wednesday and Thursday but details on timings and the exact location of potential impacts remain uncertain at this far ahead.”
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References
- ^ Scotland (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ a deep low pressure system (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ a severe weather warning (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
- ^ the USA (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Tragedy in the North Sea as fisherman dies after boat capsizes near coast of Macduff (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Dumfries and Galloway (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ here (data.reachplc.com)