1913 United Kingdom tornado outbreak

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1913 United Kingdom tornado outbreak
Damage caused by the tornado in Abercynon
TypeTornado outbreak
Extratropical cyclone
Formed27 October 1913
Dissipated28 October 1913
Lowest pressure974 mb (28.76 inHg)
Fatalitiesat least 6 fatalities, 150 injured [3]
Damage£100,000 (1913)[1]
£11.6 million (2020) [2]
Areas affectedNorth East Scotland, North West England, English Midlands, Eastern England, South Wales, Southern England, Cornwall, Munster[4]

The 1913 United Kingdom tornado outbreak was an outbreak of tornadoes, particularly over England and Wales, on 27 October 1913. The most notable tornadoes occurred in South Wales, where at least two tornadoes had winds of at least 160 miles per hour (260 km/h). This is equal to an F3 on the Fujita scale. One of the tornadoes, at Edwardsville, Merthyr Tydfil, resulted in 6 deaths and hundreds of injuries. This is the deadliest-known tornado to occur in the United Kingdom.[5] Other notable tornadoes struck in Cheshire and Shropshire.

Meteorological background

The atmospheric set up at the height of the outbreak – 18:00 on 27 October.

A rapidly deepening low-pressure extratropical cyclone tracked quickly south on the afternoon of 27 October. The central pressure of the system was 990 millibars (29 inHg) at midnight on the 27th,[6] deepening to 975 millibars (28.8 inHg) by 18:00.[7] The low pressure helped to sustain a stream of strong southerly winds, as in days previous,[8] sustaining significantly warmer than average conditions. Temperatures were widely reported over 21 °C (70 °F) in some places.[9] Active weather fronts arriving from the Atlantic Ocean resulted in the instability needed to cause such tornadoes. The low pressure brought cooler air to the country by the 31st.[10]

Tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
10 0 0 1 2 0 0 15 known

Most intense tornadoes

Most intense tornadoes - Monday 27 October 1913
F# T# Location County Comments/Damage
Wales
F3 T7 Llantwit Fardre to Bedlinog Glamorgan 5+ Deaths - A T7 rated tornado tracked up the Taff Valley impacting the communities of Llantwit Fadre, Treforest, Cilfynydd, Abercynon, Edwardsville and Bedlinog. The worst damage occurred in Abercynon and Edwardsville, where at least 5 people died. Over 100 people were injured.[11]
England
F3 T6 Runcorn Cheshire Struck the town around 20:30 to 21:00 before moving off to Lancashire. Caused much damage.[12]
F2 T5 Shrewsbury Shropshire Categorised as a T5 on the TORRO scale with winds between 137 and 160 mph.[13]

Other tornadoes

Other tornadoes were reported in England at Blackpool, Craypole, Peckforton, Oundle, Exeter, Collumpton and Worthing. The final tornado of the outbreak was reported at Witcombe Park, Gloucester at around 17:20 on 28 October. A tornado was reported in Scotland at Crathes and in Ireland at Crosshaven. However, all of these tornadoes were generally weak.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "An Extraordinary Tornado". Trove. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  2. ^ "UK Inflation Calculator". in2013dollars.com. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Storms, floods, tornados, heat waves. So, what's new?". The Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Storms, floods, tornados, heat waves. So, what's new?". Phenomena.org. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Storms, floods, tornados, heat waves. So, what's new?". The Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  6. ^ "500hPa Geopot. Height – Mon 27 Oct 00:00 1913". Wetterzentrale. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  7. ^ "500hPa Geopot. Height – Mon 27 Oct 18:00 1913". Wetterzentrale. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. ^ "850hPa Temp – Sat 25 Oct 18:00 1913". Wetterzentrale. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Monthly Weather Report For The Year 1913". Met Office. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. ^ "850hPa Temp – Fri 31 Oct 18:00 1913". Wetterzentrale. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Deadly Merthyr Tydfil tornado of 1913 recalled in new heritage project". Trove. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  12. ^ "The Devastating South Wales Tornadoes of 1913". Geology Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Tornadoes in Wales". Phenomena.org. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Tornadoes in Wales". Phenomena.org. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
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