CASE STUDY- The great storm 1987

NATURE OF EVENT

• Depression began over the Bay of Biscay, as south westerly winds carrying warm wet air from the N.atlantic met NE winds carrying cold air from the poles
• The depression deepened rapidly due to unusually warm sea surface in the Bay of Biscay and steep temp gradient between the 2 air masses
• Strong winds developed at core of depression 
• The polar front jet stream was located further south than normal so the depression fored over N france instead of Scotland
• On 15th october pressure at the centre fell from 970mb to 953mb (much lower than UK average)
• The storm hit the south coast of cornewall and Devon at midnight and moved across the midlands, wreaking Humer Estuary on the E coast in the morning of the 16th. 
• SE suffered with the highest gusts reaching 150kmh-1 which is hurricane strength. 
• After 6am on 16th the depression started to weaken and more away over the N sea. 

SOCIAL…