January 2005- a very unsettled period

At midnight the low was centred close to North Rona (a remote island station located in the far west of the Western Isles) predicted to be close to 944mbars as seen on the 00Z synoptic chart: http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/2005/brack/bracka20050112.gif). It was during this hour that the station recorded a mean low level wind speed of 94kts (108 mph) and a phenomenal gust of 116kts (134 mph) – which would be the 2nd highest low level gust ever recorded. However, there is concern about the station exposure and discussion continues as to the veracity of the report. Although the station is very isolated and exposed, it was not alone in recording a gusts in excess of 100 mph during the night as is shown by Table 1 below. The strongest lowland gust aside from at North Rona, of 116mph, was recorded by a trusty Davis Vantage Pro 1 at Carloway on the Isle of Lewis. The wind rig had been put into service only the day before the storm and the owner wasn't sure it would survive it's first testing; however it clearly did!

Table 1: Selected wind gusts recorded during the 11th and 12th

Station -Wind Gust (mph)

Aanoch Mor (3000ft)* 142

Cairngorm (4000ft)* 139

North Rona, W Isles*  134

Carloway, Isle of Lewis 116mph (unofficial) 

Sule Skerry 115

* Not accepted as lowland readings

Hurricane force winds swept the Western Isles during the evening as the centre of the low (still falling at the time) passed just to the north - and caused a considerable amount of structural damage and flooding in the area as the tide surged inland. Tragically a family of five lost their lives in the storm as they attempted to escape from rising floodwaters at their home on Benbecula - the car in which they were travelling was washed into the sea by the tide and severe winds.

Much of Scotland was affected by the storm – roads were blocked, main bridges closed, ferry services and rail operations abandoned. Over 60,000 were left without power as trees and power lines lay strewn across the countryside in the storms wake. During the afternoon a driver was killed after a lorry blown over the A1 near Burnmouth crushed their car, many were evacuated from their homes as 4ft flood waters engulfed parts of Oban, a Spanish fishing boat which went missing off the Hebrides was rescued by the RAF – all 19 passengers safe. Further flooding also occurred in the Western and Northern Isles – particularly badly affected was Ronaldsay in Orkney where it was estimated to be the worst flooding for 20 years.

Winds had certainly been extreme across the NW of Scotland during the early evening of the 12th. North Rona had reported mean winds of just short of 100mph with gusts to 115mph. Barra in the Hebrides had reported a 92Knt gust before the automatic station had stopped reporting at 17Z. Stornoway had reported a gust over 100mph.  Snow levels were generally about 300m but were temporarily lower in any squalls so blizzards were occurring over the Scottish mountains. Winds rose a little more during the next few hours as noted above.. a peak wind of 134mph being reported at N Rona though it should be emphasised that this is a very remote and unpopulated island station; however generally after 00Z they started to abate.

By the morning of the 12th winds were subsiding as pressure rose quickly and the low moved away to the NE. (Midday charts are available here- http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive//ra2/2005/Rrea2005011212.gif ). However by this time the damage had been done. If there was a consolation it was the track of the low at least meant that the most destructive winds were spared from the most populated areas of N Ireland and the Scottish Forth/Clyde valley. However it was certainly one of the most intense depressions to affect the west coast of Scotland for many years.