It is fair to say that 2006 was quite an unsettled Autumn. After the effects of ex-Hurricane Gordon had been felt in September (see previous article for Sept 2011) October was also unsettled. It is true though that by the end of October we do tend to expect to see such autumnal storms developing. However, sometimes they are of such strength even then that they still manage to make the headlines. One such storm was that of the 26th October 2006, when a quickly deepening depression moved across Scotland into the northern North Sea. Strong winds on the north west and western side of the depression brought winds gusts to over 90mph across the NE Scottish mainland, which despite being used to such winds brought disruption across these parts.

This particular area of low pressure developed to the south west of the UK. During the 24th, the air mass here contained a large amount of warm moist air but further north, much colder arctic air was massing to the east of Iceland, poised to move south west as it was steered by high pressure over Greenland. The scene was set for a clash of airmasses – right over Scotland. As the airmasses met a new depression began to develop early on the 25th over SW Ireland and this was steered north east by the jet above in a strong upper SW'ly flow.

See http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra2/2006/Rrea2006102612.gif

Outbreaks of rain developed widely across the UK, moving north overnight and produced with some large totals. In a 24 hour period, on the 25th (to 09Z 26th) Altnaharra (Sutherland) recorded 62mm; further south in Yorkshire even Bingley (W.Yorks) recorded 55mm. Over the 25th-26th, 48hr rainfall totals (to 09Z 27th) included Rackwick on the Orkneys with 117mm. By daybreak on the 26th the developing low was over Western Scotland, at around 976mb with easterly gales in the Northern Isles and northerly storm force winds off of NW Scotland. As the day progressed the low pressure slipped east to lie off the east coast of Scotland by the end of the afternoon, deepening to around 971mbs with strong NE'ly winds on the north west side of the depression and these gave some exceptionally high gusts across the north east of Scotland and the Northern Isles. Lerwick and Wick were stations that reported some of the highest wind speeds reaching 74knts & 77knts (90mph) respectively.

Damage and flooding was reported across the Northern Isles. Thousands of people were left without power and 40 people had to be rescued from their flooded homes in Dingwall by lifeboats. On mainland Scotland, the police told people not to travel in Rosshire, Caithness and Sutherland due to the danger of falling trees and a train from Glasgow to Inverness was hit by tree branches on the line, although no one was hurt. The track itself was washed away at Helmsdale. Had the storm been slightly further south then the depression would have brought these damaging winds right across the more populated areas of Scotland, so there is some comfort to be drawn from the fact it was further north.

Further south though it was a very different story as there were largely clear skies across England during the afternoon. The warm airmass also allowed some unusually high temperatures for late October with 19.6C recorded at Wisley and 20C at Margate in Kent.

On the 27th the depression continued to move east, bringing storm force winds to the coasts of Scandinavia and plenty of rain and snow across the Baltic and into Sweden and Finland.