WORST YET TO COME? ECMWF Has 5 Storms In 10 Days For UK, Slovenia Devastated By Ice Storm

Written by Mark Vogan on February 5, 2014 in Rest of Europe, United Kingdom & Ireland with 0 Comments

This stormy pattern has been quite incredible with the latest 952mb system causing significant disruption and damage overnight across Devon, Cornwall and South Wales. 80+mph winds drove battering waves up against the fragile, venerable Cornish and Devonshire coasts causing sea walls and piers to collapse and railway lines to dangle over choppy seas.

Here was the scene at Dawlish this morning!

Source: BBC

The reason for the Southwest taking the brunt of some of Europe worst weather these days can be blamed on the Atlantic trough/Europe high which is producing a SW storm track. Why are they so frequent and powerful. Strength of jet, upper steering pattern and probably the large water temperature contrast.

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At one point as many as 44,000 were powerless while some 200 trees across the Southwest were reported down.

As you can see from the visible satellite image captured this afternoon, while that deep low spins over the UK just now, we have another already appearing and heading UK bound while high pressure shows up with clear skies and snow cover visible.

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While the conga line of storms continue to sweep across the UK and graze western mainland Europe, high pressure protects much of the continent from this Atlantic siege. However, parts of Europe are having their hardship and for those in Slovenia, folks are dealing with massive snow and ice accumulations.

When analysing the various models, there appears to be not 1, not two but as many as 5 fairly deep lows set to hit the UK over the next 10 days. Another big one hits this weekend and with the continued southwest track, it looks like Southwest England, South Wales will have to do it all over again.

Here’s the current surface analysis from the ECMWF for today.