October 15Th / 16Th 1987.

[LeonBlank1995]

The big storm that Michael Fish said wasn't going to happen.

Where were you and did it affect you?

[andy-hughes]

Living in the middle of the country, no real effect.

I felt sorry for Michael Fish because he only passed on the info he as given, and the Met Office fell victim to the vagiaries of rapid changes in climate over a small land mass like the British Isles.

[youngmafbog]

I have no idea, and I doubt it bothered me one iota.

[Ken4155]

Due to the rapid development of the storm, it was labelled a 'weather bomb'. I honestly don't remember it affecting the north of the country, with most of the damage, and deaths, occurring down south.

[douglas9401]

Experts, eh?

[andy-hughes]

douglas - // Experts, eh? //

It is easy to poke fun at the people involved, Mr Fish especially, but even experts cannot see into the future, and things can, and in this case did, change really quickly, and no amount of expertise can get around that.

[douglas9401]

You are, of course, entitled to your view, please afford others the same courtesy.

Thank you from a grateful nation and membership. X

[andy-hughes]

douglas - // You are, of course, entitled to your view, please afford others the same courtesy. //

I know that - and I do.

Nothing in my post suggests that your view should not be expressed, or that it is incorrect.

Relax, it's the weekend.

[bakerwales]

I was living in the south of England at the time and was woken in the night by the tree in the garden coming down and through our bedroom window. No electricity for 3 days and no public transport could get to where we lived as trees and debris were strewn everywhere - had to walk 3 miles to be able to get a bus to go to work!!!!

[-SharonA-]

In London, we were greatly affected. No school for my young sons. Trees down, my fence gone. All in all it was a nice cosy day off work.

[Prudie]

I was also in the south of England and yes it had quite an effect mainly because of trees falling. One of my big regrets is the noise of it all did wake me up in the middle of the night but I didn't get up to see what was going on.

[ladybirder]

I remember it well. I never actually heard it as I slept through it in my SWLondon flat which had wooden shutters at the windows. But oh boy I got a shock when I opened them. First thing I noticed was a big branch of the tree under which my Mini was parked had broken off and smashed the roof of my car. Then I noticed oranges rolling down the garden path which it turned out were from the greengrocers around the corner. Went up to Richmond Park later that day and lots of trees damaged there. Only known one instance worse than that and that was in the NY Dales when a 100hpm gust took the roof off mine and next door's cottages. We got them put back on the same day though as next door had 'contacts'.

[LeonBlank1995]

You must have been near Kew Gardens Ladybirder. I believe they were affected badly and lost a lot.

[Redhelen72]

Yes we were living in Norfolk and our caravan ended up the other end of the air base we were living

[rockyracoon]

I lived in London at the time. I didn’t hear a thing, but on my walk to work the morning after I wondered what the hell had happened. There were fallen trees, damaged fences etc. I didn’t have a clue that there had been a storm.

[pat2604]

Husband was working nights and I was worried about his return down country tree lined roads. The noise was horrendous. I stayed up all night. My four year old slept soundly all night. No school for little one or work for me the next day. Trees down all over the roads. Hubby got home successfully, but very late. No mobile phones then to keep in touch. Oh and garage roof was torn off.



I for Mr

[pat2604]

I for Mr???? No idea!

[New Judge]

Yes, "extreme weather". Other examples:

The terrible winter of 1947 - sub-zero temperatures from January to March. Coal supplies cut off to power stations, food shortages due to crops being buried under six feet of snow.

The great North Sea storm surge of 1953 - Over 200 sq miles of eastern England flooded, more than 300 lives lost here and 1,800 in The Netherlands.

The "big freeze" of 1963 - Snow covered the country for two months; six foot drifts in Kent; the sea froze for over a mile from the shore in Herne Bay; a 36 hour blizzard in February to top it all up; no temperatures above zero from Boxing Day until 8th March. My school - along with most others - remained open almost throughout.

The drought of 1976 - temperatures above 80F across England for almost three weeks, above 90F in London for six days in a row, no rain in most of southern England for 45 days in July and August.

The 1979 Fastnet storm - huge (unpredicted) storm in the Atlantic off Ireland. 75 boats sunk, 19 people drowned during the Fastnet yacht race.

The great storm of 1990 - 3m trees downed, widespread flooding across England, power lost to almost 1m homes, some not restored for a week.

And all this before "Global Warming" or its alter ego "Climate Change" was ever really thought about.

[pat2604]

North Norfolk.

[Barsel]

I can't remember, perhaps we didn't get it in Manchester.
If we did, it obviously didn't leave an impression on me.

[Barsel]

Weather forecast for today
Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightened me, so I stayed in.
This means I will have to go out tomorrow.
How much do you bet this is when we will get the storms?