30 years ago - a storm?

[Mick F]

The news is mentioning the "great storm" of October 1987.

It only affected the SE of England as I remember it and no-one seems to mention the storm that affected the SW a year or so later.
I didn't keep a diary back then, so I can't remember when it was. I seem to think that it was in February, but I could be wrong.
Trees down everywhere, and much damage too.

No doubt, there's been many storms that have affected other areas, but because the SE was effected, it's called The Great Storm.

[Paulatic]

The news is mentioning the "great storm" of October 1987.

It only affected the SE of England as I remember it and no-one seems to mention the storm that affected the SW a year or so later.
I didn't keep a diary back then, so I can't remember when it was. I seem to think that it was in February, but I could be wrong.
Trees down everywhere, and much damage too.

No doubt, there's been many storms that have affected other areas, but because the SE was effected, it's called The Great Storm.

That’ll be why I’ve no recollection of this great storm in October.
One I vividly remember was I think on a Boxing Day. Can’t remember the exact year but it must have been around 2000. I had sheep to see near Mauchline and it was a hell of journey with trees down everywhere and roads blocked. I got around obstructions because of four wheel drive. It was such slow going I nearly turned around and went home. With hindsight I wished I had.

[tatanab]

The news is mentioning the "great storm" of October 1987.---no-one seems to mention the storm that affected the SW a year or so later.

I lived in Hampshire right on the coast during both storms. 1987 I recall standing in the garden in my pyjamas (it was that warm) while I watched the roof tiles rippling up and down in the wind before falling back. The house sustained no damage. The second storm was one year later and I had to rescue the conservatory roof from the garden and reattach it during the storm. The big difference was that the 1987 storm was overnight whereas the later storm was during the day so there were a lot more injuries. We were sent home from work early in the afternoon because conditions were dangerous around the site. I recall seeing a posse of "stout" women linking arms but still being blown around.

[thirdcrank]

Eighteen people died and 15 million trees were destroyed as a result of the high winds.
It is thought that the storm caused £1bn in damage to property and infrastructure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41620071

I don't think that should be dismissed as some sort of over-reaction from effete residents of south eastern England.

[al_yrpal]

Slept right through it, didnt know anything about it until my wife came home a bit late. She was the night sister in charge of Readings Battle Hospital. She described how the plate glass windows in the corridoors were bowing in impossibly in the wind during the night. She was late because of the fallen trees blocking almost every road on her way home. Large sections of the forest nearby had been blown flat. Wish I could sleep as well as that these days.

Al

[rjb]

Slept right through it,

Al

Me too down in somerset, i remember putting breakfast telly on the following morning and watching the bbc broadcasting from what looked like a broom cupboard, thinking whats up here then.
And like others have mentioned a daytime storm (the burns storm 1990) caused much more damage down in the south west. I cycled home after work at 2.00 pm, it was a wild ride, the first 2 miles were in cross winds and i was being blown across the road ending up in the verge on both sides on a couple of occasions then with the wind behind me i was freewheeling along the flat at over 40mph with my brakes on.
In hindsight i should have waited for the winds to abate, Plenty of trees down but no damage at home apart from the tv aerial where the mast had folded over.

[irc]

The Glasgow storm of 1968 killed more people (20) made 700 homeless and had same peak wind speed as the 1987 storm.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Scotland_storm

I bet there won,t be stories in the national news for the 50th anniversary.

Usual UK southeast media bias.

[landsurfer]

The 1987 storm devastated the part of Suffolk we lived in , Shotly Gate.
Cut off from Ipswich and the rest of the world by hundreds of fallen trees, no power for over a week. Mass barbecues every evening to use up the food.
Then work decided we had had enough of a break and laid on 2 Sea Kings and Wessex to get us back and forward to work each day.
Which they did when we were cut off by snow each year.
Half a dozen houses had gable ends blown out and my garage roof decided to move into the field next to the house.
When the road opened i cycled with a friend to Rendlesham Forest via Ipswich, it looked like a bomb had gone off, thousands of trees snapped off about 6 feet from the ground ... terrible sight.

[nez]

I think if anything the storm was at its peak around our little house in Brittany. The back end of it blew out. It was a bit weird only having three walls. We got it fixed quickly enough.

Ramsgate harbour was built as the response to another great storm on the Downs where I believe the loss of life was enormous. Daniel Defoe wrote a book about ‘the great storm.’

[nez]

I think if anything the storm was at its peak around our little house in Brittany. The back end of it blew out. It was a bit weird only having three walls. We got it fixed quickly enough.

Ramsgate harbour was built as the response to another great storm on the Downs where I believe the loss of life was enormous. Daniel Defoe wrote a book about ‘the great storm.’

Sorry that comes out a bit staccato - writing on an ipad

[rjb]

Sorry that comes out a bit staccato - writing on an ipad

well if you must use a hammer and chisel on your tablet

[PH]

The news is mentioning the "great storm" of October 1987.

It only affected the SE of England as I remember

This wasn't my memory, so I looked it up. It came inland in Cornwall and caused damage up into the midlands, though the strongest winds were in the South East. Google tells me it was the most expensive English weather event on record to insurers, through the UK record goes to the Burns' Day storm of 1990

[meic]

I remember the storm and I was in Liverpool at the time.
I dont remember any damage but I do remember the wind. I couldnt get the motorbike to ride between the buildings on the water front, so parked it in the lee. I then had fun walking to the main entrance doors, the only way that you could walk forward was by leaning forward. So I "walked upright" at about 45 degrees to horizontal touching fingertips to the ground occasionally.

[nez]

Sorry that comes out a bit staccato - writing on an ipad

well if you must use a hammer and chisel on your tablet

How did you know? I put a sticker over the camera

[Mick F]

The Glasgow storm of 1968 killed more people (20) made 700 homeless and had same peak wind speed as the 1987 storm.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Scotland_storm

I bet there won,t be stories in the national news for the 50th anniversary.

Usual UK southeast media bias.

This is my point.

Not decrying the death and destruction of Oct 87 of course, but the news is the news, and they rarely tell the truth or the whole story ............................ but they usually do with the SE of England.