Forecasters described Storm Éowyn as ‘probably the strongest storm’ the UK has experienced in the last decade.
Parts of Ireland witnessed the highest wind speeds recorded, with a staggering 114mph hitting Mace Head, Co Galway. Similarly, a gust of 100mph was documented at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire, Scotland on the same day, while gusts of 96mph were recorded in Northumberland.
But what caused such high winds to hit the country?
The Met Office has now explained how Storm Éowyn developed through a process called explosive cyclogenesis, which is known as a ‘weather bomb’.
Met Office forecasters say a ‘weather bomb’ is an unofficial term for a low pressure system whose central pressure falls 24 millibars in 24 hours in a process known as explosive cyclogenesis.
What is a weather bomb?
Rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream high up in the atmosphere can remove air from the column, reducing its weight so causing pressure to fall at sea level.
This in turn sucks in air which converges from surrounding regions resulting in faster and faster rotation of the circulation, in the same way that ice skaters spin faster by drawing their arms in.
The resulting winds peak over a period of a few hours and can be strong enough to bring down trees and cause structural damage.
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View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/storm-owyn-weather-bomb-explained-30875708
