Daily Express Forecast “Storm Of Century” – ( A Week After Forecasting Huge Freeze!)
By Paul Homewood
The Daily Express are forecasting that the “Storm of the Century” will hit Britain in the next week. This time, the nonsense comes from Jonathan Powell of Vantage Weather Services.
Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, warned that Britain could be facing the “storm of the century” next week. He said Atlantic low pressure systems lined up to roll in unchecked could trigger more tornadoes around the UK.
He said: “If you thought it was bad now you’ve seen nothing yet. There is more wind and rain this week but on Sunday and into the beginning of next week it is going to hit with full force. “A flow of Atlantic systems will bring storm-force gusts, torrential downpours and even more tornadoes in the most unexpected places.
“Next Sunday is looking very severe, and all signs are pointing to what could be the storm of the century.
There seems little doubt that it will be wet and windy. The Met Office Day 6 – Day 30 forecast tells us:
But there is absolutely no indication that this will be any different to the sort of storms that we see most winters. Storm of the Century? I think not.
The Express, of course, has previous when it comes to making a big front page splash about looming weather calamities. It was only last week that they were forecasting “ The Worst Winter for Decades & Record Snow”, with James Madden of Exacta Weather predicting:
“The cold theme from the latter part of October is likely to continue into November – and for the vast majority of the month.
November could turn out to be a record-breaking month. There is the potential for some significant falls of snow. The northern half is likely to experience the worst conditions.”
Now, just ten days later, Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel, says:
“The rest of October to early November will continue very changeable and wet with a series of low pressure systems moving rapidly eastwards from the Atlantic in a strong jet stream.”
Still, I suppose it sells papers!
Trackbacks
- The UK Saint Jude’s Day Storm – just another fall storm in a long line of many | Watts Up With That?
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
What is meant by “storm of the century”?
Does it mean the worst storm so far this century or the worst storm for 100 years?
We are only 13 years into this century, so the former wouldn’t be saying anything particularly special.
Jonathan Powell was also mentioned in the “Worst winter” article, and he has a record of making extreme forecasts when he ran “Positive Weather Solutions”.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jun/15/daily-express-weather-forecast-jonathan-powell
We have the same people here in New Zealand with “gales of the century “such as haven’t been seen since 1970. I blame the youth of the newsreporters and editors who only have tertiary qualifications in journalism, if that. Liberal Arts graduates to a woman (or man)
“Storm of the Week!”
M E Wood permalink
October 23, 2013 12:26 am
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newsreporters and editors who only have tertiary qualifications in journalism, if that. Liberal Arts graduates to a woman (or man)
I’d forgive them if that had included a rigorous grounding in Aristotelian Logic and Fallacies. Many a misstatement would be scotched at birth.
Depending on how one answers QV’s question the storm of 1953 would seem relevant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea_flood_of_1953
Reblogged this on CraigM350.
It does look to be a nasty system & *could* be the worst in the S/SE this century – all 13 years of it! Models very unsure of the track ranging from North of Scot to over the SE. Warm sst’s in the N Atlantic & cold plunge of jetstream certainly provide potential energy but it is still par for the UK climate. Piers Corbyn had this period flagged weeks back
THE BIG ONE IS coming to WHACK SOUTH B+I as in WeatherAction (33d ahead) forecast according to 7 day ahead model maps below.”This is the most important storm this month in our forecasts both sides of the Atlantic” said Piers
http://bit.ly/19rwAPN
Powell is a rent-a-quote for the Express and was just jumping on the GFS output as usual (it dropped the low but it’s back and is shown on other models now as well).
Yes when i saw it I thought ah that’l be Mr Realistic Corbyn cos he has a good relationship with the Express and seems an impressive forecaster.. who i am inclined to believe rather than the hyping of our DramaGreen friends
Wasn’t October 1987 the storm of the last century? I don’t live in the UK and even I know that.
Latest gfs model run has a 970mb low moving up across Central England on Monday.
http://www.weathercast.co.uk/latest-model-forecasts/gfs-popup/archiv/NSea/thgt850/2013102318/nothumb/on/111/ch/a194e937deb900e882ecf68fcdbfb4a5.html
Worth keeping an eye on, with the potential for strong winds on its southern flank, but hardly the “storm of the century” if the forecast holds.
And is that what was meant by the description “storm of the century”?
MO forecasting max. wind speed of 39mph on the south coast.
Whats the worst storm for scotland
Just the same weather as last year, nothing usual!
The highest gust speed for Scotland (at low level sites) was in 1989 at Fraserburgh – 142mph.
(These are based on data since only 1969)
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate-extremes/#?tab=climateExtremes
In recent memory, it is hard to see anything beating the 1953 storm, that killed thousands in the North Sea floods. What I had never realised, until seeing a programme last year, was that the storm was so bad that it sank the Stranraer ferry, before moving round the coast into the North Sea.
Earlier, storms are accepted to have been much worse during the Little Ice Age. Up your way, according to Brian Fagan’s book, “The Little Ice Age”
Later in the 17th Century, great storms blew millions of tonnes of formerly stable dunes across the Brecklands of Norfolk and Suffolk, burying valuable farm land under meters of sand. This area has never recovered and is heathland. A similar event occurred in Scotland in 1694. The 1400 hectare Culbin Estate had been a prosperous farm complex next to the Moray Firth until it was hit by another huge storm which blew so much sand over it that the farm buildings themselves disappeared. A rich estate had become a desert overnight and the owner, the local Laird, died pauper three years later.
And in England
The Great Storm of 1703 is recognized as the most powerful storm ever recorded in England and caused immense damage there as well as across the North Sea in Holland and Denmark.
I’m a bit confused.
The previous forecasts I have seen (on the BBC), seemed to show the low pressure area coming from the south, with strongest winds in the south of the UK and possibly France.
However, the latest GFS seems to show the low on Monday to the north of the UK, although admittedly the strong winds do seem to be to the south.
There also seems to be another deep low next weekend, with strong winds to the north.
The Telegraph report it might miss the UK completely!
well its still 5000 miles away Some reports say. How anyone in there right mind can predict that it will even come our way, needs there heads examined, What do these forecasters think they have a Magnet? , to get the press in a frenzy, supposed to have deep blizzards last year in Blackpool, and all we got was wet sleet, utter rubbish !
These characters, Jonathan Powell and james madden, are totally unreliable and have been so for years; it’s all sensationalist drivel used by the Express to sell newspapers. Yes it will be cold and yes we will have snow – that’s what happens every year in Britain we all know that so ignore these charlatans who quite frankly know nothing more than any of us.