Scotland storm blackout hitting thousands (164mph winds)

[Kevin Rooney]

I know several on this BB have walked and have other associations with Scotland, which is currently in the grip of a bad storm.

For more info, click on the link below:

Police have told people in Scotland not to travel, as winds of up to 165mph (264km/h) affected the country, leaving more than 30,000 people without power.

 

[TDawg]

Just saw some footage on the news earlier. Looks like some pretty extreme weather going on.

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Scottish weather

In my experiences in Scotland plus somewhat extensive readings on it, I find that this storm is not all that unusual for this month of the year. Storms wrack Europe from October to April, and the Scots usually get the brunt of them because they are right on the Atlantic Ocean whence most of these intense low pressure systems come. What we have here gets to them two days later. Many's the chapter in their histories of fairly sudden and intense storms that have impacted human events from the October gales that disrupted the Norwegian fleet of King Hakon in the Firth of Clyde in 1263 to the death of Alexander III in Fife in 1286 to... Trust me, friends, this is not at all unexpected, and the Scots are good at adapting to it while it happens and whinging about it later, just like us.

Creag nan drochaid

 

[TDawg]

Trust me, friends, this is not at all unexpected, and the Scots are good at adapting to it while it happens and whinging about it later, just like us.

And probably with less "doomsday is coming" type media build-up preceding the event...

 

[Hillwalker]

Whew

Over the past 22 years I have hiked in Scotland during the months of April through August and have wanted to spend an entire year over there to experience all of the seasons. The only thing stopping me has been the 6 month visa restriction.

I have my tickets and reservations for May. Not the warmest, but quite often fairly rain free and the Ferocious Midgies are not out yet.

Wow! Thanks for the report Kevin.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Some photos here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-16094360

Ironically, the last one is of a wind turbine in flames.

Tim

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...
Ironically, the last one is of a wind turbine in flames.

Tim

I have a hunch the engineers will be redesigning the braking systems used in wind turbines as storms become more intense world-wide. As some may recall, southern California was battered by exceptionally strong Santa Anna winds last week. Wind gusts at my house exceeded 90 mph. I've edited information from this website - "the NWS in Reno, NV estimated that Mammoth Mountain had peak gusts of 170 – 180 mph. The reason why the NWS Reno could only give an estimate for the wind speeds on Mammoth Mountain is that the wind sensor only goes to 150 mph."

 

[MichaelJ]

Those Scot turbines are supposed to shut off at 56mph, which is also when they're taken off the grid and the wind farm evacuated. Nobody really knows yet why it failed.

If winds > 55mph become more common in populated areas we're going to have a lot more problems than just worrying about wind farms.

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Windy up there

In the article about this storm it mentions that the 164 mph reading was from the Meterological Office station at the summit of Cairn Gorm at 1246 meters altitude, over 4000'. Cairn Gorm is a plateau of a mountain with long moderate slopes that funnel winds from west around to north-east very much like on Mt Washington. This audience needs no further explanation. In the Lowlands where most Scots live, the storm's winds were around 70-80 mph. Not at all unexpected.

Creag nan drochaid

 

[bignslow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPKb9z4l7eM

^ Relevant Video

 

[alistair]

In the Lowlands where most Scots live, the storm's winds were around 70-80 mph.
Creag nan drochaid

70mph wind around your knees and up your kilt is not fun.

 

[Hillwalker]

Unless

70mph wind around your knees and up your kilt is not fun.

Unless the Midgies are in spate, then it's a blessing

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Midgies and the kilt

A maist interestin remark, Hillwalker.

The guid thing aboot wearin the kilt is that sae long as ye keep walkin the wee tormentin beasties cannae fly up it, thank Goad an a' the saints. The bad thing aboot walkin in the kilt is, if the air is still, they will land oan yer legs jist at the top o yer socks, an proceed to enjoy the movin feast. Wan time no far frae the Great Glen Ah wis walking the morn, an a walk of but half an hour wis eneuch tae leave a ring o bluid aroon each leg jist below the knee. Tis true what they say, the midge is the real "monarch o the glen," Landseer no'withstannin, for the midge is whit determines whit can, or cannae, live there.