Storm Eleanor (2018) Explained

Eleanor (Burglind)
Active:2–4 January 2018
Fatalities:6
Damages:Initial €643 million insured loss.[1]
Power Outages:~150000 customers in Republic of Ireland affected[2]
Pressure:[3]
Gust:, Goldau[4] (alt)
Partof:the 2017-18 European windstorm season

Storm Eleanor (known as Cyclone Burglind in Germany) was an extratropical cyclone and European windstorm that affected Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Benelux, Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the 2–3 January 2018. The storm caused extensive damage and traffic disruption. It was given the name Eleanor by Met Éireann and the UK Met Office, while the Free University of Berlin named the low pressure Burglind.

Meteorological history

Eleanor developed to the west of Ireland as a secondary cyclone on 2 January to the parent low "Alja" to the southwest of Iceland, developing as a wave along the trailing cold front of the parent low.[3] Eleanor rapidly intensified reaching a minimum pressure of as it moved east across Scotland under a strong westerly jet stream.[3] Before the low centre tracked across the North Sea to Denmark. To the south of the central low Eleanor caused strong winds which covered a large footprint of across much of western Europe.[3]

The ECMWF operational forecast model of maximum winds featured a narrow corridor of strong winds crossing Ireland and Northern Ireland, which they suggested could be indicative of a Sting jet.[5]

Impact

Highest wind gust per country

Country GustLocation
Arlberg
Belgium
FrancePointe du Raz
GermanyBrocken
IrelandRosslare Harbour
ItalyDolomites
LuxembourgWiltz
Netherlands
SwitzerlandGoldau
United KingdomGlen Coe

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Perils Puts Initial Loss Estimate for Extratropical Cyclone Burglind (Eleanor) at EUR 643M. 15 February 2018. Perils.org. 13 February 2018.
  2. Web site: Crews continue to restore power to customers affected by Storm Eleanor. www.esbnetworks.ie. 3 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180104040526/https://esbnetworks.ie/power-outages-updates/latest-updates/latest-updates/2018/01/03/crews-continue-to-restore-power-to-customers-affected-by-storm-eleanor. 4 January 2018. dead.
  3. News: Holland. Peter. Eleanor/Burglind: Another "Near-miss" for Europe?. 17 January 2018. www.rms.com. 17 January 2018.
  4. Web site: Windböen, 1std, Messwerte Zug vom 03.01.2018, 12:00 Uhr. Wind gusts, 1 hour, measured values in Zug, 3 January 2018, 12:00 p.m. . de . 27 February 2018.
  5. ECMWF . 949299372944216066 . 5 January 2018 . The maximum modelled wind gusts during #StormEleanor at the beginning of January are shown. The fact that a narrow strong wind "corridor" extends inland (Ireland and N Ireland in this case) can be one signature of a sting jet..