Stormy weather hits the UK

The rain arrived on Thursday, with damaging gusts of wind developing across south west England through the afternoon. A number of trees were toppled by the strong winds, including one which crushed a car in Tavistock, Devon.

Crews from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue teams were called to the scene and had to use cutting gear to remove the roof of the vehicle to release a woman who was then taken to hospital.

In nearby Somerset, a fallen tree caught fire after landing on power lines across the River Axe at Forde Abbey in Chard on Thursday night.

The strongest gusts of wind were recorded along coastal areas of Wales and south west England, with Mumbles, Swansea and Plymouth, Devon having gusts of wind of 67mph and 65mph respectively.

Other parts of Wales and southern England also experienced the windy conditions, with gusts in the range of 40-60mph.

The stormy weather has caused further disruption on Friday with the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Cardiff Bay postponed and day two of the Suffolk Show cancelled.

Day one of England’s third test against the West Indies had to be abandoned due to the rain. If the second day is abandoned, it will be the first test in England to lose its first two days because of the weather for 48 years, since Australia toured in 1964

So what is the cause of this stormy weather?
It’s all down to the jet stream, which is a fast-moving ribbon of air high in the atmosphere which determines where weather systems go. It has taken a track to the south of the UK and has increased in speed, resulting in low pressure being steered towards us.

How unusual is stormy weather during summer?
Stormy weather in summer is by no means unheard of in the UK. In July 2007, 100-150mm of rain fell in just two days over the south Midlands, resulting in with thousands of homes and businesses flooded.

Prior to this, stormy weather hit England and Wales in July 2004, with gusts of wind around 55-70mph bringing down power lines and causing disruption to transport.

The problem at this time of year is that trees are in full leaf. Leaves act as sails in the wind, which means that damage can occur at a lower threshold of wind strength than would be the case during autumn or winter when trees are bare.

When will the wind ease?
Gradually, the wind will start to ease during Friday evening, but further showers or longer spells of rain are expected across many areas. The weekend is expected to continue unsettled, with further outbreaks of rain at times, as well as staying cool for this time of year.