Record breaking tempests, dubbed ‘Storm Eunice’, have swept across Northern Europe, leaving destruction and chaos in their path. Since Saturday evening, the storm has been responsible for the death of 16 people. Four of these were in Poland and the Netherlands, three in England, one in Ireland, and two in Belgium and Germany. The majority are caused by fallen trees, and various injuries caused by flying debris. Moreover, England was said to have experienced record-breaking wind velocity and vigour, with one unparalleled gust recording as high as 196km/h on the Isle of White.
Across Northern Europe, thousands of homes and offices had no access to power or transportation. A number of ferry, plane, and high-speed train journeys were cancelled or suspended. Emergency services worked long hours to restore power. The tempests led to a number of authorities issuing high alerts across their respective countries, many of which warned the public to stay indoors and avoid going outside for their own safety.
Storm Eunice, otherwise known as ‘Storm Zeynep’ in Germany, was the second storm to hit the country within a matter of days, dealing a significant amount of damage. Having said that, the German Weather authorities (DWD) have since removed all storm alerts. They still promote caution regarding strong winds.
However, it seems Northern Europe has not seen the end of these extreme weather bouts. In fact, Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge told the Guardian that the region should expect more strong winds, as well as “reasonably heavy rain.” More recent warnings in the United Kingdom surround the impending ‘Storm Franklin.’ As a result, UK authorities have issued an amber warning, with a likelihood for flooding in 88 areas in Northern, and Western England. Meteorologist Becky Mitchell told Sky News that the succession of these storms is due to “a really active jet stream, which is why we’re seeing so many storms track right towards the UK.”
The threat of Storm Franklin is anticipated to be less severe than the previous gales, but is certainly not welcomed, following the unresolved destruction caused by its predecessor.
