Thankfully Storm Callum didn’t cause too much damage to our network, but as the storm was named the media were still interested in how we were prepared for the severe weather. This included articles in The Metro, The Daily Mail and the BBC.
In the same week we responded to an incident in Ashton after a third party damaged three of our 33kV cables resulting in 22,000 customers losing power. In total we issued eight press releases in less than 24 hours, which included great photos from onsite showing engineers working hard to repair the damage.
Updates were picked up by key local media including BBC Radio Manchester, Oldham Chronicle, Tameside Reporter and the Manchester Evening News, who ran a live blog during the incident. Our proactive approach generated fantastic feedback from MP Angela Rayner and around 40 pieces of media coverage.
Let’s find out if Storm Deirdre will make an appearance this month in the latest update from MeteoGroup meteorologist Richard Martin-Barton.
A look back
High pressure often remained close to the UK throughout the month. The second week of October was the most unsettled, with low pressure areas frequently developing to the West and South West of the UK – including Storm Callum. To round off the month, a notable early-season cold northerly outbreak developed, which brought the first widespread air frosts of the Autumn to the North West.
By the second week of the month, a southerly-tracking jet stream allowed several areas of low pressure to move towards the UK from the South West, including the exceptionally deep Storm Callum, which moved to the West of the UK on the 12th, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region. A very wet period weather developed in the 36 hours following, as a warm front became stalled across the region; over 100mm of rain was recorded, and flooding of some rivers ensued.
In contrast, the third week of the month saw a lot of dry weather with light winds, as high pressure built across the southern half of the UK from the South West. However, the nights became rather clear and chilly for a time, as high pressure introduced cooler northerly flows around the 17th and 18th. The final ten days of October saw high pressure blocking the usual progress of fronts from the Atlantic. A strong cold front on the 26th introduced a much colder Arctic airmass to the entire country. Frequent wintry showers affected northern and north eastern Britain, although the North West region remained largely dry. Temperatures fell well below average, with the mercury falling to -6C at Shap (Cumbria) on the 29th, and -7C on the 30th.
A look ahead
Ex-hurricane Oscar brought a mild Tropical Maritime airmass over the weekend. This unsettled but mild theme will continue into this week, with low pressure generally to the West or South West of the UK swinging fronts and bands of rain North East across the country, and bringing occasional bouts of persistent rain to the region. Mild South to South Easterly winds will continue for much of the week, and there will be a distinct lack of air frosts. There are hints that low pressure will move closer to the UK by this weekend, perhaps giving a windier and cooler period to the region, with frequent showers.
By the second week of November, it looks like low pressure will generally remain located to the North West of the UK, with higher pressure more often than not located over the near continent. As a result, mild South Westerly airflows can be expected to continue, but it may be quite wet for the North West, with low pressure systems continuing to bring frequent bands of rain. However, perhaps a better chance of some drier, sunnier weather developing just after mid-month.
Beyond this, confidence lowers significantly, although it looks like mild West to South Westerly winds will most likely continue throughout the rest of the month, with the Autumnal low-pressure track generally to the North West of the UK. However, there appears to be a greater chance of some active frontal systems bringing one or two very wet and rather windy days to the region.
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