Weatherwatch: Our severe gales are not hurricanes, but they can be as deadly

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2013/dec/13/weatherwatch-winter-storms-hurricane-surge

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In December 1999, Cyclone Anatol struck northern Europe, leaving a trail of damage across Denmark and Germany. Anatol's winds gusted at over 110mph, equivalent to a Category One hurricane, but technically it was an extra-tropical cyclone, or European windstorm.

These storms are circular like hurricanes, but lack the structures of true hurricanes, such as the relatively calm eye at the centre with its surrounding eyewall of dense storm cloud. The Met Office refers to them as "severe gales".

Europe typically suffers four or five wind storms a year, when deep low-pressure areas move in from the Atlantic. They tend to curve northwards, so Northern European countries, including the UK, are most commonly hit. Few are as powerful as Anatol, but they cause immense economic damage, ranking second only to North American hurricanes for insurance losses.

The storm at the start of this month, known as Xaver, caused a major storm surge which threatened to submerge coastal areas. There has not yet been a full assessment, but insurance industry commentators suggest that effective flood defences will keep claims comparatively low.

Of the 20 most damaging European storms ever, two have been in October, five in December, nine in January and four in February. In December 1999, Anatol was only the start. Lothar and Martin arrived on the 26th and 27th, killing more than 100 people across Europe and leaving three million without electricity.

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