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|notes = Part of the '''[[2019–20 North American winter]]''' and the '''[[2019–20 European windstorm season]]'''
|notes = Part of the '''[[2019–20 North American winter]]''' and the '''[[2019–20 European windstorm season]]'''
}}
}}
'''Storm Dennis''', also known as '''Winter Storm Mabel''' in [[North America]],{{efn|name=Name|The system received numerous other names in different countries, including '''Winter Storm Mabel''' in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] (unofficially named by [[The Weather Channel]]) and '''Cyclone Victoria''' in [[Geographical_distribution_of_German_speakers#DACH_countries|German-speaking countries]] (named by the [[Free University of Berlin]])}} is a weakening [[European windstorm]] which became one of the most intense [[extratropical cyclone]]s ever recorded in mid-February 2020, reaching a minimum central pressure of {{convert|920|mb|inHg}} – only surpassed in the [[North Atlantic Ocean]] by the [[Braer Storm]] of January 1993. The thirteenth named storm of the [[2019–20 European windstorm season]], Dennis struck the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]] at peak intensity less than a week after [[Storm Ciara]], exacerbating the impacts from that storm.
'''Storm Dennis''', also known as '''Winter Storm Mabel''' in [[North America]],{{efn|name=Name|The system received numerous other names in different countries, including '''Winter Storm Mabel''' in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] (unofficially named by [[The Weather Channel]]) and '''Cyclone Victoria''' in [[Geographical_distribution_of_German_speakers#DACH_countries|German-speaking countries]] (named by the [[Free University of Berlin]])}} is a weakening [[European windstorm]] which became one of the most intense [[extratropical cyclone]]s ever recorded in mid-February 2020, reaching a minimum central pressure of {{convert|920|mb|inHg}}. The thirteenth named storm of the [[2019–20 European windstorm season]], Dennis struck the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]] at peak intensity less than a week after [[Storm Ciara]], exacerbating the impacts from that storm.


The system was first noted on 9 February by [[The Weather Channel]], who unofficially named it ''Mabel'', moving eastwards across the southern [[United States]]. After bringing blizzard conditions to the [[Midwest]] and heavy snowfall to [[New England]], the cyclone – by now known as Storm Dennis, officially [[Winter storm naming in the United Kingdom and Ireland|named]] by the [[Met Office]] on 11 February – emerged into the north Atlantic. Dennis subsequently underwent [[explosive intensification]] on 13 February, reaching its near-record low pressure south of [[Iceland]] the following day. Destructive winds and heavy rainfall moved south into the [[British Isles]] over the weekend of 15–16 February as Dennis passed north of [[Scotland]]; the storm subsequently began to weaken, making landfall in [[Norway]] the following day.
The system was first noted on 9 February by [[The Weather Channel]], who unofficially named it ''Mabel'', moving eastwards across the southern [[United States]]. After bringing blizzard conditions to the [[Midwest]] and heavy snowfall to [[New England]], the cyclone – by now known as Storm Dennis, officially [[Winter storm naming in the United Kingdom and Ireland|named]] by the [[Met Office]] on 11 February – emerged into the north Atlantic. Dennis subsequently underwent [[explosive intensification]] on 13 February, reaching its near-record low pressure south of [[Iceland]] the following day. Destructive winds and heavy rainfall moved south into the [[British Isles]] over the weekend of 15–16 February as Dennis passed north of [[Scotland]]; the storm subsequently began to weaken, making landfall in [[Norway]] the following day.

Revision as of 17:52, 18 February 2020

Not to be confused with Hurricane Dennis.
Storm Dennis
(Winter Storm Mabel)
Storm Dennis at its near-record peak intensity on 15 February, spanning most of the North Atlantic
TypeExtratropical cyclone
European windstorm
Bomb cyclone
Formed10 February 2020 (2020-02-10)
DissipatedCurrently active
Highest gust140 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure920 mb (27.17 inHg)
Fatalities5 (as of 17 February)[1]
Areas affectedUnited States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands
Part of the 2019–20 North American winter and the 2019–20 European windstorm season

Storm Dennis, also known as Winter Storm Mabel in North America,[a] is a weakening European windstorm which became one of the most intense extratropical cyclones ever recorded in mid-February 2020, reaching a minimum central pressure of 920 millibars (27 inHg). The thirteenth named storm of the 2019–20 European windstorm season, Dennis struck the United Kingdom and Ireland at peak intensity less than a week after Storm Ciara, exacerbating the impacts from that storm.

The system was first noted on 9 February by The Weather Channel, who unofficially named it Mabel, moving eastwards across the southern United States. After bringing blizzard conditions to the Midwest and heavy snowfall to New England, the cyclone – by now known as Storm Dennis, officially named by the Met Office on 11 February – emerged into the north Atlantic. Dennis subsequently underwent explosive intensification on 13 February, reaching its near-record low pressure south of Iceland the following day. Destructive winds and heavy rainfall moved south into the British Isles over the weekend of 15–16 February as Dennis passed north of Scotland; the storm subsequently began to weaken, making landfall in Norway the following day.

At least five fatalities have been recorded from Storm Dennis as of 17 February, all of them in the United Kingdom. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Wales and southern England, with many rivers reaching their highest levels ever recorded. Further flooding was also reported in areas of northern England that had been inundated by Storm Ciara the previous weekend.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track of the storm according to the Ocean Prediction Center

The system which would become Storm Dennis was first noted as a small cut-off low pressure area crossing the coast of California from the Pacific Ocean on 9 February, at which point it was unofficially named Winter Storm Mabel by The Weather Channel based on predictions of the system bringing severe winter weather to portions of the United States over the coming days.[2] Mabel moved across Texas on 11 February as a slowly developing low with embedded thunderstorms, bringing high winds and blizzard conditions to portions of the Midwest the following day as slow development continued.

Alongside their meteorological companions in the United States, the Met Office in the United Kingdom also began issuing warnings for the storm well in advance, based on strong certainty in forecasts across weather models – Storm Dennis was officially named on 11 February,[3] while it was still located over the southern United States and before any meaningful intensification had yet taken place; at the same time, severe weather warnings were issued across the United Kingdom for the coming weekend.

The cyclone moved across the Great Lakes and into New England before exiting into the north Atlantic by midday on 13 February.[4] After drifting northeastwards parallel to the coast of Atlantic Canada, Dennis accelerated into the open Atlantic on 14 February, undergoing explosive intensification at the same time. By 15 February, as Dennis stalled to the south of Iceland, it had a near-record central low pressure of 920 mb (27 inHg) and winds gusting up to 140 mph (230 km/h) offshore. After performing a tight anticyclonic loop off the coast of Iceland under the influence of the Fujiwhara effect from a second, weaker low to the west, Dennis accelerated briskly southeastwards and began to weaken, with the centre passing north of Scotland on 16 February before making landfall in Norway on 17 February.

Weather warnings in the United Kingdom

Weather warnings in the United Kingdom are issued by the Met Office.[5]

Warning severity Event Date Areas affected
Red Rain 15 February South Wales
Amber Rain 16 February South Wales, Welsh Mountains, Central Northern England, parts of South East England, parts of Cornwall
Amber Rain 15 February South Wales, Welsh Mountains, Central Northern England, Southern Scotland, parts of Cornwall
Yellow Wind 17 February North Wales, Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland
Yellow Wind 16 February All areas
Yellow Rain and wind 15 February England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Southern and Central Scotland

A red weather warning for rain, the highest level, was issued for parts of South Wales on 15 February as a result of persistent heavy rainfall across already-saturated river valleys; it was the first red warning of any kind issued by the Met Office since Storm Emma in 2018, and the first red warning issued specifically for rain since December 2015.[6] The warning covered the Welsh capital, Cardiff, and eight surrounding council areas: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, southern Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torfaen.

Impact

United Kingdom

Satellite image of south-central England and south-east Wales showing flooding, 17 February 2020

In the UK, two people were killed on 15 February: a man was found dead hours after falling overboard from a tanker and a teenager died after entering the sea in Kent. On 16 February, a man was found dead in a flooded river near Trebanos, Wales.[7] The army was deployed to assist in rescue efforts.[8][9]

The UK Met Office issued a red weather warning, meaning "danger to life", for prolonged periods of heavy rain in south Wales on 16 February until 11:00 GMT, covering nine council areas including Neath Port Talbot.[10] Four people were killed and one woman was missing, later found dead, in Wales.[11]

Boris Johnson has been blamed for not calling a Cobra meeting and not releasing sufficient national funding to help local authorities to cope with the flood that the storm caused. This hampered recovery.[12]

Ireland

Met Éireann issued a total of six yellow and orange wind and rain warnings spanning from Saturday morning until the early hours of Monday. At the peak, a status orange wind warning was active between 10am and 10pm Sunday for nine counties: Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Cork. The yellow warnings were extended until 3am Monday.[13][14][15]

As a result of the storm, an abandoned vessel named MV Alta was washed up high on rocks in Ballycotton, County Cork. The vessel had spent over a year drifting at sea since October 2018[16][17] after its crew were rescued by a USMC rescue team when the ship became disabled en route to Haiti from Greece. An Irish Coast Guard Rescue 117 helicopter was dispatched to the site, which is a Special Area of Conservation. It reported nobody onboard and that it showed no immediate environmental impact to the area.[18] [19]

Sweden

Wave in Lysekil, Sweden, during Storm Dennis

On 16 February 2020, winds of around 30 m/s (110 km/h; 67 mph) were recorded on the west coast of Sweden. Class-2-warnings were issued by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Flooding occurred in areas along the west coast, most notably in Borås. The Uddevalla Bridge was closed, trains on the Gothenburg–Borås and Stenungsund–Uddevalla lines and several ferries on the west coast were cancelled. Trees were felled by the storm, destroying power lines and about 17,000 customers lost power.[20]

On 17 February 2020, new class-1 and 2 warnings were issued for the west coast of Sweden. Flooding of roads and areas close to bodies of water continued and increased, especially around Uddevalla and Älvsborg.[21]

The Netherlands

On 15 February the KNMI issued a yellow warning for the whole country for potential gusts of up to 100 km/h (28 m/s; 62 mph) The peak of the storm hit the Netherlands in the morning with gusts of up to 120 km/h (33 m/s; 75 mph). The storm was stronger then expected and caused a lot of damage, because of its strength and because some trees and roofs had been weakened by Storm Ciara a week before.[citation needed]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ The system received numerous other names in different countries, including Winter Storm Mabel in the United States and Canada (unofficially named by The Weather Channel) and Cyclone Victoria in German-speaking countries (named by the Free University of Berlin)

Citations

  1. ^ "Fifth victim found dead in floods". The Sun. 17 February 2020.
  2. ^ https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/2020-02-09-winter-storm-snow-ice-plains-midwest-northeast-forecast
  3. ^ Whitfield, Kate (13 February 2020). "Storm Dennis: Met Office declares another major storm for UK - latest warnings and maps". Express.
  4. ^ https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/2020-02-09-winter-storm-snow-ice-plains-midwest-northeast-forecast
  5. ^ "UK weather warnings". Met Office. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  6. ^ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2020/storm-dennis-triggers-red-rain-warning
  7. ^ "Two dead as Storm Dennis batters the UK with high winds". LBC News. 15 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Army deployed to help combat deadly Storm Dennis in Britain". UPI. 15 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Storm Dennis: Man's body found as flooding affects Wales". BBC News. 16 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Storm Dennis: Month's worth of rain falls in 'major' floods". BBC News. 16 February 2020.
  11. ^ Horton, Helena (17 February 2020). "Storm Dennis latest news: 'Life-threatening' situation as major incident declared in South Wales". The Telegraph.
  12. ^ PM's refusal to call Cobra meeting 'hampering' storm recovery The Guardian
  13. ^ "Nine counties see warning extended until Monday morning". RTE. 2020-02-16. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  14. ^ "Met Eireann issue a whopping SIX weather warnings as Storm Dennis batters Ireland". extra.ie. 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  15. ^ "Storm Dennis". Met Éireann. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  16. ^ "All Crew To Abandon Damaged Cargo Ship". Hellenic Shipping News. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  17. ^ "Storm Dennis washes abandoned 'ghost ship' onto rocks off Co Cork". The Irish Times. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  18. ^ "Amazement as abandoned ship last seen six months ago washes up in Cork during Storm Dennis". Cork Beo. 2020-02-16. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  19. ^ "Abandoned cargo ship runs aground on beach in Ballycotton, Co Cork during Storm Dennis". Irish Mirror. 2020-02-16. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  20. ^ Bråstedt, Mats; Ekström, Andreas (16 February 2020). "Stormen Dennis är här – omfattande problem". expressen.se. Expressen. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  21. ^ Bergh, Linda (17 February 2020). "SMHI:s nya larm: Hårda vindar – och vattenkaos". expressen.se. Göteborgs-Tidningen. Retrieved 17 February 2020.

External Links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Storm Dennis.
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