UK Weather Service Warning: Expect Tornadoes As Wild Weather Continues

[hatrack]

WEATHER forecasters issued Britain's first official tornado warning yesterday as this week's heatwave disappears in a barrage of hailstones the size of golf balls, torrential rain and flooding. While certain types of tornadoes are not uncommon, in the past forecasters signalled their arrival by saying the nature of the weather could lead to a "reasonable expectation".

However, the south of England is now on official alert because experts believe the erratic weather could cause mayhem.

EDIT

That will be no comfort to the Wimbledon crowds or those people heading for the Glastonbury festival in Somerset who are expected to experience some of the worst of the thunderous weather. One expert, Paul Knightly, added: "A potent situation is developing. Wales and north-western England are likely to have prolonged rain, with thunderstorms and torrential downpours leading to flash flooding.

"Winds in the upper atmosphere will be strong, promoting the development of severe thunderstorms. "These may bring hailstones up to the size of golf balls, winds of up to 65mph and isolated tornadoes."

EDIT

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=695432005

[Goldmund]

1. I thought tornados only happened in North America?

[phantom power]

3. 90% are in North America.

Of course, that figure is the historical normal, not the new normal. Actually, there probably won't be such a thing as normal for a few decades, until the world's climate reaches it's new stable basin. Whatever that turns out to be. Ice-age looks like the leading contender these days.

[medeak]

2. oh no! My son is spending week in Somerset n/t

[Systematic Chaos]

4. Brings back images of "The Day After Tomorrow"

Early in the movie when the Japanese businessman gets killed by baseball-sized hail and the tornado outbreaks take out whole cities. Jeez.... :(