Hurricane Bawbag

"Friedhelm"

Type	European windstorm, extratropical cyclone
Formed	7 December 2011
Dissipated	Currently active
Lowest pressure	957 millibars (28.3 inHg)
Areas affected	United Kingdom, Ireland

Hurricane Bawbag is the colloquial name given to an intense mid-latitude storm that brought hurricane-force winds to Scotland during the week beginning on 5 December 2011. The storm also brought prolonged gales and rough seas to many other regions within the British Isles. On 8 December, winds reached up to 165 mph (265 km/h) at elevated areas, with sustained wind speeds of up to 80 mph (135 km/h) reported across populous areas. The winds uprooted trees and resulted in the closure of many roads, bridges, schools and businesses. Overall the storm was the worst to affect Scotland in 10 years.

Storm history

At 0000 UTC on 8 December 2011, the Met Office noted a rapidly deepening mid-latitude low-pressure system along a polar front to the west of Scotland. The polar front supported multiple cold fronts moving southeastward through the Atlantic toward mainland Europe, as well as an eastward-moving warm front approaching Great Britain. In conjunction with strong high pressure to the south, an extremely tight pressure gradient developed along the deep low and produced a large area of high winds.

By 0800 UTC, the low had attained a minimum barometric pressure of 977 mbar (hPa; 28.9 inHg), bringing gale-force winds to much eastern Great Britain. The minimum pressure further dropped to a record 957 mbar (hPa; 28.3 inHg) around 1200 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of at least 105 mph (170 km/h) observed at the surface.

Preparations and warnings

On 7 December, the Met Office issued a red weather warning—its highest warning—and said there would be significant risk of structural damage. This was the first time the Met Office had ever issued a red wind alert for the United Kingdom. Police in Scotland advised the public not to travel, and the Tay, Forth and Erskine bridges were closed to all traffic.

Effects

Scotland

Large waves from the storm at the Ashton area in Gourock, Inverclyde

The cyclone brought hurricane-force winds to large portions of Scotland through much of 8 December. A summit in Aberdeenshire recorded an extreme wind speed of 165 mph (245 km/h), though maximum winds at the surface averaged 105 mph (170 km/h) and 80 mph (130 km/h) in populous areas. The high winds generated large waves along coastlines and blew trees and debris into power lines, leaving 56,000 Scottish customers without power. In Argyll and the Outer Hebrides, power cuts affected another 1,000 residences. Two hospitals, The Belford and Victoria Hospital suffered power and telephone service cuts. The storm shut schools and disrupted transportation, and several road sections were cut off.

By 0800 UTC on 8 December, all schools in the west had been shut for the day, while remaining schools in the east closed around noon. In addition, many tertiary centres of education, such as Glasgow University and Caledonian University halted their operations as a safety precaution. Also closed were public museums, galleries, sports centres, and libraries. The storm disrupted major transport links, including the full closure of the Forth Road Bridge, Erskine Bridge and Tay Road Bridge which were all closed by 1100 UTC. ScotRail operated a reduced timetable across all parts of the country as a result, and routes from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, Perth and Dundee were suspended. Glasgow Airport cancelled 37 flights, and Edinburgh Airport 21 flights. Bus operators in the Central Belt withdrew double-decker buses from operation after the Scottish Government advised all high sided vehicles not to travel. Public transport was also affected; many trains were cancelled or switched to a limited service, with buses running in place of trains due to line problems.

Officials feared widespread structural damage to roofs and weak buildings, resulting in the closure of several tourist attractions in central Scotland, including Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens. In Campbeltown, Falkirk and Stirling a number of streets were closed after slates and chimneys fell from roofs. High winds toppled a school bus travelling along the A737 near Dalry, North Ayrshire. A wind turbine near Ardrossan burst into flames in the high winds. Additionally, many Christmas lights in Aberdeen were blown down. In Glasgow, the winds caused the River Clyde to burst its banks and overflow.

Wales

Storm conditions and heavy rain hit Wales, with hurricane-force winds confined to northern regions. In Aberdaron, the Llŷn Peninsula recorded a gust of 81 mph (130 km/h), which was the highest wind recording for the cyclone in the country. Gusting to 70 mph (110 km/h) was reported in Swansea. The winds blew off the chimney of home in Acton, Wrexham and cancelled the local Victorian Christmas Market. In south Wales, damage was limited to fallen trees.

Ireland

The cyclone produced near hurricane-force gales across Ireland, with the highest winds reported along northern coastal areas. The worst of the storm occurred in Donegal, where gusts neared 90 mph (140 km/h). In the capital of Dublin, the winds uprooted trees, knocked over bins and blew debris through streets. Light flooding occurred in Stranorlar, while a bridge connecting the Fanad Peninsula to Carrigart was closed to transportation.

Naming and coverage

The official title of the low is Friedhelm as named by the Free University of Berlin, who are responsible for the naming of low-pressure systems affecting Europe. A colloquial name, "Hurricane Bawbag", was coined following discussion on Twitter, based on the vulgar Scottish vernacular bawbag. The name sparked a trending topic on Twitter, which became one of the top trending hashtags worldwide. Local authorities and national weather stations have since used the term. Stirling Council also posted a Twitter feed, referring to the storm by its colloquial name.