Beast from the East Flashcards
When was the Beast from the East
25th February 2018
What was the beast from the east
Country covered in widespread blankets of snow which temperatures of -2-3 degrees sometimes down to -13 degrees
Where did the beast from the east originate
5000 miles away from over the pacific ocean
How was the Beast from the East caused
- Change in the northern polar jet stream which twisted its direction unexpectedly, drawing cold air to the Uk from the east
- Bending was caused by a jump in temperatures high over the arctic (known by the meteorologists as sudden stratospheric warming)
- This weakened the jet stream and brought warm air in from the Atlantic to Ireland
- This air picked up moisture over the North sea bringing snow
What is stratospheric warming
When are stratosphere heats up causing a change in temperature an shifting jet streams
What happens during the winter in the stratosphere
A blob of extremely cold air starts to spin clockwise above the arctic. It is particularly cold due to the lack of sunlight hitting the Arctic at this time. If the cold blob starts to spin slower the air will rush back and sink, and warm up.
What were the primary effects of the beast from the east
A man died in London - pulled from a frozen lake + 3 other reported deaths
Huge amounts of snow where dropped on the East coast of the UK and in the Scottish Borders
Up to 50cm (19 inches) of snow in parts of Dartmoor, Exmoor and uplands parts of south-east Wales accompanied by gales or severe gales in exposed areas.
Gusts of 60-70mph in parts of northern England and Wales.
Rural areas experienced temperature lows of - 12°C
Snow drifts were as high as 7m in places
Many coastlines were also issued with flood warnings
What were the secondary effects of the beast from the east
British Airways cancelled hundreds of short-haul fights from Heathrow, and London City Airport also cancelled
Hospitals in Glasgow, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole cancelled all outpatient appointments while Harrogate hospital asked staff who can walk to work to go in to cover shifts
Thousands of schools were closed
Hundreds of people were trapped in their vehicles for hours, on the A3 I for example
There were many lorries that crashed or jack knifed
The weather cost the UK millions. The AA estimated that there were 8,260 collisions on Britain’s roads from the snow chaos in just three days, with the insurance cost above £10m. Two thirds of them due to snow and ice.
Some supermarkets saw a rush of customers. There were reports of shelves being stripped of bread, milk and soup.
A baby was born on the A66 near Stockton-on-Tees after the parents failed to make it hospital as a result of the snow
There were multiple accidents on Britain’s roads, including major incidents on the Al in Northumberland
What were the management/responses of the beast from the east
Stranded drivers were given foil blankets
The Army were called in to help people when Storm Emma hit
Councils had to send out gritters and snow ploughs to clear the roads
Drivers of a Greggs Delivery van, stuck on the Al near Newcastle, gave out free food to stranded drivers
The Met Office issued “red Warnings” for several areas, including the belt between Edinburgh and Glasgow
Public Health England (PHE) urged people to plan ahead to ensure they have enough food and medicine.
Rail passengers were warned to avoid travelling to or from Scotland on Thursday while in Kent 50 stations closed.
Cleveland Mountain Rescue took district nurses around rural elderly patients in East Cleveland and North Yorkshire Moors. They also ran NHS staff into James Cook at Middlesbrough to keep services running
Army and Royal Air Force personnel were called in to ferry health workers through blocked roads in Lincolnshire and in Scotland. Ten RAF 4x4 vehicles with 20 airmen began transporting health staff from dawn in Lincolnshire after an urgent request from local police.
Most effective
