TORRO would like to wish all its members a splendid New Year
DECEMBER WHIRLWIND EVENTS
A busy month with four confirmed and six unconfirmed tornadoes, One Waterspout and two funnel clouds. December 2003 saw no tornadic events. TN 17th Dec 1230 GMT Rottingdean, E Sussex. Site Investigation TORRO director Peter Van-Doorn.
2 FC 17th Dec (approx mid day) Gloucestershire. Report via Dr Terence Meaden
WS 24th Dec Port Isaac, Cornwall. Initial post from Executive and meteorologist Nigel Bolton.
TN? 26th Dec 1010 GMT Wigan, Nr Manchester. Unconfirmed
TN 26th Dec Trafenter, Wales. Site Investigation John Mason
TN 26th Dec Haverfordwest, Wales. Site investigation by Nicky Lambert-Ford and executive Sam Jowett.
TN? 26th Dec 2100 GMT Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, North Wales. Unconfirmed
TN? 27th Dec Pontarddulais, S. Wales. Unconfirmed report from Nicky Lambert-Ford
TN? 27th Dec Aughton, Lancashire. Unconfirmed report by Paul Brown
TN? 27th Dec Bridgewater, Somerset. Unconfirmed report by Paul Brown
TN? 27th Dec Weymouth, Dorset. Unconfirmed report by Paul Brown
TN 28th Dec 0020 GMT Oldland Common, S. Gloucestershire. Site Investigation Dr Terence Meaden
OFFICIAL SEVERE WEATHER ADVISORIES/WATCHES
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for UK and Ireland 16th Dec 2004. A tornado watch was issued for UK and Ireland 27th - 28th Dec 2004 several tornadic reports have since come to light.
Forecaster (meteorologist) Paul Knightley
COMMENTS
TORRO would like to wish all its members a very happy New Year!
Overall an interesting year with approximately thirty confirmed tornadoes, twelve confirmed waterspouts, sixty one confirmed funnel clouds, one land devil and four eddy whirlwind events. Last year saw just nine tornadoes, sixteen waterspouts, thirty-six funnel clouds, eight land devils and one, water devil (confirmed). The overall figure could easily double if we were to include unconfirmed events! Though as a scientific organisation we can only base our data base on the facts. These figures likewise can easily be increased by more interaction from our members (all of you). Our success or failure balances on the pro-active efforts of staff and members alike. In basic terms if we do not get accurate figures then we will fall by the way side. There are many other organisations 'chomping at the bit' so to speak to replace TORRO. But we should remember that TORRO has now been established for over thirty years. Let's keep it that way!
The goal set aside for 2005 is for our report listings to lose the ? behind the TN. This means that we have managed to confirm the event and this is a direct reflection of all our efforts in making the system work!
TORRO WEB SITE
Many thanks to David Hollingworth once again for re vamping the TORRO website http://www.torro.org.uk David by the way has joined the organisation as our official web weaver. Reference to David's standard of work is exemplarily so you know who to call for a private quote for personal web design (djhollingworth@iol.ie)!
The TORRO gallery is now live and is advancing slowly. The gallery is also a direct reflection of our work and standards. If you wish to add an interesting picture to the gallery please forward it to any member of staff with a small paragraph re day date time place and conditions. Please try to stay within the confines of our title i.e., Tornado & Storm, this might include photo’s of large hail, cumulonimbus clouds, tornadoes, funnels, land devils, flooding etc. Moreover our aim is to stay primarily for UK events. There are a million pictures of severe weather in circulation from the USA and other countries, but only a few from the homeland!
CONVECTION PUBLICATION.
A big thank you to Alan and Wendy Rogers for their time and effort in publishing and distributing this interesting publication. This magazine needs your support so please send in all you can, stories, photo’s, weather jokes and just about anything else you can think of to do with weather. TORRO would also like to say how sorry we were to hear the bad news over the Christmas period. Go to http://www.torro.org.uk/TORRO/convection/index.php for more information.
JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY
Congratulations to Robert Doe for his splendid efforts in modernising and editing the Journal. This is and always will be an excellent publication for weather enthusiasts. Once again we need your stories and scientific papers . Go to http://www.torro.org.uk/TORRO/publications/jmeteoro.php for more information.
SITE INVESTIGATION
Thank you to all those that have taken a pro-active role in bringing information our way via web links, other forums, newspapers, TV news or local enquiries. Members such a Paul Brown, Paul Domaille, Martin North, John Mason and many others. Well done! Without sounding like a record stuck, please remember to put day/date/time/place in the SUBJECT title when referring to a report under severe weather reports forum. Please also include the COUNTY. Locations referred to as just Timbucktwo. Don’t really help me guys! Thank you. Please also note that we would like to encourage ALL members to get involved in site investigations but please try to coordinate with me or other staff first. All it takes is a quick phone call or email. We need to maker this a team effort. If four want to do an investigation then lets all meet up at a specified place and work together.
OFFICIAL WATCHES
Thank you to meteorologist Paul Knightley and Nigel Bolton in their excellent efforts with using their skills as professionals to keep us all informed through 2004. Keep up the good work guys.
FORUM
Thank you to Mark Humpage for maximum effort with moderating the forum and dealing with the many issues involved. The forum remains a complete success and has made mine and many other staff jobs much easier. It is hard to imagine how we managed without it. Strength to strength!
CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATION
Thank you to executive Ellie Gatrille-Smith for administering the whole affair. The last meeting proved very popular and educational to all who attended. Please note that the Spring Meeting date has been set for 26th March 2005 Oxford Brookes University. Further details will go on the TORRO home page shortly.
EUROPEAN SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS
Executive Sam Jowett at sam.jowett@torro.org.uk will be awaiting any reports from the rest of the continent. Good luck Sam with progress in 2005.
If there are any names that I have missed then I do apologies. Once again thank you to everyone that has helped TORRO through 2004. Lets make 2005 the best year yet!
Best Wishes
Tony Gilbert (Director and Site Investigation Co ordinator to TORRO)
Tel:- 023 92502551
Mobile 07887755422