LATE REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER
4 FC 30th Sept 1045 BST Plymton, S. Devon. TORRO member Keith Mortimore observed a succession of funnel clouds. Very heavy showers effected the region during this period.
OCTOBER WHIRLWIND EVENTS
An unusually quiet month by comparison to other years October totals, with just one tornado, two waterspout, one funnel cloud and one remarkable shower. Last year's October saw eight tornadoes and (one probable), four waterspouts, nine funnel clouds and three probable funnel clouds.
TN 22nd Oct 1245 BST Jersey, Channel Islands. Message courtesy of Stuart Robinson. An elderly couple were reportedly lifted into the air and thrown aside by a waterspout making landfall. Conditions that day were shown to be conducive to funnel formation.
FC 22nd Oct 1400 BST. Courtesy of TORRO member Paul Brown. Jersey meteorological office reported this event.
2 WS 23rd Oct Redcar, Durham. Report courtesy of TORRO member lain Farquhar via BBC news.
RS 23rd Oct Middlesborough, Durham (nr Redcar) . Sent in by TORRO director Jonathan Webb. Evening Gazette reported a remarkable shower of fish well inland from the coast. The fish showed signs of intense freezing.
FC 29th Oct 1600 GMT Warrington, Lancashire. Dr Terence Meaden passed on this report. Eyewitness Chris Short managed to take several photo's of this funnel.
NO OFFICIAL ADVISORIES WATCHES OR WARNINGS WERE ISSUED DURING OCTOBER
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Unusual seasonal synoptic conditions experienced for this month. In many ways not too dis similar to the earlier months of the year with a persisting upper ridge deflecting the usual autumn depressions to the north. Some thunderstorm events did occur but they were relatively limited in intensity. Always interesting to hear when someone has made direct contact with a tornado and survived to tell the tale, as with the Jersey event. A weak waterspout made landfall and appears not to have had time to accumulate debris within the funnel. Leaving the temporary hosts 'shaken but not stirred'. It was a shame that no local investigators were available for the remarkable shower of fish Middlesborough 23rd Oct. It would be an achievement to substantiate once an for all the origin and truth in 'long distance debris'! Our usually busy severe weather period appears to be no more than a storm in a tea cup! TORRO would like to welcome Stuart Robinson as a newly appointed executive to the long awaited creation of the TORRO archive. The archive will take many months to achieve properly, and we will need to offer full support with his work. It is hoped that a full electric library of events will one day be easily accessed by TORRO members and to those whom TORRO chooses to benefit. A big thank you to TORRO executive Ellie Gatrill- Smith for taking on the role of TORRO 'meeting adminstration'. This will help relieve Derek Elsom of a big responsibility and allow him to host our meetings with ease.
MAILING LIST
Apologies to members when earlier in the month the mailing list were down for a 72 hr period. Zetnet our mail server were having a few problem at their end. Zetnet assures us that the problem has now been sorted and will be upgrading the software very soon. We should be thankful this 'was not' a bust period.
JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY AND CONVECTION PUBLICATION
TORRO is proud of both publications but would like to encourage members to be more involved with their content. If you are involved in a tornado site investigation please do follow up with a paper for the JMet. journalofmeteorology.com If you have a weather experience you would like to share with us all please post a less formal paper to Alan http://www.torro.org.uk/convection/index.htm
TORRO FUNDING
TORRO is very keen to find someone to research available grants for TORRO i.e. Lottery funding. Such applications can usually be made via the internet. The information is all there but we need someone to offer their services. Any one interested please contact me anthony.gilbert@torro.org.uk or another member of staff and we will supply all the necessary history of the organisation.
PHOTO GALLERY
TORRO executive Mark Humpage has been looking into creating a gallery for the TORRO website. This is desperately needed so any material of interest cloud formations, funnels etc. please post to mhumpage@aol.com The gallery will hopefully create good interest from the public domain.
Best Wishes Tony Gilbert (Director and Site Investigation Co ordinator to TORRO)