Please Note:-
The newsletter was originally created to keep its members informed of recent events and to give a brief summary of reported tornadoes or other severe weather events. At no time is it intended to be regarded as the TORRO data base. All listings and entries are subject to constant change or deletion until the facts are eventually realised. Sometimes this may take many weeks or months. The true TORRO figures are eventually printed within the Journal of Meteorology by TORRO director Mike Rowe. These figures will have a delay of approximately a year in order for stray and late reporting to be added before the journal goes to print. ONLY the listing within the journal should be regarded as a true account of events, whereby every effort would have been made to re create the true facts to the best of our ability.
Apologies for the late arrival of the September Newsletter. My computer crashed 'big time'! There may be some errors in the listings. If you know different please post directly to me. Thankyou
LATE REPORTS FROM AUGUST
4 FC 30th Aug 2003 1045 BST Plmpton S Devon. TORRO member Keith Mortimor
FC 30th Aug 2003 pm Faversham, Kent. Courtesy of UK weather world Stuart Robinson
FC 31st Aug 2003 0830 BST Isle of Sark, Channel Islands. TORRO member Roy Cook witnessed a funnel cloud 15 miles east of Point Robert.
5 FC 31st Aug 2003 1235-1300 BST Westward Ho, N Devon. This report was passed on by TORRO director Alan Rogers. Eyewitness Shirley Cleave reported at least five funnel clouds looking much like elephant trunks.
FC 31st Aug 2003 1930 BST Caernarfon Bay, Wales. A funnel cloud was photographed as evidence to the event.
FC 31st Aug 2003 1330 BST Anglesey, Wales. TORRO member Mark Wells witnessed this event lasting approx 4 minutes.
SEPTEMBER WHIRLWIND EVENTS
An more interesting month than of late. Four definite tornadoes and one probable, sixteen waterspouts, three funnel clouds and one land devil. By comparison last September saw two probable tornadoes and nine funnel clouds.
FC 2nd Sept 2003 1115 BST N. Dartmoor, Devon. TORRO member Conrad Meyer sent in this news clipping from the Western Morning Press. Photo clearly shows the funnel approx three miles from the eyewitness Perran Newman.
TN 4th Sept 2003 Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. TORRO member Paul Simons sent this report to TORRO. Media reports say the tornado also caused a blackout when a bail of hay hit local power lines setting off a fire.
FC 4th Sept Machynlleth, Wales. Eyewitness John Therock managed to film the funnel cloud and noted rapid convection just before the sighting.
WS 10th Sept 2003 Beachy Head, Sussex. TORRO director Dr Terence Meaden passed this one on to us via the London Daily Express.
TN 6th Sept 2003 approx 1200 BST. Eastbourne, East Sussex. Eyewitness Robert Marks managed to film this tornado which was on the ground for ten minutes and was then visible as a funnel just off the coast.
WS 7th Sept 2003 1330 BST Wigtown Bay, Dumfries and Galloway. Report courtesy of Chris Tait of the 'Adverse Weather Group'. tn? 22nd Sept 2003 Billericay, Essex. Reported in local newspaper. No further details.
TN 22nd Sept 2003 Hucclecot, Gloucester. TORRO spoke to the eyewitness Mrs Phyliss Long who said there was a sudden roar of wind which removed some of her roof tiles and split the trunk of a large tree in the garden vertical. The greenhouse next door was untouched.
FC 22nd Sept 1630 BST Felixtow Ferry Golf Course Kent. Report sent in by Neil Steven. Golfers watch a funnel cloud hover over the course.
TN 22nd Sept 2003 0930 BST. Knutsford, Cheshire. This T2 tornado uprooted trees and demolished a one ton pig pen. A local farmer curiously watched the vortex suck birds into its circulation for a time. TORRO executive Matt Capper has since made a full damage site investigation and will be submitting his findings to the organistion shortly.
LD 24th Sept 2003 1330 BST Shobdon, Herefordshire. TORRO member Howard Kirby witnessed a small land devil which lasted approximately 10 seconds carrying leaves up to approx 60-80ft into the air.
6 WS 27th Sept 2003 0600 BST English Channel. This report was passed on by Matt Capper. The waterspouts were witnessed from a Yacht racing in the vicinity. One spout came dangerously close to the yacht and sounded curiously like a washing machine.
WS's (several?) 28th Sept 2003 Humber, East York. TORRO executive Nigel Bolton passed on these reports.
2 WS 28th Sept 2003. The Wash, Lincolnshire. Nigel Bolton.
AN OFFICIAL TORNADO WATCH WAS ISSUED FOR THE UK ON THE 22 SEPT.
This was a successful watch with two definite tornadoes and one possible reported within the period.
Forecaster: (Meteorologist) Paul Knightley.
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
The Autumn TORRO conference went well, all be it that a few arrived late due to traffic congestion. Thankyou to all speakers that participated in the days agenda. A big thanks goes to Ellie Gatrill Smith for administrating the meeting and for Scott. Sawyer for doing an excellent job with the merchandise.
A busy month in many ways with the main feature being the Knutsford tornado. TORRO executive Matt Capper undertook a site investigation soon after the event. Interest once again from the media 'BBC'. Willing TORRO members have been asked to participate in a filmed storm chase for a documentary. The storms will need to develop within the next 5 weeks or they miss their slot. If the weather obliges then we will keep them informed. This will obviously generate publicity for TORRO in the long run.
DATA SOURCES
A new link for models is now available at http://www.unibas.ch/geo/mcr/3d/meteo/nmm22/nmm22.htm This link is quite graphic and may help us all with our observations. A further link http://www.meteorologica.co.uk/index.asp will be a good source of current observations courtesy of Stuart Robinson. Please remember if you need radar access go to http://www.avbrief.com/ to subscribe a small charge. Excellent value for money.
HELP REQUIRED
We are always on the lookout for new members who are willing to offer their services to TORRO with our many tasks and responsibilities. If you think you would be interested please post directly to me anthony.gilbert@torro.org.uk and not to the list Certain jobs are filled and others need assistance so you may not always get your personal choice. But their will be benefits for those that perticipate.
FINAL WORD
Remember we are a voluntary organisation and we can only be as good as what its members are willing to put into it. Thankyou.
Best Wishes Tony Gilbert (Executive to The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation)
Tornado Site Investigation Co ordinator.