 Synoptic chart of storm by Met Office | |
| Type | European windstorm Extratropical cyclone |
|---|---|
| Formed | 12 January 1968 |
| Dissipated | 18 January 1968 |
| Highest gust | 134 mph (216 km/h)[1] |
| Lowest pressure | 956 mb (28.2 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 28 dead (56 injured)[3][4][5] |
| Damage | £30 million (1968 GBP)[2] |
| Areas affected | Scotland,England,Northern Ireland,Denmark |
The1968 Hurricane (orHurricane Low Q)[1][2] was a deadly storm that moved through theCentral Belt of Scotland during mid January 1968. It was described as Central Scotland's worst natural disaster since records began and the worst gale in the United Kingdom.[2][3][6] Some said that the damage resembled what happened during theClydebank Blitz in 1941.[4] 20 people died from the storm, with 9 dead inGlasgow.[7] 700 people were left homeless.[8] Such high wind speeds in an urban area were equivalent to those witnessed in Paris duringCyclone Lothar in 1999.[9]
A 134 mph (216 km/h) wind gust was recorded atGreat Dun Fell in Westmorland, England.[citation needed] At the time this was the strongest wind gust ever recorded in the United Kingdom,[10] though this was superseded in 1986 when a 173 mph (278 km/h) gust was recorded atCairn Gorm.[11]
The termhurricane is a misnomer as it refers to tropical cyclones originating in the North Atlantic or North Pacific. However the winds were 'hurricane force'.
The origins of this violent storm appear to be from a cold front nearBermuda on 13 January 1968.[3] The system moved north of theAzores the next day and still appeared as a shallow low pressure area. In the next 24 hours, this low explosively deepened 50 millibars (1½ inches) to 956 mb (28.2 inHg) and passed over Central Scotland.[3][12] The storm continued to move over Northern Europe before dissipating on 18 January 1968.
15 January 1968 began as a mild day, then temperatures grew cooler as the day progressed.[7] The highest temperature on that day was 11.8 °C (53.2 °F) atSt. James's Park, London and the lowest was 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) atLerwick,Shetland.[7] The most rainfall on 15 January in the British Isles was 24.9 mm (0.98 in) atSouth Barrule.[7] In Glasgow alone, over 300 houses were destroyed and 70,000 homes were damaged.[1] Due to the strong winds, half of Glasgow's council houses were damaged.[6] Many people evacuated what were then Europe's tallest flats as they began swaying.[13] Officials said at least seven ships sank or went adrift in theriver Clyde causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage.[6] Off the east coast of Scotland, a drilling rig calledSea Quest was set adrift in rough seas.[3] Over a thousand mature trees were downed in the Central Belt, as well as power lines.[3] In total, the storm felled 30 sq. mi. (8,000 hectares) of forest across Scotland (2 million cu. yd.; 1.6 million cubic metres of timber).[14] A Glasgow police spokesman said that it was 'absolute havoc' in the city.[15] Electrical power also failed in Glasgow, leaving the whole city in darkness.[5]
In England and Wales, a five-day freeze ended with some roads flooded by up to 3 ft (90 cm) of water.[16] Large waves pounded theEnglish Channel coastline.[5]
| Measuring station | Wind gust |
|---|---|
| Great Dun Fell | 134 mph (216 km/h) |
| Tiree | 118 mph (190 km/h) |
| Bell Rock | 111 mph (179 km/h) |
| Cairn Gorm | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
| Leuchars | 106 mph (171 km/h) |
| Turnhouse | 104 mph (167 km/h) |
| Prestwick | |
| Abbotsinch | 103 mph (166 km/h) |
| Copenhagen | 92 mph (148 km/h) |
Source: Met Office and the Danish Met Service[7] | |
In Denmark, officials inCopenhagen said that eight people died in the country from the storm.[4][17]
After the storm moved away, the death toll continued to rise. 30 people died in accidents during subsequent house repairs.[2] On 16 January 1968, about 150 troops from Edinburgh came to Glasgow to help with the clean-up operation.[13] There was little national press coverage of the storm, despite it affecting most of northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. An interest-free loan of £500,000 was given by the Labour Government to the affected areas.[1][2] SingerFrankie Vaughan began to raise funds for the victims of the storm by holding a special concert atAlhambra Theatre in Glasgow.[13]
After the devastation of the storm in the area, theGlasgow City Council quickly imposed a new policy to improve housing in the city.[3]
