Extreme weather

Typhoon Durian is in the process of slipping off the weather charts, west of Thailand, but its gruesome aftermath continues in the Philippines. Dead bodies continue to wash ashore in the affected area, recovery operations are still in full flow. At least 1,300 people are confirmed to have lost their lives in the disaster. And another typhoon is in the offing, this time forecast on time by the weatherservice PAGASA.

Meanwhile, a tornado has ripped through a London suburb, leaving damage and injured people behind. Tornadoes in the UK are not the huge destructive features that those in the USA are used to, but there are more tornadoes in this country, relative to its size, than in the US on an annual basis. They form in thunderstorms, or on fronts with a large temperature difference. There was reported to be sleet and rain, when a funnel suddenly formed at the base of a cloud, which touched the earth. Houses were damaged, one was reported to have lost its roof; cars were also damaged, and people were hurt through flying debris.

Earlier this week, I was surprised to hear a peal of thunder at 8.30pm. Thunder is uncommon in the islands, and usually occurs in winter. One of the worst thunderstorms I have experienced in Lewis happened as part of a blizzard, in which hail, freezing rain and snow turned the main A859 Stornoway to Tarbert road into an icerink. The bus I was travelling on reduced speed to a 10 mph crawl between Leurbost and Keose, which is a treacherous and winding stretch of road.