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Clim ate, environment and people case studyA low pressure weather systemDepression over Southern England, 15-16
th
October 1987When to use this case study:
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A weather event
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A severe weather event
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A weather event caused by a low pressure system
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A weather event and its effect on different groups of people and theenvironment
What happened?
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Warm air from Africa met cold air from the AtlanticOcean, causing an intense depression
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The depression developed over the Bay of Biscay on15
th
October and moved northwards
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Weather forecasters thought it wouldn’t reach England,but by midnight it had changed course and movedtowards the south coast – most people went to bedwithout knowing that there would be very severe windsovernight
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Winds were over 100 km/hour and on the coast inHampshire, Sussex and Kent winds reached gale force11
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The central pressure was 953 mb
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There were rapid changes in temperature as the warm front passed over eg. in Farnborough8.5°C to 17.6°C in 20 minutes! (see map)
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By 9am the storm had passed over land and reached the North Sea
What were the effects of the storm?
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19 people died in England
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15 million trees were knocked down, including 6 of the famous oaks trees in Sevenoaks
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Trees blocked roads and railways
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Power lines were taken down and 5 million homes were without electricity
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Caravan parks were wrecked
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Falling masonry and trees damaged and destroyed cars andhouses
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Fire brigade had 6000 calls in 24 hours
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Buildings collapsed
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A cross-channel ferry, the MV Hengist, was blown aground atFolkestone
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A ship capsized at Dover 
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Roads and railway lines were blocked with fallen trees
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Cost £15 billion in insurance claims, so premiums went up for everyone next year 
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Fallen trees provided new habitats for some animals
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Some plants benefited as there was more light on the forest floor allowing them to grow
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The photo shows council workers clearing the A28 at Wye
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