What a day that was, I remember being at the top of a double decker and the driver struggling against the wind that afternoon. Remember watching BBC's 6 O'clock News that evening and was shocked by how many had lost their lives. 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHbLu0SgC4

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBllgrMcpL4

 

What a day indeed, ranks in the top 3 of my most memorable weather events of all time. I was living in Leeds at the time and what was striking about this storm was the rapididy with which it developed as the wind swung round from the SW to the NW. From nothing to a ferocious gale in about 45mins. All the lights at work were flickering and then I walked home, right over the highest point in Leeds. That was an experience I will never forget and the like of which I may never see again. I do like walking in a good gale, I find it exhilarating but this was verging on the downright dangerous, was most certainly almost blown over a couple of times.

 

What a day indeed, ranks in the top 3 of my most memorable weather events of all time. I was living in Leeds at the time and what was striking about this storm was the rapididy with which it developed as the wind swung round from the SW to the NW. From nothing to a ferocious gale in about 45mins. All the lights at work were flickering and then I walked home, right over the highest point in Leeds. That was an experience I will never forget and the like of which I may never see again. I do like walking in a good gale, I find it exhilarating but this was verging on the downright dangerous, was most certainly almost blown over a couple of times.

The Towyn flood storm, you rarely hear about this, a month later was  even worse up here. That was a hell of a gale, I remember waiting at a bus stop that morning  and seeing a wind gust rip the guttering off a building on the other side of the road and the wind then whipping up the debris and showering me in it. 

What a rollercoaster of weather that was from late January to early March 1990, there was snow, hail, thunder, lightning, gales, torrrential rain, unusually mild.

I remember hearing about the incident in which Gordon Kaye was injured, but I don't have particular recollections of this storm.  Perhaps the likely explanation for this is that everything around here that was going to blow down had already gone in Oct '87 and what remained upright after that was going to survive this storm without a problem.

I remember hearing about the incident in which Gordon Kaye was injured, but I don't have particular recollections of this storm.  Perhaps the likely explanation for this is that everything around here that was going to blow down had already gone in Oct '87 and what remained upright after that was going to survive this storm without a problem.

You are correct AJ - Gordon Kaye suffered a head injury in 1990. For that and more of the storm, see:

https://www.theguardian.com/fromthearchive/story/0,12269,1398114,00.html

He died in 2017

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/757830/Gorden-Kaye-dead-Rene-Artois-Allo-Allo-head-injury-car-accident-1990-storm

Roger

I was working in Blackfriars at the time and had an office overlooking the river next to Blackfriars Bridge

The wind as so strong I saw a phenomenon I have only ever seen on that one day - huge clouds racing down the river made up of water picked up off the surface of the river by the strength of the wind

On Blackfriars Bridge itself a pedestrian was blown off his feet and into the road but quick action from passers by prevented a serious injury

An amazing day

I was working in Blackfriars at the time and had an office overlooking the river next to Blackfriars Bridge

The wind as so strong I saw a phenomenon I have only ever seen on that one day - huge clouds racing down the river made up of water picked up off the surface of the river by the strength of the wind

Yeah, I remember seeing a photo of a group of Bobbies in their uniforms rowing on the Thames in front of the House of Commons with wind whipping spray off the Thames. It looked choppy! They were rehearsing for some charity event.

Max gust of 94mph at Leeds Weather Centre on that day according to historical data, with a max sustained speed of 51mph.

An even higher gust of 98mph was recorded a month later though on February 26th, with a max sustained speed of 63mph. Can any other English city best that? For an inland city Leeds can be very windy.

I won't ever forget that day. My mum was driving us down the country lanes to school when a large old oak tree directly in front of us was toppled by a gust of wind. My mum slammed on the brakes and we came to a halt in the outer branches of the tree which was by now blocking the road entirely.
I'll never forget what she did next - without a word she put the car into reverse and we went back down the lane, still in reverse, all the way to the main road some mile and a half distant!
Looking back on it we were extraordinarily lucky - a second later and we would've been killed.

Not quite as dramatic as your story but I remember this day so clearly cant believe its 30 years ago. Living in Sussex I was eleven, school had been cancelled so I was playing in the wind with my sister in the garden as you do when suddenly 20 odd tiles blew off our neighbours roof and smashed into our garage door noise was incredible. We were very lucky. Also no school or power for about a week .

Max gust of 94mph at Leeds Weather Centre on that day according to historical data, with a max sustained speed of 51mph.

An even higher gust of 98mph was recorded a month later though on February 26th, with a max sustained speed of 63mph. Can any other English city best that? For an inland city Leeds can be very windy.

I don't remember that one at all so I dug out my old 1990 diary and that day's entry begins 'Was woken at about six by a fierce gale that was roaring over the house.....' I comment that it almost but not quite seemed to reach the strength of the Jan 25th storm. I even quote the 98mph gust at Leeds Weather Centre!

Sheffield perhaps, being really tucked in against the Pennines, lee effect and all that. Bradford I guess would be similar. I think one of Bradford City's floodlights blew down once.

I remember hearing about the incident in which Gordon Kaye was injured, but I don't have particular recollections of this storm.  Perhaps the likely explanation for this is that everything around here that was going to blow down had already gone in Oct '87 and what remained upright after that was going to survive this storm without a problem.

I remember hearing about the incident in which Gordon Kaye was injured, but I don't have particular recollections of this storm.  Perhaps the likely explanation for this is that everything around here that was going to blow down had already gone in Oct '87 and what remained upright after that was going to survive this storm without a problem.

I also have no specific recollection of this 

It's becoming a theme with me 

I remember this well, can't believe it was 30 years ago. I was at secondary school and struggled to stay on my feet walking to school. At lunchtime we were kept in and I remember everyone to rushing to the windows to watch some trees being uprooted outside. We then had a special assembly and were sent home early, even though the storm was still going! Not sure how they made that decision.