St. Jude storm facts for kids
Christian making landfall in Denmark on 28 October 2013.
|
|
| Type | Extratropical cyclone European windstorm |
|---|---|
| Formed | 26 October 2013 |
| Dissipated | 31 October 2013 |
| Lowest pressure | 967 mb (28.56 inHg) |
| Highest gust | 194.4 km/h (120.8 mph; 105.0 kn), Als, Denmark |
| Total fatalities | 17 dead, 1 missing |
| Areas affected | United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Russia |
The St. Jude Storm, also called Cyclone Christian, was a very strong storm. It hit parts of Northwestern Europe in late October 2013. This storm caused a lot of damage and sadly led to 17 deaths.
Weather experts had predicted strong winds for southern England. They thought winds might reach 80–90 mph (130–145 km/h). However, the strongest wind was actually recorded in Denmark. A gust of 120.8 mph (194.4 km/h) hit the southern part of the country. This was the strongest wind ever recorded in Denmark's history. The storm caused damage in many countries. These included Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Contents
What Was the St. Jude Storm?
The St. Jude Storm was a type of storm called an extratropical cyclone. This means it formed outside of the tropics. It was also known as a European windstorm. These storms bring very strong winds and often heavy rain.
This storm began to form on October 26, 2013. It lasted for several days, finally fading away by October 31, 2013. It moved across a large area of Europe.
How Strong Was the Storm?
The St. Jude Storm brought incredibly powerful winds. While many areas saw strong gusts, Denmark experienced the highest wind speed. A gust of 120.8 mph (194.4 km/h) was recorded there.
To give you an idea, a hurricane is a storm with winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) or more. So, the St. Jude Storm had winds much stronger than a basic hurricane.
Where Did the Storm Hit?
The storm affected many countries across Northern Europe. It started in the United Kingdom and then moved eastward.
Countries hit by the storm included:
- United Kingdom
- France
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Norway
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Finland
- Russia
What Damage Did It Cause?
The strong winds from the St. Jude Storm caused a lot of damage. Trees were blown down, blocking roads and damaging buildings. Power lines were also affected, leading to electricity outages for many homes.
In some places, roofs were damaged or even torn off. For example, parts of the Cranfield Mill in Ipswich were damaged. A roof at the University of Flensburg in Germany also suffered damage.
The storm also affected old buildings. The cap of the Oost Mühle, a historic windmill in Greetsiel, Germany, was blown off. This shows how powerful the winds were.
Images for kids
-
Loop of meteorological surface map of the trajectory of the St. Jude Storm of 25 to 29 October 2013
-
Damaged cladding on Cranfield Mill, Ipswich
-
Damage to a roof at the University of Flensburg
-
The Oost Mühle, Greetsiel. The mill's cap is on the ground at right.
