1968 Scotland storm
The 1968 Hurricane (or Hurricane Low Q) was a deadly storm that moved through the Central 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. Some said that the damage resembled what happened during the Clydebank Blitz in 1941. 20 people died from the storm, with 9 dead in Glasgow. 700 people were left homeless. Such high wind speeds in an urban area were equivalent to those witnessed in Paris during Cyclone Lothar in 1999.
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) |
| Lowest pressure | 956 mb (28.2 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 28 dead (56 injured) |
| Damage | £30 million (1968 GBP) |
| Areas affected | Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Denmark |
A 134 mph (216 km/h) wind gust was recorded at Great Dun Fell in Cumbria, England. At the time this was the strongest wind gust ever recorded in the United Kingdom, though this was superseded in 1986 when a 173 mph (278 km/h) gust was recorded at Cairn Gorm.