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1981 United Kingdom tornado outbreak

{{Short description|1981 UK natural disaster}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox weather event

| image =

| caption =

| duration = 22–24 November 1981

}}{{Infobox weather event/Tornado outbreak

| tornadoes = 104

| fujita-scale = F2

| winds =

| largest hail =

}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects

| fatalities = None reported

| damage = Unknown, but hundreds of properties damaged

| affected = East Midlands; East of England; North West England; South East England; Wales; West Midlands; Yorkshire and the Humber

}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer

| season = 1981–82 United Kingdom cold wave and tornado outbreaks of 1981

}}

The 1981 United Kingdom tornado outbreak is regarded as the largest recorded tornado outbreak in European history, and is tied with the tornado outbreak of November 22–24, 2004 as the largest November tornado outbreak globally. In the span of 5 hours and 26 minutes during the late morning and early afternoon of 23 November 1981, 104 confirmed tornadoes touched down across Wales and central, northern and eastern England.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi|title=European Severe Weather Database|website=www.eswd.eu}}

Although the majority of tornadoes were very weak, measuring FU-F1 on the Fujita scale, widespread property damage was reported, mainly from the small number of tornadoes which intensified to F2 strength. By the end of the outbreak, hundreds of properties across the country had been damaged.{{Cite journal | doi=10.1002/j.1477-8696.1985.tb06883.x|title = Britain's Greatest Tornado Outbreak| journal=Weather| volume=40| issue=8| pages=230–235|year = 1985|last1 = Rowe|first1 = M. W.| last2=Meaden| first2=G. T.|bibcode = 1985Wthr...40..230R}}

Most of the tornadoes occurred in rural areas and small villages across central parts of the United Kingdom, although several large metropolitan areas were affected. The St Helens area was the first to be struck by multiple tornadoes around 11:30, followed by the Manchester area around 12:00, the Hull area around 13:30 and the Birmingham area around 14:00. The strongest tornado of the outbreak, an F2 tornado, struck Holyhead in Anglesey, Wales at 10:30; the only other F2 tornado of the outbreak caused considerable damage in the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire around 14:00.

With 104 tornadoes, this single-day outbreak alone saw more confirmed tornadoes than any other whole year in British history – 1974 previously held the record, with 80 tornadoes across the whole year. At the time of the 1981 outbreak, there had only been one other tornado outbreak in recorded history which produced more than 100 tornadoes within 24 hours, that being the 1974 Super Outbreak in the United States. However, that outbreak included many more powerful tornadoes and resulted in hundreds of fatalities.

Meteorological background

On 22 November 1981, a rapidly deepening low-pressure extratropical cyclone was centred just off the northern coast of Scotland. The central pressure of this system was 994 mbar at 12:00 GMT on 22 November, deepening to 968 mbar by 12:00 GMT on 23 November.{{Cite journal | doi=10.1175/WAF-D-15-0131.1|title = Reexamining the United Kingdom's Greatest Tornado Outbreak: Forecasting the Limited Extent of Tornadoes along a Cold Front| journal=Weather and Forecasting| volume=31| issue=3| pages=853–875|year = 2016|last1 = Apsley|first1 = Miriam L.| last2=Mulder| first2=Kelsey J.| last3=Schultz| first3=David M.|bibcode = 2016WtFor..31..853A| url=http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/61279/1/waf-d-15-0131%252E1.pdf}}

At the same time, a high-pressure anticyclone was pushing into southern England from mainland Europe. There was an unusually strong upper-level temperature gradient between the low- and high-pressure systems, with the low-pressure system funnelling in cold, arctic air from the north, clashing with humid, subtropical air moving up from southern Europe in the anticyclone.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/default.aspx?g=posts&t=17086|title=23 November 1981: Tornado Outbreak - TheWeatherOutlook forum|website=www.theweatheroutlook.com}}

During the morning of 23 November, a cold front attached to the southern edge of the low-pressure area began to cross the United Kingdom from west to east. Fuelled by this temperature gradient and warm subtropical air to the south, a number of supercell thunderstorms became embedded within the southern edge of the cold front and its pre-frontal rain bands, spawning the first tornadoes over Wales around 10:30 GMT. By mid-afternoon, 104 tornadoes had been confirmed across the United Kingdom.

Several days after the tornado outbreak, the high-pressure anticyclone to the south of the British Isles broke down, allowing colder arctic air to move in from the north, resulting in the start of a record-breaking cold wave.

Confirmed tornadoes

{{Tornado Chart

|Total = 104

|FU = 21

|F0 = 24

|F1 = 57

|F2 = 2

|F3 = 0

|F4 = 0

|F5 = 0

| Enhanced=no

}}

class="wikitable collapsible" width="100%"

!colspan="8"|List of reported tornadoes - Monday 23 November 1981

F#T#LocationCountyCoord.Time (UTC)Path lengthComments/Damage
colspan="8" align=center|Wales
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Amlwch

|Anglesey

|{{Coord|53.40

4.33|name=Amlwch (1019, F1)}}

|10:19
(±15 mins)

|{{convert|6|km|mi}}

|First tornado of the outbreak; touched down in Rhosgoch and moved north-eastwards towards Amlwch.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|2}} | F2

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|2}} | T5

|Holyhead

|Anglesey

|{{Coord|53.31

4.64|name=Holyhead (1034, F2)}}

|10:34

|

|Strongest tornado of the outbreak. 20 houses were damaged in Holyhead and a mobile home was overturned and destroyed.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|unknown}} | FU

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|unknown}} | TU

|Holyhead

|Anglesey

|{{Coord|53.30

4.63|name=Holyhead (1034, FU)}}

|10:34

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Penrhos Feilw

|Anglesey

|{{Coord|53.29

4.68|name=Penrhos Feilw (1045, F1)}}

|10:45
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Llanddaniel Fab

|Anglesey

|{{Coord|53.21

4.26|name=Llanddaniel Fab (1100, F1)}}

|11:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

colspan="8" align=center|North West England
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Wallasey

|Merseyside

|{{Coord|53.43

3.07|name=Wallasey (1130, F1)}}

|11:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Birkenhead

|Merseyside

|{{Coord|53.40

3.03|name=Birkenhead (1130, F0)}}

|11:30
(±1 hour)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|St Helens

|Merseyside

|{{Coord|53.45

2.73|name=St Helens (1150, F1)}}

|11:50
(±5 mins)

|

|Tornado passed through St Helens town centre, causing damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Great Sutton

|Cheshire

|{{Coord|53.27

2.94|name=Great Sutton (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Antrobus

|Cheshire

|{{Coord|53.31

2.54|name=Antrobus (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Croft

|Cheshire

|{{Coord|53.43

2.55|name=Croft (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|{{convert|11|km|mi}}

|Tornado later moved over the town of Warrington, causing some damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Hollinwood

|Greater Manchester

|{{Coord|53.52

2.13|name=Hollinwood (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±30 mins)

|{{convert|5|km|mi}}

|Tornado later moved over the town of Oldham, causing some damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Cheadle Hulme

|Greater Manchester

|{{Coord|53.37

2.18|name=Cheadle Hulme (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|Small tornado affecting parts of the town of Stockport.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Whitefield

|Greater Manchester

|{{Coord|53.55

2.30|name=Whitefield (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|Small tornado affecting parts of the town of Bury.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Timperley

|Greater Manchester

|{{Coord|53.40

2.33|name=Timperley (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

colspan="8" align=center|West Midlands
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Norbury

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|53.53

2.94|name=Norbury (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|{{convert|60|km|mi}}

|Staying on the ground for a long distance, this tornado also significantly affected the town of Whitchurch before dissipating.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Market Drayton

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.91

2.49|name=Market Drayton (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Beckbury

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.62

2.35|name=Beckbury (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Knockin

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.78

3.00|name=Knockin (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|{{convert|8|km|mi}}

|Also affected the town of Oswestry, causing some damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Chetwynd Manor

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.77

2.38|name=Chetwynd Manor (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±5 mins)

|{{convert|5|km|mi}}

|The market town of Newport was also impacted by this tornado.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Ironbridge

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.63

2.47|name=Ironbridge (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Kenilworth

|Warwickshire

|{{Coord|52.35

1.58|name=Kenilworth (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Fenny Compton

|Warwickshire

|{{Coord|52.15

1.38|name=Fenny Compton (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Wem

|Shropshire

|{{Coord|52.86

2.72|name=Wem (1205, F1)}}

|12:05
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Fordhouses

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.63

2.13|name=Fordhouses (1400, F1)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|

|Tornado caused damage in the suburbs of Wolverhampton.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Bloxwich

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.62

2.00|name=Bloxwich (1400, F1)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|

|Tornado affected the outskirts of Walsall.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Dudley

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.50

2.08|name=Dudley (1400, F1)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|{{convert|1.5|km|mi}}

|Tornado touched down in the suburb of Woodsetton and later passed through Dudley town centre causing some damage before dissipating.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Erdington

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.52

1.84|name=Erdington (1400, F1)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|

|Tornado impacted the northern suburbs of Birmingham, causing some damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Selly Oak

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.43

1.95|name=Selly Oak (1400, F1)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|

|Tornado impacted the southern suburbs of Birmingham, causing some damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Solihull

|West Midlands

|{{Coord|52.42

1.78|name=Solihull (1400, F0)}}

|14:00
(±1 hour)

|{{convert|4|km|mi}}

|Small tornado touched down in the suburb of Shirley and continued through to Solihull town centre.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|2}} | F2

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|2}} | T4

|Stoneleigh

|Warwickshire

|{{Coord|52.35

1.52|name=Stoneleigh (1400, F2)}}

|14:00
(±15 mins)

|

|Second strongest tornado of the outbreak, caused considerable damage in the village of Stoneleigh. 20 large static caravans were blown over and destroyed.

colspan="8" align=center|South East England
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Claydon

|Oxfordshire

|{{Coord|52.13

1.33|name=Claydon (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Hornton

|Oxfordshire

|{{Coord|52.08

1.42|name=Hornton (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Haversham

|Buckinghamshire

|{{Coord|52.07

0.78|name=Haversham (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|Affected Milton Keynes.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Wolverton

|Buckinghamshire

|{{Coord|52.05

0.82|name=Wolverton (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|Affected Milton Keynes.

colspan="8" align=center|East Midlands
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Daventry

|Northamptonshire

|{{Coord|52.25

1.17|name=Daventry (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Great Houghton

|Northamptonshire

|{{Coord|52.22

0.83|name=Great Houghton (1200, F1)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Yardley Hastings

|Northamptonshire

|{{Coord|52.20

0.73|name=Yardley Hastings (1200, F0)}}

|12:00
(±3 hours)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Wrawby

|Lincolnshire

|{{Coord|53.57

0.47|name=Wrawby (1315, F1)}}

|13:15
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|South Killingholme

|Lincolnshire

|{{Coord|53.57

0.23|name=South Killingholme (1330, F1)}}

|13:30
(±1 hour)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Keelby

|Lincolnshire

|{{Coord|53.57

0.25|name=Keelby (1330, F1)}}

|13:30
(±1 hour)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Grimsby

|Lincolnshire

|{{Coord|53.53

0.05|name=Grimsby (1330, F1)}}

|13:30
(±1 hour)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T0

|Tydd St Mary

|Lincolnshire

|{{Coord|52.75|0.14|name=Tydd St Mary (1445, F0)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

colspan="8" align=center|Yorkshire and the Humber
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Kingston upon Hull

|East Riding of Yorkshire

|{{Coord|53.75

0.34|name=Kingston upon Hull (1330, F1)}}

|13:30
(±5 mins)

|

|Tornado passed through the north-eastern residential suburbs of Hull, causing damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T0

|Kingston upon Hull

|East Riding of Yorkshire

|{{Coord|53.74

0.29|name=Kingston upon Hull (1330, F0)}}

|13:30
(±1 hour)

|

|Small tornado affected the Port of Hull.

colspan="8" align=center|East of England
bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Carlton

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|52.19

0.61|name=Carlton (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T0

|Aspley Guise

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|52.02

0.63|name=Aspley Guise (1445, F0)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Flitton

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|52.00

0.45|name=Flitton (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T0

|Luton

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|51.88

0.42|name=Luton (1445, F0)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|Small tornado affected Luton, causing minimal damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Letchworth Garden City

|Hertfordshire

|{{Coord|51.97

0.22|name=Letchworth Garden City (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Fowlmere

|Cambridgeshire

|{{Coord|52.08|0.08|name=Fowlmere (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T0

|Friday Bridge

|Cambridgeshire

|{{Coord|52.62|0.16|name=Friday Bridge (1445, F0)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Upwell

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.60|0.22|name=Upwell (1445, F0)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Huntingdon

|Cambridgeshire

|{{Coord|52.33

0.18|name=Huntingdon (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±5 mins)

|

|Moderate tornado caused damage in Huntingdon town centre.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|unknown}} | FU

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|unknown}} | TU

|Wicken

|Cambridgeshire

|{{Coord|52.30|0.30|name=Wicken (1445, FU)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Diddington

|Cambridgeshire

|{{Coord|52.27

0.25|name=Diddington (1445, F1)}}

|14:45
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Harrold

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|52.20

0.61|name=Harrold (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Silsoe

|Bedfordshire

|{{Coord|52.00

0.42|name=Silsoe (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Melton Constable

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.85|1.03|name=Melton Constable (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Swaffham

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.65|0.68|name=Swaffham (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Norwich

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.63|1.30|name=Norwich (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|Small tornado affected Norwich city centre and surrounding suburbs, causing widespread but minor damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Shipdham

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.62|0.90|name=Shipdham (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Foulden

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.55|0.60|name=Foulden (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Methwold

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.52|0.55|name=Methwold (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Morningthorpe

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.48|1.27|name=Morningthorpe (1500, F1)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Pulham Market

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.42|1.25|name=Pulham Market (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Pulham St Mary

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.43|1.25|name=Pulham St Mary (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Lakenheath

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.43|0.57|name=Lakenheath (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Heybridge Basin

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.73|0.71|name=Heybridge Basin (1500, F0)}}

|15:00
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Antingham

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.85|1.35|name=Antingham (1515, F1)}}

|15:15
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Long Stratton

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.48|1.23|name=Long Stratton (1515, F1)}}

|15:15
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Elmswell

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.23|0.92|name=Elmswell (1515, F1)}}

|15:15
(±30 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Chelmsford

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.73|0.48|name=Chelmsford (1515, F1)}}

|15:15
(±30 mins)

|

|Tornado affected Chelmsford city centre and surrounding suburbs causing minor damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|North Creake

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.90|0.77|name=North Creake (1520, F1)}}

|15:20
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | T1

|Mendlesham

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.25|1.07|name=Mendlesham (1520, F0)}}

|15:20
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Beccles

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.47|1.57|name=Beccles (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Combs

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.17|0.99|name=Combs (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Needham Market

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.16|1.06|name=Needham Market (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T3

|Coddenham

|Suffolk

|{{Coord|52.13|1.12|name=Coddenham (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Chignall Smealy

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.78|0.41|name=Chignall Smealy (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Broomfield

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.77|0.47|name=Broomfield (1530, F1)}}

|15:30
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Mundon

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.68|1.12|name=Mundon (1535, F1)}}

|15:35
(±5 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Wymondham

|Norfolk

|{{Coord|52.57|1.12|name=Wymondham (1540, F1)}}

|15:40
(±15 mins)

|

|

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|Clacton-on-Sea

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.79|1.16|name=Clacton-on-Sea (1545, F1)}}

|15:45
(±5 mins)

|

|Tornado affected Clacton town centre and the seafront, causing moderate damage.

bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | F1

|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|1}} | T2

|West Mersea

|Essex

|{{Coord|51.77|0.90|name=West Mersea (1545, F1)}}

|15:45
(±5 mins)

|

|Last tornado of the outbreak, touching down 5 hours and 26 minutes after the first tornado.

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Weather events in the United Kingdom}}

{{1981 tornado outbreaks}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Tornadoes in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom Tornado outbreak

Category:Tornado outbreaks

United Kingdom Tornado outbreak

United Kingdom Tornado outbreak

Category:Weather events in England

Tornado outbreak

Tornado outbreak

Category:F2, EF2 and IF2 tornadoes