Cyclone Gudrun
{{Short description|Powerful storm in northern Europe in 2005}}
{{Distinguish|text=the Eastern Pacific cyclone named Irwin}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox winter storm
|name=Cyclone Gudrun (Erwin)
|image location=Erwin Jan 8 2005.png
|image name=Cyclone Gudrun in the North Sea
|stormtype=European windstorm
Extratropical cyclone
|date formed=7 January 2005[http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/de/wetter/maps/Analyse_20050107.gif Wetter map] met.fu-berlin.de
|date dissipated=12 January 2005[http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/de/wetter/maps/Analyse_20050112.gif Wetter map] met.fu-berlin.de
|pressure={{convert|960|mb|inHg|abbr=on}}
|total damages (USD)=£1.1 billion (2005 GBP)
|total fatalities=12 (7 in Sweden, 4 in Denmark,1 in Estonia).
|areas affected= United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia
}}
Gudrun was a powerful storm which hit Denmark and Sweden on 8 January 2005, and Latvia and Estonia on 9 January 2005. The name Erwin was chosen by the Free University of Berlin, while the storm was named Gudrun by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and was the name used in Sweden. Sustained wind speeds of {{convert|126|km/h|abbr=on}} with wind gusts of {{convert|165|km/h|abbr=on}} were measured in Hanstholm, Denmark – the same strength as a Category 1 hurricane.
The storm caused significant financial damage in Sweden, where the forest industry suffered greatly from damaged trees, as more than {{convert|75|e6m3}} of trees were blown down in southern Sweden. This resulted in Sweden at the time having the world's largest surplus of lumber.
About 415,000 homes lost power in Sweden and several thousand of these were without power for many days and even weeks in some cases, as about 10,000 homes were still without power after three weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.smhi.se/kunskapsbanken/meteorologi/gudrun-januaristormen-2005-1.5300|work=SMHI - Swedish Met Office|publisher=SMHI|access-date=7 December 2013|title=Gudrun - Januaristormen 2005}} The death toll in Sweden was 7{{cite web|url=http://www.smhi.se/kunskapsbanken/meteorologi/gudrun-januaristormen-2005-1.5300|work=SMHI - Swedish Met Office|publisher=SMHI|access-date=9 September 2017|title=Gudrun - Januaristormen 2005}} victims, making it one of the biggest environmental disasters in Swedish history, while four were killed in Denmark and one in Estonia.
Meteorological history
Image:Fallet träd i Onslunda, januari 2005.jpg in Sweden]]
On 6 January 2005, a low pressure system developed at a frontal zone south of Newfoundland.{{cite web|title=Life history of Depression ERWIN|url=http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/wetterpate/Lebensgeschichten/Tief_ERWIN_07_01_05.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105181659/http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/wetterpate/Lebensgeschichten/Tief_ERWIN_07_01_05.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 January 2013|publisher=FU-Berlin|access-date=1 January 2012}} It moved into the central North Atlantic and was named 'Erwin' by the Free University of Berlin. Erwin strengthened rapidly and its pressure at the time of naming was {{cvt|970|mb|inHg}}. Erwin moved quickly, and was already moving over Scotland and Northern Ireland on the 8th. In the UK, temperatures were noticeably higher after the passing of Erwin. On the 9th, Erwin had already moved into the Baltic Sea with a minimum central pressure of {{cvt|960|mb|inHg}}. Over much of Central and Western Europe, temperatures were very mild. The next day, weakening Erwin was over Western Russia with a pressure of {{cvt|975|mb|inHg}}. Erwin began slowing down as it moved into Central Russia. On 13 January, Erwin dissipated over Russia.
Impact
=Carlisle and Cumbria flooding=
In the UK, the main impacts of the storm were flooding in Cumbria and Carlisle, where 1,800 homes were flooded in the city.{{cite news |last1=Harper |first1=Mike |title=10 years on from the Cumbrian and Carlisle Floods of 2005 |url=https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2015/01/08/10-years-on-from-the-cumbrian-and-carlisle-floods-of-2005/ |access-date=19 January 2016 |publisher=Environment Agency |date=8 January 2015}}
=Sweden blackout and damage to forests=
Gudrun is one of the strongest storms to impact Sweden in the last 100 years. It caused much damage to forests in Halland the southwestern part of the South Swedish highlands (Småland).{{cite web |title=Smålands klimat |url=https://www.smhi.se/kunskapsbanken/meteorologi/smalands-klimat-1.4865 |website=SMHI |access-date=May 10, 2019 |language=sv |date=January 16, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Skogsskador efter Gudrun |url=https://www.smhi.se/kunskapsbanken/meteorologi/skogsskador-efter-gudrun-1.5292 |website=SMHI |access-date=May 10, 2019 |language=sv |date=July 8, 2015}} Spruces were particularly hit by Gudrun, while other trees with a more steady root system fared better. Damage was also exacerbated by the practice of clearcutting, leaving many trees exposed. Gudrun also caused blackouts and disabled telecommunications infrastructure.
Aftermath
=Byholma Wood Stockpile=
The cyclone created the world's largest wood stockpile, which Gizmodo lists as containing {{convert|1|e6m3|cuft}} of wood as of May 2012. In Sweden, the total volume of wood from the trees struck down by the storm was about {{convert|75|e6m3|cuft}}.{{cite web|title=The World's Largest Wood Stockpile Is Absolutely Insane|url=https://gizmodo.com/byholma/|publisher=Gizmodo|access-date=14 May 2012|archive-date=16 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516010001/http://gizmodo.com/byholma/|url-status=dead}}
=Political impact in Sweden=
In her dissertation, "Natural Disasters and National Election", Lina M. Eriksson, PhD, found that the storm played a crucial role in the historic regime shift in the 2006 Swedish general election. The incumbent Social Democratic Party's poor crisis response to Gudrun, hitherto the most expensive natural disaster in Swedish history, significantly contributed to the incumbent's loss.{{cite thesis|author=Eriksson, Lina M.|title=Natural Disasters and National Election: On the 2004 Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami, the 2005 Storm Gudrun and the 2006 Historic Regime Shift|url=https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1071124&dswid=-6133|location=Uppsala University|degree=PhD|isbn=978-91-554-9813-9|year=2017}} In a subsequent article in Electoral Studies,{{cite journal |last1=Eriksson |first1=Lina M. |year=2016 |title=Winds of Change: Voter Blame and Storm Gudrun in the 2006 Swedish Parliamentary Election |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=41 |pages=129–142 |doi=10.1016/j.electstud.2015.12.003}} it was observed that the deficient storm response still swayed voters in the 2010 and 2014 elections.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051030170911/http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/danmark_ramt_af_landsdaekkende_storm Danish page with wind speeds and satellite image] - From the Danish Meteorological Institute (in Danish).
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150600/http://www.dmi.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/2005-nyheder/8januarstormguycarprapport.pdf Guy Carpenter report on Windstorm Erwin / Gudrun – January 2005] - A report for the insurance business with detailed information about the storm.
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150600/http://www.dmi.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/2005-nyheder/8januarstormguycarprapport.pdf Windstorm Erwin / Gudrun – January 2005, Guy Carpenter]
{{European windstorms}}
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