29th October - Today's News: Storm Leaves at Least 13 Dead Across Northern Europe

Storm lashes northern Europe leaving at least 13 dead and whilst much of Britain escaped the worst, nonetheless, St Jude's Day Storm: Four dead after 99mph winds and night of destruction - but at least we saw it coming - worth pointing out that the even the Independent isn't immune from sensational, misleading headlines.   99mph refers to one gust recorded by the Needles Lighthouse weatherstation .....    And today, at least 61,000 homes are still without power as Britain's starts to recover from chaos caused by the St Jude's storm

So, in England, was St Jude's storm really that bad?  It's worth, perhaps, comparing it with the 3rd January 2012 storm- which produced similar winds (gusts of 93mph outside Sheffield (according to BBC), 89mph at Glasgow Airport and 81mph at Thorney Island on the south coast (according to weatheronline), for example) over a longer period of time and affected the whole country from the Hebrides to Kent, killing two people.  However, that storm came in mid winter when we'd already had some previous gales. 

Meanwhile, in Wales, Tintern A466 landslip to be assessed as storm clear-up continues

Wind turbine brought down in high winds in Devon

And a worrying suggestion: did broadband cabling cause trees to topple in the storm?

Other reports from Europe:

'St Jude' storm hits Germany, kills four (later reports say up to 8 dead in Germany)

Sweden sifts through Simone storm damage (the Swedes chose a different name for the storm)

Woman swept away to sea as storms hit France (the French called it Christian)

And in Denmark, two killed and one in critical condition following storm

In Australia, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Roma, Goondiwindi, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast bracing for worst storms so far this season - that's why we didn't get a storm here yesterday, my niece from Brisbane took it home with her! 

Could heat waves be forecast 3 weeks out?

And  melting Arctic sea ice could increase summer rainfall in northwest Europe, study suggests