Storm Desmond
The extent of damage caused in such a short period across wide areas brought into focus the performance of UK central government flood defence strategies.[16] On 4 December, the Met Office issued a yellow warning for wind across most of the north of the UK, with gusts expected to reach 70 mph (110 km/h) in south-west Scotland.Storm Desmond broke the United Kingdom's 24-hour rainfall record, with 341.4 mm (13.44 in) of rain falling in Honister Pass, Cumbria, on 5 December.[23] In the Republic of Ireland, the worst affected areas were the province of Connacht and counties Donegal, Westmeath, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Cork and Kerry.Millions of euro worth of damage was caused in Bandon, Fermoy, Kenmare and Tralee, while the Blackpool area of Cork city was severely affected by a higher level of water flow in the River Lee.In Glaslough, County Monaghan, the body of a 70-year-old man was found when his car was believed to have become trapped in a dipped part of a flooded road.[32] In Wales, heavy rainfall led to flooding close to Llandygai, near Bangor in Gwynedd, with RNLI coastguard helicopters rescuing one person from their car.A 90-year-old man was killed after being blown into the side of a route 143 bus outside Finchley Central tube station in London by a sudden gust of wind around 12:35 GMT.[36] In addition, over 2,000 homes were left without power in the Republic of Ireland as a result of Storm Desmond, mainly along the country's Atlantic west coast.[33] Dozens of domestic, UK and international flights were cancelled at Dublin Airport on 5 December due to high winds, severely affecting carriers such as Aer Lingus and Ryanair.A 200-year-old bridge in the Isle of Man collapsed amid severe flooding[44] A number of Scottish football fixtures scheduled for 5 December were postponed as a result of Desmond.Professor Dieter Helm, Chair of the UK government's Natural Capital Committee stated in January 2016: "Flooding crises tend to follow an established pattern.
Map key
Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Storm type
Extratropical cyclone
, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression
Extratropical cycloneAonach MòrScottish HighlandsIrelandIsle of ManUnited KingdomIcelandNorwaySweden2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm seasonatmospheric riverAtlantic EuropeCumbriaLancashireScottish BordersShannon River BasinNorthumberlandNorth WalesYorkshireWest Coast Main LineRepublic of Irelandextreme weatherNorwegian Meteorological InstituteFree University of BerlinSaffir–Simpson scaleTropical cycloneSubtropical cycloneNorthern IrelandTaysideConnachtDonegalClare County Councilstorm TiniEnvironment AgencyRiver TyneMet OfficeMet ÉireannHonister Passin 2009SeathwaiteMartinstown, DorsetThirlmere2015 Great Britain and Ireland floodsSatellite imageApplebyKeswickKendalCumbria PoliceCarlisleLancasterHawickRiver TeviotRiver NithDumfriesDumfries & GallowayScotlandTyroneWestmeathTipperaryLimerickAthleagueBallinasloeCarrick-on-ShannonClaregalwayCrossmolinaFoxfordGalway cityBandonFermoyKenmareTraleeBlackpoolCork cityRiver LeeRiver ShannonAthlonePortumnaShannon HarbourMontpelierCastleconnellClonlaraParteenAnnacottyLimerick cityClonmelGlasloughCounty MonaghanLlandygaiBangorGwyneddAngleseySwanseaLlandudnoSnowdonia National Parkroute 143Finchley Central tube stationLondonwaterfallMalham CoveNorth East EnglandLincolnshireNorth YorkshireLeyburnNorthern PowergridCorwenDenbighshireTrefriwLlanrwstConwy countyNorth West EnglandMorecambeHeyshamCarnforthLancaster UniversityUniversity of CumbriaPooley BridgeAbellio ScotRailFirst TransPennine ExpressNorthern RailVirgin Trains West CoastCaledonian SleeperPrestonEast Coast Main LineGlasgow CentralBarrow-in-FurnessHexham