Xaver brings strong wind gusts to north of Scotland, coastal flooding risk to parts of U.K., Europe: AIR Worldwide

Winter Storm Xaver hit north of Scotland earlier this week, bringing strong wind gusts to parts of northern United Kingdom, and threatening to increase the risk of coastal flooding in the U.K., the Netherlands, northern Germany and Denmark, AIR Worldwide reports.

Xaver follows Winter Storm Christian, which hit southern Britain in late October, pummelling parts of the U.K. and Europe, notes a statement issued Thursday by the risk modelling firm. AIR Worlwide reported in early November that insured losses from Christian were estimated at 1.5 billion euros to 2.3 billion euros, the majority for damage in Denmark and Germany. That said, insured losses were significant in the Netherlands, France, U.K. and Sweden.

With Xaver, wind gusts were more than 225 km/h in the Scottish Highlands, about 96 km/h to 128 km/h across the northern U.K. and as much as 160 km/h in mountain areas, AIR Worldwide reports.

Winds alerts were issued for much of Great Britain and the U.K.’s Environment Agency issued more than 200 flood alerts across England and Wales, the statement notes. In addition, homes in Yarmouth, England were evacuated in anticipation of storm surge, and Glasgow’s central rail station was evacuated after wind-borne debris caused a partial collapse of its glass roof.

All train service in Scotland was suspended as a result of equipment damage and debris on the tracks, and as many as 100,000 homes in Scotland and about 6,500 in Northern Ireland were left without power, notes AIR Worldwide.

While the strongest winds were expected to decrease later on December 5, the risk of coastal flooding was expected to increase in the U.K., the Netherlands, northern Germany and Denmark.

AIR Worldwide notes that U.K.’s Environment Agency has had reports of flooding in north Wales, Northern Ireland and the west coast of the U.K. The agency further reported storm surge could reach as high as it did during the 1953 North Sea floods, but new flood defences should reduce any associated impact.

In Europe, an extreme weather warning was issued for Germany’s northern states, the highest level of weather alerts was issued for much of the coastline of the Netherlands, all of Denmark was under orange alert, meaning potential dangerous and unusual weather expected, and there were weather warnings for southern Sweden.

“Xaver is currently approaching the German coastlines and is expected to bring high winds and coastal flooding,” Gerhard Zuba, senior principal scientist for AIR Worldwide, noted in the Dec. 5 statement. “Hamburg is expecting up to three spring tides to occur during Xaver over the next 36 hours, which is moving very slowly,” Zuba said. Storm surges of 1.5 to 2 metres were expected in Hamburg.

AIR Worldwide reports that the floodgates protecting Rotterdam have closed for the first time since they were built in the 1990s, and the Oosterscheldekering in southwest Netherlands is closed for the first time since 2007. Train services in Denmark have been suspended, and several bridges have been closed.