Mesoscale cyclonic storms associated with tornadoes and localised wind damage in frontal rainbands

Abstract

Ten cases are identified of an unusual type of mesoscale windstorm in the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2021. The windstorms, which occurred in association with frontal rainbands, produced wind damage swaths no more than 20–30km wide, but sometimes extending for several hundred kilometres, often with embedded tornadoes. Storm structure and evolution are explored for two cases using radar data, surface observations, a 1.5‐km gridlength model and damage reports obtained from social media platforms and post‐event damage surveys. Findings are summarised in the form of a conceptual model, and some questions are posed for future research.