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October 2001 rain
19/20 October 2001
Synoptic situation
A front over the south-west of the UK late on Friday 19 October 2001 as shown on the synoptic chart, was responsible for bringing heavy rain and strong winds to many areas.
Rainfall map
The contoured map below, consists of the data which was available from the real time network on the 22 October 2001.
Rainfall amounts
The following rainfall information is based on our available real time network on the 22 October 2001, and shows the stations with the highest rainfall values. The table shows the total period of the heavy rainfall, and also the highest hourly total reported by each of the 3 stations.
| Rainfall Station | Duration of rainfall | Rainfall Amount (mm) | Return Period (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hereford, Credenhill | 4 hours - 23Z (19th) to 03Z (20th) | 50.2 | 67 |
| Hereford, Credenhill | 1 hour - 00Z (20th) to 01Z (20th) | 26.2 | 40 |
| Bristol, Filton | 4 hours - 22Z (19th) to 02Z (20th) | 39.4 | 22 |
| Bristol, Filton | 1 hour - 23Z (19th) to 00Z (20th) | 24.8 | 22 |
| Shobdon, Herefordshire | 4 hours - 00Z (20th) to 03Z (20th) | 36.6 | 21 |
| Shobdon, Herefordshire | 1 hour - 00Z (20th) to 01Z (20th) | 23.0 | 27 |
Radar imagery
A loop of the hourly radar composites for the period from 2100Z on the 19 October 2001 to 0900Z on the 20 October 2001.
Please note: The empirical relationship between radar reflectivity and rainfall rate is fixed whereas in reality this is highly dependent on precipitation type and is very different for rain and hail.
Lighntning map
Below is a lightning map, showing the location of the strikes on the 19/20 October 2001. Interestingly, the main lightning intensity was down the eastern side of England, with the heaviest of the rainfall being recorded over the west.
