Storm Callum
Storm Callum was the third named storm of the 2018/19 storm season, named on 10 October by Met Éireann.
The storm was forecast to impact large parts of the UK, through the 12 and 13 October, particularly across the west.
The storm deepened over the Atlantic on 11 October, reaching a minimum pressure depth of 938 hPa, exceptionally low given its latitude.
Storm Callum initially brought a spell of very windy weather on 12 October with a gust of 86 mph at Capel Curig in northwest Wales, and gusts of over 60 mph elsewhere.
However, heavy and persistent rainfall was also a feature of the storm and this continued throughout Friday and Saturday. In 36 hours, Libanus in Powys recorded more than a month’s worth of rain with a total of 219 mm recorded here from the entire event and more than 150 mm in Cumbria.
| Site name | Area | Max gust (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| Capel Curig | Snowdonia | 86 |
| St Mary's Airport | Isles of Scilly | 76 |
| Mona | Anglesey | 74 |
| Aberdaron | Gwynedd | 70 |
| Orlock Head | Down | 68 |
| South Uist | Outer Hebrides | 64 |
| Berry Head | Devon | 63 |
| Site name | Area | Max gust (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| Belmullet | County Mayo | 78 |
| Valentia | County Kerry | 74 |
| Mace Head | Galway | 72 |
Storm Callum Impacts
Strong winds led to power outages and travel disruption. The winds coincided with high spring tides leading to large waves overtopping sea walls in many coastal towns across the south and west, leading to some coastal flooding.
However, the worst of the flooding came from the rain, with south Wales bearing the brunt of this with serious flooding across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys. Home and businesses were flooded as river levels rapidly rose.