Extreme low‐level wind jets in Storm Ciarán

Satellite imagery of Storm Ciarán as it approached the UK early on 1 November 2023 showed characteristic banding that fuelled media reports that Ciarán could contain a sting jet, with enhanced likelihood of damaging surface winds and gusts. Here operational numerical weather prediction model output is used with trajectory analysis to reveal the existence of at least two wind speed maxima attributed to sting jets. The small‐scale sting jets are located beneath, and likely affected by, far broader overrunning strong wind regions attributed to a deeply descending dry intrusion, thus highlighting the likely interaction of these airstreams at low levels. Satellite imagery of Storm Ciarán as it approached the UK early on 1 November 2023 showed characteristic banding that fuelled media reports that Ciarán could contain a sting jet, with enhanced likelihood of damaging surface winds and gusts. Here operational weather forecast output is used together with trajectory analysis to reveal the existence of at least two wind speed maxima attributed to sting jets. The small‐scale sting jets are located beneath, and likely affected by, far broader overrunning strong wind regions attributed to a deeply descending dry intrusion, thus highlighting the likely interaction of these airstreams at low levels.