New insight into the North Atlantic weather system that unleashed "sting jets" in the 1987 storm that hit North Western Europe

Whereas most storms have a relatively even wind distribution, the research shows that sting jets -  localised bursts of wind desending from high altitude and reaching the ground at speeds as high as 115 mph - are a common feature of the most intense North Atlantic storms.

The potential impact of these storms crossing heavily populated areas should be considered by the insurance industry, policy makers and engineers who rely on these types of scientific advances to assess risk, and of course in the design of tall buildings and cladding systems.