Storm Eleanor (2018)

Storm Eleanor (known as Cyclone Burglind in Germany) was an extratropical cyclone and European windstorm that affected Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Benelux, Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the 2–3 January 2018. The storm caused extensive damage and traffic disruption. It was given the name Eleanor by Met Éireann and the UK Met Office, while the Free University of Berlin named the low pressure Burglind.

Eleanor developed to the west of Ireland as a secondary cyclone on 2 January to the parent low "Alja" to the southwest of Iceland, developing as a wave along the trailing cold front of the parent low. Eleanor rapidly intensified reaching a minimum pressure of 966 hPa (28.5 inHg) as it moved east across Scotland under a strong westerly jet stream. Before the low centre tracked across the North Sea to Denmark. To the south of the central low Eleanor caused strong winds which covered a large footprint of across much of western Europe.

The ECMWF operational forecast model of maximum winds featured a narrow corridor of strong winds crossing Ireland and Northern Ireland, which they suggested could be indicative of a Sting jet.