Losses from Europe windstorms Arwen and Barra will be below €200m

Industry losses resulting from European windstorms Arwen and Barra will be below €200 million for both separate events, according to cat data specialist  PERILS. As such, it will not report exact loss numbers for the two storms.

Windstorm Arwen, also known as Andreas, affected the UK, Ireland and the northern coast of France on 26-27 November 2021. It brought very strong winds to the north of England, Scotland and Wales. The strongest reported gust was 190km/h on the Cairnwell mountain in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland. Power disruption was extensive and estimated by the UK government to have affected approximately one million households and businesses. Three people were killed by falling trees.

Windstorm Barra, also known as Harry, struck ten days later on 7-8 December 2021 and brought strong winds primarily to Ireland and to a lesser extent the UK. Peak gusts reached 161km/h at the Fastnet Lighthouse on the southernmost tip of Ireland. 60,000 households and businesses, mostly located in the counties of Cork and Kerry, lost power. European Windstorms Arwen (left) and Barra (right), gusts in km/h: Arwen affected Ireland, the UK and the northern coast of France on 26- 27 November 2021.

Luzi Hitz (pictured), CEO of PERILS, said: “Despite the strength of the winds, industry losses from extratropical cyclones Arwen and Barra remain below our capturing threshold of €200 million. Had these storms struck continental Europe it is likely that the losses would have been considerably higher.

“The limited loss impact most likely reflects the fact that building structures and roofing in the UK and Ireland are less prone to wind damage compared to structures in the rest of Europe. PERILS has observed this on several occasions over the last 12 years of monitoring European windstorm activity. Given that the two countries are more frequently exposed to strong winds than other parts of Western Europe, it is plausible that building and roofing construction methods are more adapted to withstand such impacts.”

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