Last night's storms and poor weather conditions have hit the country hard causing building damage, injury and in severe cases death. Experts at the University of Glasgow make comment on the devastating weather conditions causing concern throughout the whole of the UK.

Dr Eric Gillies, Department of Aerospace Engineering: 'The effect of wind on buildings, structures, trees and even masses of water like the sea or lochs can be significant. Last night's storm can be thought of a roughly circular region of very high speed air, rotating anticlockwise around an area of very low pressure. This circular mass of air was several hundred miles in diameter, and at some points on the West Coast had wind speeds of 80-100mph. The local wind speed, however, can be much higher if the wind is funneled down glens, round mountains, or up sea lochs, or if it is funneled down streets and as it curves round buildings.'

For fuller comments or to speak to Dr Gillies please contact Mike Findlay in the University Press Office on 0141 330-3535.

First published: 12 January 2005