What is European windstorm?
[[File:Ulli january 3 2011.png|thumb|A European windstorm in the [[North Sea]]]] A '''European windstorm''' is an [[extratropical cyclone]] that affects [[Europe]]. They are normally caused by areas of low [[atmospheric pressure]] that move across the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]] towards [[northwestern Europe]]. They are most common in the [[winter]] months. Low pressure areas are common over the North Atlantic. They sometimes start as [[nor'easter]]s off the [[New England]] [[coast]]. They usually move past the north coasts of the [[British Isles]] to the [[Norwegian Sea]]. When they move south, they can affect almost any [[country]] in Europe. These most often affect [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[Ireland]], [[Norway]], the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Iceland]]. They can affect any country in [[Central Europe|central]], [[Northern Europe|northern]] and [[western Europe]]. These storms cause [[Economics|economic]] damage of [[Euro|€]]1.9 billion each year. They cause [[insurance]] costs of €1.4 billion yearly (1990–1998). Only [[United States|US]] [[hurricane]]s cause more insurance costs of all [[nature|natural]] [[disaster]]s.<ref name=FU>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bios.edu/rpi/public/pubs/pre2000/euwindsum/eurowindsum.html#fig8a |title=European Windstorms and the North Atlantic Oscillation: Impacts, Characteristics, and Predictability |publisher=RPI Series No. 2, Risk Prediction Initiative/Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Hamilton, Bermuda |accessdate=2011-11-25 |year=1999}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{sci-stub}} [[Category:Disasters in Europe]] [[Category:Severe weather]]