The storm on Saturday was the worst so far this year, and it hit southern Britain hardest of all. The highest wind gust recorded was 160km/h (100mph) on the Isle of Wight — the highest recorded in England since December 2006. These were hurricane-force winds.

It was a perfect storm, generated by cold polar air from Greenland and Canada hitting warm sub-tropical air, which created balmy temperatures; it was 15C (59F) in Bournemouth yesterday.

The collision of different air masses generated fierce winds and rains. A strong high-altitude wind, the jet stream, raced over the South of England sucking up air from below, rather like air drawn up a chimney, then drove the winds down. When the jet stream blows faster, the storm becomes more powerful, and on Saturday the jet stream was running at about 300km/h (186mph).

Unfortunately it is expected to race over the UK for the rest of the week, resulting in more wild weather. On Wednesday and Thursday another storm will drench southwest England and Wales as it heads towards Scotland with more heavy rain; up to 70mm (2.7in) of rainfall is forecast. Of particular concern is the accumulation of so much rain over recent days, leaving the ground saturated and rivers in full spate, which could lead to more flooding.

How unusual is this stormy weather? Eighty years ago a glorious warm and dry autumn was ruined in November by a barrage of gales. It was Britain’s wettest November of the century, set the record for the wettest November day and left large swaths of Britain under water.