On this day in 1981: A record 104 tornadoes hit the UK

On this day in 1981, the United Kingdom saw the most extensive outbreak of tornadoes in European history.

Over a span of five hours and 26 minutes, 104 tornadoes were reported across the country. Mostly measuring EF1 on the Fujita Scale while some intensified to EF2 level, damaging properties.

Despite the widespread reach and number of tornadoes, just eight people were reportedly injured.

The outbreak began on the island of Anglesey with multiple tornadoes appearing from around 10:20 am including the strongest of the day a EF2 strength tornado which damaged 20 houses in Holyhead.

Soon after from 11:30 am Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, and Birmingham all started reporting tornadoes mainly of EF1 strength

A second EF2 strength tornado hit the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire at 02:00 pm overturning 20 static caravans. Around 03:46 pm the final tornado of the day hit West Mersea, Essex.

On November 22nd a rapidly intensifying area of low pressure was moving east near Scotland while an area of high pressure was positioned to the south of England.

During the day of the outbreak, the low continued to intensify while its active cold front began moving northwest to southeast. Fuelled by temperature differences and strong wind shear - a change in wind speed and direction with height - heavy showers broke out along the front, many of them rotating and spawning tornadoes.

Prior to the 1981 outbreak there had been just one occasion previously that saw over 100 tornadoes in 24 hours during the 1974 Super Outbreak in the US.

Between April 3rd and 4th, 148 tornadoes of greater strengths tore through midwestern and southern United States killing 319 people while injuring over 5,000 more and causing over $4 million in damages.

In April 2011 a super outbreak across the southern, midwestern, and north-eastern US saw more than 175 tornadoes becoming the costliest and deadliest outbreak in history.