The United Kingdom is being battered by hurricane force winds. No end in sight.

They have to be concerned about their very infrastructure. The best of buildings have their limits in high sustained winds.

This is the latest, but, there is another high velocity storm on the way.

12 February 2014  
Last updated at 19:57 ET
 

A man has died apparently (click here) trying to clear a fallen tree as hurricane-force winds batter parts of the UK.

The dead man, believed to be in his 70s, was killed after the tree brought down power cables in Wiltshire.

Gusts of over 100mph were recorded as Met Office "red warnings", the first of the winter, were issued. Sixteen severe flood warnings remain in place. 

Power and transport networks have been badly hit, in what has been called an "almost unparalleled natural crisis".

Residents in many parts of the UK have been warned not to go out. Severe flooding.
 
Wiltshire Police say the dead man was killed in a suspected electrocution in Bremhill, a village between Calne and Chippenham, on Wednesday afternoon....

Met Office Europe Infrared satellite animation (click here for 24 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1100 utc 

The Independent
February 13, 2014

...Today, (click here) engineers are working to restore power to the 80,000 homes still affected and further travel disruption is expected.

Gusts of 112mph were recorded in Aberdaron in North Wales, the strongest so far in the storm on the day dubbed "wild Wednesday". Work to clear the debris and damage caused by these winds has begun this morning

Britain remains on alert with the River Thames expected to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years and more than 400 flood warnings in place across England and Wales....

UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1130z  

Europe is at the latitude where the polar winds are continual. The USA is only starting to see a vortex system again after about a week or so of straight line winds. The temperature differences over the oceans cause the vortexes to form. The oceans are warmer than the air. Currently the vortex over North America is at the east coast ocean land border.

The vortexes travel from that ocean/land border across the Atlantic and slam right into the UK. They collect velocity over the open ocean.

Met Office: Europe/Africa Infrared Satellite Disc (click here for 24 hour loop)
February 13, 2014
1500 utc