Latest news with #NationalClimateInformationCentre
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Researchers issue stark warning over worsening crisis that could cause catastrophic flooding: 'It is only a matter of time'
Researchers issue stark warning over worsening crisis that could cause catastrophic flooding: 'It is only a matter of time' A new report has revealed that the United Kingdom has been "warmer, wetter, and sunnier" in recent years compared to the previous century. Scientists have also determined that the rate of sea level rise in the UK is greater than in the rest of the world. What's happening? In the new State of the UK Climate report, researchers from the National Climate Information Centre and National Oceanography Centre have detailed escalating changes across the country. Among the more notable observations is that the last three years are now among the UK's top five warmest on record. Not to be outdone, sea level rise measurements indicate that the country is outpacing the global average rate. This alarming development has become a real cause for concern, with experts fearing the consequences could be catastrophic down the line. Since the start of the 20th century, UK sea levels have risen by nearly 19.5 centimeters, or just under eight inches, per Oceanographic's coverage of the report in mid-July. However, two-thirds of this rise has happened in just the last three decades. Between 1993 and 2024, levels rose by 13.4 centimeters, while the global estimate was just 10.6 centimeters. Why is rapid sea level rise concerning? From increased flooding to erosion and habitat loss, sea level rise poses significant threats to coastal communities, regional economies, and essential ecosystems. Higher waters also drive the potential for destructive flooding and storm surges, resulting in more frequent and severe damage. This can compromise costly infrastructure, wipe out vulnerable wildlife, and endanger human populations. According to the State of the UK Climate report, the most extreme sea levels recorded in 2024 were associated with the significant storm system Storm Kathleen, which brought major surges and widespread flooding. "The storm surge events the UK experienced in 2024 demonstrate the potential for the UK to be affected by coastal flooding," Svetlana Jevrejeva, of the National Oceanography Centre, told Oceanographic. "As sea levels continue to rise around the UK, this risk is only going to increase further." What's being done about sea level rise? Measures aimed at addressing the root cause of sea level rise have largely focused on reducing heat-trapping pollution in the atmosphere. Slowing the warming of the planet could mitigate the glacier and ice sheet melting that drives waters higher all around the world. Investing in seawalls and restoring natural barriers — such as wetlands and sand dunes — can help protect communities and ecosystems. There is also a need for worst-case scenario planning, including clear-headed preparations for the possibility of relocating coastal and island residents to inland areas. "The timing of storms relative to the spring-neap tidal cycle is critical, but, as we know from historical events, it is only a matter of time until the UK is next in the path of a major storm surge event," Jevrejeva added. "This extra sea level contribution is leading to an increase in the frequency of extreme sea levels and an intensification of coastal hazards." Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Metro
16-06-2025
- Climate
- Metro
Map shows how hot it has to get before it is officially a heatwave in the UK
It's time to dig out the sun umbrellas and stay hydrated as UK temperatures look set to soar for the rest of the week. A plume of warm air is being dragged in from Europe, meaning parts of the country could be hotter than Istanbul this weekend. Forecasters predict it will be London and the south of England that will be baking in the hottest of this week's rising temperatures. Some Britons are set to bask in a heatwave this week. The Met Office defines the weather event as when temperatures meet or exceed the threshold for a specific area for three consecutive days. As shown in the map above, in London, this is 28°C, whereas in cities including Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester, the threshold is 27°C, 26°C and 25°C, respectively. Tony Wisson, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'By the beginning of the weekend, we could very well be meeting heatwave thresholds in places. 'While the warmest temperatures are likely across London and the east of England, by Saturday heatwave thresholds could be reached across much of the Midlands, low-lying areas bordering the Peak District and even parts of east Wales.' The burst of heat is expected to peak this weekend before easing early next week. There is uncertainty in how quickly it will cool, with some models predicting temperatures in the mid-30s by Monday. It's thought the south of England could cling onto the warmer weather for a bit longer and perhaps even stick around for Glastonbury's kick-off on June 25. Forecasters are expecting temperatures in London to soar to 29°C by Thursday, reaching 31°C by Friday and then peaking at 32°C by Saturday. The hot weather is then expected to spread further north, with Manchester and Newcastle enjoying temperatures into the late 20s by the weekend. Some parts of the country will surpass temperatures in holiday hotspots such as Lisbon, Portugal, and Barcelona, Spain – which are predicted to reach 29°C on Saturday. The Met Office said several places were expected to exceed 30°C on Saturday, surpassing Nice, France and making them the UK's highest temperatures of the year so far. The Met Office confirmed the UK's record high temperature was 40.3°C. The mercury hits those heights in Lincolnshire in July 2022. More Trending The extreme temperatures were recorded as the UK was sweltering in an unprecedented heatwave. In that time, the previous UK record temperature of 38.7°C was provisionally met or exceeded in 46 places across the UK, while seven areas saw temperatures above 40°C. Dr Mark McCarthy, from the National Climate Information Centre, told the Met Office in 2022 that without human-induced climate change, 'it would be virtually impossible for temperatures in the UK to reach 40°C.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man who killed schoolboy, 14, with samurai sword 're-enacted attack in hospital' MORE: Nursery worker Roksana Lecka found guilty of punching and kicking children while addicted to cannabis MORE: Rachel Zegler's West End debut sparks controversy over shock move
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Why is the UK experiencing back to back storms? The phenomena explained
The new year got off to a turbulent start in the UK as extreme winds and rain hit every part of the country in January. Storm Eowyn brought severe conditions, with rare red warnings issued for Northern Ireland for the very first time. Gusts of over 90mph were recorded in the country, leading to the destruction of buildings, nationwide power outages and a 20-year-old man tragically losing his life. The first named storm of 2025 follows from nine that came last year. Ashley, Bert, Connall and Darragh all took place between October and December, meaning the UK has had four straight months without a break from weather phenomena. Residents are now also feeling the effects of Storm Herminia, which was named by the Spanish weather service. Storms in the UK have been named by the Met Office since 2015, and can often feel back-to-back like this. They are highly unpredictable, but do tend to occur more commonly in the cold seasons. The weather authority says it will name a storm when it has the potential to cause disruption or damage that could result in an amber or red weather warning. Experts will base this forecast on the criteria outlined in the National Severe Weather Warnings service, which weighs up how severe the impacts will be, and how likely they are to occur. Met Office experts explain that the prevalence of storms can often be explained by one of the key drivers of UK weather: the jet stream. This is a column of air high up in the atmosphere that causes changes in wind and pressure at that level. The effects of this are then felt nearer the surface, in the weather we see. The phenomenon can lead to the UK falling into the path of low-pressure systems, where unsettled weather conditions are more likely to occur. Dr Amy Doherty, science manager of the National Climate Information Centre at the Met Office, explained last year: 'The UK has a history of impactful storms stretching back hundreds of years, long before the introduction of named storms in 2015. 'One thing that is clear from observations is that there's big variability year-to-year in the number and intensity of storms that impact the UK. This large variability is related to the UK's location at the edge of continental Europe and relatively small geographic size, so small changes in the position of the jet stream – which puts us in the path of low-pressure systems – can make a profound difference in the weather we receive. 'This large variability means that we have to be particularly cautious when analysing the data. In our observational records, it's hard to detect any trend one way or the other in terms of number and intensity of low-pressure systems that cross the UK. While our climate overall is getting wetter, there are no compelling trends in increasing storminess in recent decades. Recent stormy seasons – such as that of 2013-2014, before the storm naming system was introduced, clearly illustrate the fundamental problem with drawing conclusions from a simple count of the number of named storms.' The Met Office adds that most climate projections indicate that winter storms will increase in number and intensity in the UK as a result of climate change. Its experts say that this is subject to high variability in frequency and intensity, but are 'confident' that the coastal impacts of windstorms will worsen as the sea level rises.
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Why is the UK experiencing back to back storms? The phenomena explained
The new year got off to a turbulent start in the UK as extreme winds and rain hit every part of the country in January. Storm Eowyn brought severe conditions, with rare red warnings issued for Northern Ireland for the very first time. Gusts of over 90mph were recorded in the country, leading to the destruction of buildings, nationwide power outages and a 20-year-old man tragically losing his life. UK storm numbers in 2024 The first named storm of 2025 follows from nine that came last year. Ashley, Bert, Connall and Darragh all took place between October and December, meaning the UK has had four straight months without a break from weather phenomena. Residents are now also feeling the effects of Storm Herminia, which was named by the Spanish weather service. Storms in the UK have been named by the Met Office since 2015, and can often feel back-to-back like this. They are highly unpredictable, but do tend to occur more commonly in the cold seasons. Why does Met Office name storms? The weather authority says it will name a storm when it has the potential to cause disruption or damage that could result in an amber or red weather warning. Experts will base this forecast on the criteria outlined in the National Severe Weather Warnings service, which weighs up how severe the impacts will be, and how likely they are to occur. Why is the UK experiencing so many storms? Met Office experts explain that the prevalence of storms can often be explained by one of the key drivers of UK weather: the jet stream. This is a column of air high up in the atmosphere that causes changes in wind and pressure at that level. The effects of this are then felt nearer the surface, in the weather we see. The phenomenon can lead to the UK falling into the path of low-pressure systems, where unsettled weather conditions are more likely to occur. Dr Amy Doherty, science manager of the National Climate Information Centre at the Met Office, explained last year: 'The UK has a history of impactful storms stretching back hundreds of years, long before the introduction of named storms in 2015. 'One thing that is clear from observations is that there's big variability year-to-year in the number and intensity of storms that impact the UK. This large variability is related to the UK's location at the edge of continental Europe and relatively small geographic size, so small changes in the position of the jet stream – which puts us in the path of low-pressure systems – can make a profound difference in the weather we receive. 'This large variability means that we have to be particularly cautious when analysing the data. In our observational records, it's hard to detect any trend one way or the other in terms of number and intensity of low-pressure systems that cross the UK. While our climate overall is getting wetter, there are no compelling trends in increasing storminess in recent decades. Recent stormy seasons – such as that of 2013-2014, before the storm naming system was introduced, clearly illustrate the fundamental problem with drawing conclusions from a simple count of the number of named storms.' Will there be more storms in future? The Met Office adds that most climate projections indicate that winter storms will increase in number and intensity in the UK as a result of climate change. Its experts say that this is subject to high variability in frequency and intensity, but are 'confident' that the coastal impacts of windstorms will worsen as the sea level rises.
