UK storm surge 'due to climate change'

The UK has been battered by a surge of storms in recent months, resulting in flooding and widespread damage. Extreme weather has been seen in many areas of the country, with the coast especially affected. It seems that the recent rise in tumultuous weather could be due to climate change, according to Dame Julia Slingo, the chief scientist at the Met Office.

Dame Julia has said that "all the evidence" suggests that an increase in the effects of climate change could be to blame for the spate of storms experienced across the UK. However, although the suggestion is a strong one, she also explained that there was no "definitive proof" that is the case.

The winter months usually bring with them more intense weather formations. Dame Julia said, at a recent press briefing on the most recent spate of storms to affect the southern area of England, that the persistence and clustering of the storms is highly unusual.

The increase in severe weather has resulted in the issuing of 130 severe flood warnings since December, indicating a strong threat to life. Over 5,000 properties have been affected by flooding, signalling that more needs to be done to prepare the UK for similar weather patterns in the future.

“Is it consistent with what we might expect from climate change? Of course, as yet there can be no definitive answer on the particular events that we have seen this winter, but if we look at the broader base of evidence then we see things that support the premise that climate change has been making a contribution,” Dame Julia said.

She continued to say that the length of the period of rainfall experienced by the UK has been the "most exceptional" seen in around 248 years. According to weather records going back to 1766, the intensity of the storms seen recently has not been experienced before.

“In a nutshell, while there is no definitive answer for the current weather patterns that we have seen, all the evidence suggests that climate change has a role to play in it," she said.