1.3.5 UK Weather Hazards

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Extreme weather is when weather is significantly different from the usual weather pattern. 📝 A heatwave in the UK will look very different from a heatwave in Australia!

Weather hazards are quite common in the UK - and it's not just rain...

The UK experiences lots of extreme weather hazards

Weather in the UK is becoming more extreme

Temperatures have become more extreme in recent years. December 2010 was the coldest for over 100 years, with snow and ice causing several deaths and school and road closures. Just 4 months later, April 2011 was the warmest ever!!!
It is raining more - more rainfall records have been broken since 2010 than in any other previous decade on record. 2013 was the wettest year, with December 2015 the wettest month ever!
Major flooding occurs often. In 2014 there was a major flood caused by storms and high rainfall in Somerset. This winter 2014 storm meant the UK experienced its wettest winter since records began in 1760. 2014 also saw the UK experience its stormiest weather for 20 years with over 20 major storms occurring. The year was also the warmest on record (until 2015).

Climate Change

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Climate change can increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Flooding, for example, is becoming more frequent in the UK as a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture.

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