NEWS: Flash Floods hit Britain

Flash flooding yesterday engulfed North Yorkshire and parts of North Eastern Britain. At a time when the country is experiencing a heatwave, one months worth of rain fell in just a few hours causing devastation to many homes. RAF helicopters were brought in to rescue stranded homeowners and insurers say the damage could run to tens of millions of pounds. Nine people were reported missing but thankfully have since been found.

This may not be over yet though, as meteorologists are forecasting more bad weather in the region which will inevitably add to the problems.



I was shocked when I saw this on the news. In the middle of winter I would possibly expect it but the scale of the rainfall at a time when the country is enjoying it's hottest period of the year is quite unusual.

To me this seems like another symptom of global warming and I think that this kind of freak weather will become more and more frequent as climate change accelerates.



Related News Links:
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[edit on 20-6-2005 by Chris McGee]

[edit on 20-6-2005 by Chris McGee]

I will point out also that due to the currents in the ocean Europe will start to feel the effects of Climate change more strongly that our side of the world.

I am not sure but it has to do with something call in the scientific world as the ocean converter belt I may be wrong.

If somebody knows more about the term please correct me, is what regulates the under the oceans warming currents.

[edit on 20-6-2005 by marg6043]

I think you're talking about the gulf stream, marg (although I could be wrong). There have been warnings about the gulf stream slowing and if it eventually stops, northern europe could be in for an ice age. To see the effect it has you only have to look at the climate in parts of Britain compared with parts of Russia on the same latitude.

[edit on 20-6-2005 by Chris McGee]

[edit on 20-6-2005 by Chris McGee]

Yes you are right I was watching this week on the science channel about the melting of the ice in Greenland and how is affecting the temperature of the water, before an ice age it will be a period of global warming bringing floods and other problems as the weather gets warmer and rainy.

The water from the glaciers will dump to much water interrupting the water currents cycles, as the oceans get cooler then the climate will turn to longer winters.

It was a very interesting program and very informative, also it said that the changes has been happening since the 70s, and that the warming is on going and will peak not in 50 years or 100 years but perhaps 20 years.

Its been described as a monsoon, the first I’ve herd of in the UK.
I live in a valley just south of one of the areas that got flooded.
We had rolling thunder for a few hours which sounded like a bowling ball going from west to east. Then two loud cracks of thunder right above my house about half an hour apart. They both shuck the house but the second one was a lot louder than any I’ve heard before, the whole house was vibrating and you could feel it pushing down on you, and it set of car alarms.
We got a heavy shower but just caught the back end of the big one.

Just found this link BBC NEWS
Made me smile.

[edit on 20/6/2005 by spyke]

You should come and live in the south of the US during summer time we have the worst thunderstorms.

The story was cute, at least is good people around to help.

these cell might be the same ones that hit in canada 2 weeks in a row.massive flooding reported in alberta canada.2 people have died.there are reports of tornadoes also.i see a massive trend of flooding by rain storms this year.and you can bet its global warming.

i live in the south well away from the worst affected areas and weve had enormously hot weather, infact weve had several power falious minor ones due to of all theings heat affecting a local substation!

the weather is more severe than ever.

I was surprised to read that a month's rainfall is only 2.5 inches in that part of the UK. We've had some recent downpours here in the southern US. Saturday night we had 2.5 inches as well with lots of cool looking lighting bolts all over. Tonight we had pea sized hail, high winds, and about 2 inches of rain. I heard some people said the last day of spring around here looked more like winter.

Something that is a marvel to see is watching 3 inches of rain fall in only 15 minutes. I saw that once in North Carolina. I heard that is close to the maximum rainfall output mother nature can provide. I suppose any sudden downburst can cause flooding especially if the area is not prepared for it.

we are definitly becoming more tropical. Winters are shorter and colder, summers are hotter and more tropical, the rest of the time is a mild to cool overcast all the time. Odd.

Click on the image to view a larger version

The freak storm caused lots of destruction and killed many animals. Luckily no people were killed.

Times Onine: A month’s rain in three hours leaves long trail of devastation

A MAJOR recovery operation was under way last night in dozens of rural communities that fell victim to a freak summer storm. It sent flash floods surging through homes and businesses, leaving a trail of muddy devastation.

Hundreds of sheep and cattle were drowned and RAF helicopters had to launch rescue operations to save stranded householders, some clinging to trees and car roofs.

An 18th-century stone cottage on their estate collapsed and a rescue operation was mounted to save 40 cats and dogs from boarding kennels. All but three pets were rescued.

Click the link to read the full article...

Related News Sources:
Times Online: Experts blame it on the jet stream

It's nothing to do with global warming........the Bush government says so. look at the statement being prepared for the G8 summit which proves we have nothing to worry about.

Hang on a minute all the scientific academies from the 11 largest nations all agree about the problem of global warming and the need to do something NOW. Ah but what do they know, lets follow the US lead and do nothing and carry on polluting.

Does Bush play the fiddle ?

The flash floods in Yorkshire were nothing whatsoever to do with climate change/global warming.

They were caused by perfectly ordinary thunderstorms which unfortunately happened to hit an upland area that had until then experienced a dry spell - hence larger than usual run-off.

Events like this happen most years somewhere in the UK. A far more severe storm and flash flood, for example, occurred in Wales in 2001 - but because it was in a remote area and no properties were damaged it barely warranted mention on the national news..... There are records of other such events - in all parts of the country - going back to the 1700s.

Scary thing guys..... a similair thing happened a few weeks ago in China
China Flash Flood Thread

Essan firstly do you work for esso or exxon? lol only kidding however certainly the flood was caused by a storm dumping most of its moisture on the surrounding hills. However the way the actual clouds formed was as the hot air built up from the abnormaly high temperatures in the south of the country, (it was hotter in London than Miami! on the day of the flood) was moving north and this hot front met with the colder air coming from the atlantic, driven in a large part by the atlantic conveyer belt. The hot air then rose quickly and as so hot had a high moisture content from ground evaporation. Now as this air rose so quickly as so hot it released the moisture content into the form of clouds then almost immediately into rain.

Now as the tempratures in the south of the country were unusual which may or may not be linked to global warming I dont understand how you can make such a sweeping statement. Yes there have been records of flooding in all countries for a long time.... its part of nature, however these flash floods are driven by events such as above, which as tempratures rise will and are becoming more common.

Now of further interest here is a recent finding that once huge towers of cold water that drop from the surface to the ocean floor by convection of the north UK coast by Uk and Iceland and Greenland have lost 80% of their size and energy when recently recorded. This is a fact and what this ultimately means is that the actual source of most of Britains Climate is now differant to how it used to be. As this flash flood was created by an event that draws its energy and manifestation from the above mentioned source, I can say IMHO and also very logically that you can not therefore stand by a viewpoint that states that

'this isnt/couldnt be global warming'

Now this might have happened anyway, anyhow I believe there is more than enough evidence and understanding to take a viewpoint that this was probably caused by global warming or our changing environment, more likely than a natural event that would have happened anyhow without climate change.

Guys its here, its scientifially proven. THE DEBATE OVER GLOBAL WARMING is over, closed. I know it took some people a few years to accept that the earth wasnt flat, and some still do believe it is. I am sure the director of Exxon and Bush and Co will still deny global warming in 30 years living in their bioshphere, unfortunately humanity always has some fools.

This is just what weve been told to expect for a while 'extreme weather' is going to become more and more apparent.

Right now im off to buy some wellies.

MischeviouslyLearningToSwimLikeADolphin

Originally posted by MischeviousElf


Essan firstly do you work for esso or exxon? lol only kidding

No, but I have friends at the Met Office and BBC weather center, plus other UK meteorological organisations

Whilst we don't always get quite such hot temps in June, there's nothing to suggest that these storms were in any way unusual - indeed, the actual rainfall amounts were far less than from many of the storms we experienced last summer.

There have been suggestions that changes to land use over the moors may have been a contributing factor in the extent of run-off though.

Humans are never happy. One minute they're complaining about the heat, so God sends 'em rain. Now they're complaining about the rain. Sheesh.

One of my buddies pointed out last night the strange weather around even here in Toronto. Not that we are getting floods, but we haven't really had a day of just normal rain. When it rained, it poured like crazy. Not being able to see 3 feet in front of you - that type of heavy rain. The as soon as it started, it will stop again. Just chaotic.

It seems to make sense to me. The Earth is a closed system, whatever we do will effect the rest of the system. Maybe this is just part of the mag. poles shifting, but either way, I think things are going to get worse before they get better.

Originally posted by malcr
It's nothing to do with global warming........the Bush government says so. look at the statement being prepared for the G8 summit which proves we have nothing to worry about.
.................

The problem as i see it with this administration not accepting the Kyoto protocol, is because the Kyoto protocol is only favorable to India and China... Both countries are contributors to polluting the world, China more than India, yet according to the Kytoto protocol, China and India would not have to change a thing, and could even raise their production, generating more pollution.

Every other nation, in great part the US, would suffer a great deal from this. The Kyoto protocol is not about stopping pollution. It shows favoritism towards China and India and proclaims the rest of the world are the ones who must change.

If there was a more sensible plan, other than the Kyoto protocol, i think the US administration would accept it.

The economy of the world depends on oil, whether we like it or not, and there is no way to stop producing oil and other byproducts without a world economic crash.

Anyways, even if the whole world stops in releasing all chemicals, and gases to the atmosphere and the oceans, it would not stop the climate change we are currently undergoing.

What really needs to be done is to prepare nations for climate change. We should not be relying in the climate remaining the same as it has been in the past for growing crops. Any changes in the climate will render useless the fields of crops we have now feeding the world, and changes in the ocean conveyor belt will also change the breeding and eating habits of fish and other ocean wildlife.

We need to have plans for the relocation of entire cities, mostly those living close to coastal areas. As of today, that i know of, there are no contingency plans for relocating so many people.

Originally posted by Phugedaboudet
Humans are never happy. One minute they're complaining about the heat, so God sends 'em rain. Now they're complaining about the rain. Sheesh.

Thats the whole point of being British, we're never happier than when we're moaning about the weather

[edit on 21-6-2005 by arnold_vosloo]

Originally posted by Muaddib
We need to have plans for the relocation of entire cities, mostly those living close to coastal areas. As of today, that i know of, there are no contingency plans for relocating so many people.

I might have missed something here but why would you want to relocate coastal cities? Are you expecting the Antarctic Ice Cap to suddenly melt away?

While I believe global climate change may be occurring, I don't know if a sudden decrease in greenhouse gases would change things that much. I've read a theory that says the gulf stream shut down process is caused by natural processes and our greenhouse gases may not be the cause.
www.iceagenow.com...
A slowing down or even a shut down of the gulf stream has occurred before and will occur again. I don't believe mankind had anything to do with the global climate change the last few times it occurred. Spending a lot of money to reduce greenhouse gases may not have much impact. However if any agreement on greenhouse gases is ever reached, I believe China and India need to be included.

I believe there is still uncertainty about the future climate we will have. If the gulf stream shuts down due to natural processes and triggers conditions for an ice age, wouldn't a warming effect due to greenhouse gases be beneficial?
I'm not sure myself.


[edit on 22-6-2005 by orionthehunter]