To ask what is up with all these storms? Is it climate change or something?

[Blueexpress]

The weather seems to be getting extreme. Storm after storm.

The question isnt do we have storms in winter

The question is .., is the severity and/or frequency of storms increasing beyond what would be normal , in a way that is most probably the result of the additional greenhouse gases humans have been releasing

@anothersmahedmug

The question isnt do we have storms in winter

The question is .., is the severity and/or frequency of storms increasing beyond what would be normal , in a way that is most probably the result of the additional greenhouse gases humans have been releasing

Exactly!

I am 51 and it most definitely was not like this in the 70s and 80s! 1987 was very much a one-off. Now it's like 1987 every year.

We're fucking up the Gulf Stream with our addiction to fossil fuel and memory making which involves a holiday of a lifetime every half term or so.

And we butchered all the forests and keep building luxury flats on every single inch available which makes temperatures raise and generates storms.

There are a lot more extreme events globally.
Scientists are telling us this.
We are not listening.
Have you watched Don't Look Up op?

@littledrummergirl

We've had worse storms than this. The difference now is that we are more likely to hear about things that have happened in different parts of the country making it seem as though they are more frequent/worse. If I hadn't been told it was a storm, I would have assumed it was just a bit blustery and we were in the red zone.

London has never been in the red zone before today.

Storm after storm. (that's the op)

Ok, we have storms every winter/spring and sometimes those storms happen in quick succession like right now and sometimes the flip side is a quieter period.

We haven't been experiencing continuous storms this winter, we just happen to have had a run together this week.

London has never been in the red zone before today.

The system of weather warnings was only introduced in 2008!

Increased extreme weather events are a predicted outcome of climate change. Yes, storms have happened before, but the frequency and average intensity will increase.

@formalineadeline

London has never been in the red zone before today.

The system of weather warnings was only introduced in 2008!

That's 14 years btw, not that short a time.

@GirlInACountrySong

it was like this in the 70's

No it wasn't. It's definitely got more extreme and is related to climate change

littledrummergirl

We've had worse storms than this. The difference now is that we are more likely to hear about things that have happened in different parts of the country making it seem as though they are more frequent/worse.
If I hadn't been told it was a storm, I would have assumed it was just a bit blustery and we were in the red zone.

Oh don't be so utterly obtuse

Extreme weather - eg storms and hot summers in the UK - is becoming less unusual cos climate change.

Much in the same way that Antarctica is melting ie it always has been a bit melty but nothing like the disintegration that’s happening at the mo.

Individual storms are never blamed on climate change - scientists are very cautious unlike denialists who simply base their opinions on their own beliefs rather than data. The undeniable fact though is that storms are increasing in frequency and intensity and there is a growing correlation between climate change and this kind of weather. It's not even up for debate.

How is that obtuse?
I don't live in London, I'm in the Southwest.
We live halfway up a hill, this may have given us some protection because it was a bit blustery but nothing major.
3 miles away a tree came down. They had a storm with a lot of wind.
If media hadn't told me that there was a storm, ie before our technology I would have thought it was a windy day but nothing major.
It's not obtuse, it's an observation.

The Meteorological Office in the UK as well as in the US have stated that they are neither more frequent nor more severe.

Climate change doesn't cause earthquakes or volcanoes either!
(yes it has been suggested by some people)

Yesterday's storm warnings shut all of the schools where I live on the South Coast. I guess better safe than sorry. But I'm pretty sure it wasnt as bad as they predicted. Yes it was extremely windy but not a lot more than a usual stormy day. It was also quite sunny. I'm know a lot of places had it worse but I could see the rolling news didn't have any real stories to run after ramping it up.
There are always storms in spring and autumn.
I'm not denying climate change and extreme events. But we also can't label every storm as an event. Naming the storms does make it more dramatic sounding.

Weather is cyclical. People saying this is be far not unprecedented are correct.

I really didn't expect so many people to not link this to climate change!! We have had a string of storms in the north east that have disrupted power and caused a lot of local damage to trees and buildings. Many areas for their power back for a few weeks and then the next storm hit and they were back to square one. Many trees still haven't been cleared since Oct/Nov as there are just too many of them. I'm 40 and cannot recall feeling the relentlessness of this winter period in other years. I have 100% have put this down to climate change

@TrickyTeaCake

It's a mixture of both media availability, climate change and natural weather rhythms.

This

Extreme weather events are increasing all over the world due to climate change.

We need to do something now or it will just get worse and worse but not gradually, it will suddenly flip. Look up tipping points.

I heard on the BBC news that the storms are not thought to be due to climate change but the 'normal' cycle of sometimes extreme conditions (like in the 1970s and 80s). However, it's confusing because the other extreme weather we are seeing here and across the globe (floods, fires, etc.) absolutely ARE a result of global warming and we have to address it urgently, of course.

I remember there being a storm about 15 years ago and a man died when an advertisement fell on his head. There was a 999 type programme on a few years ago and a woman dies when something fell on her head in town.
Storms are not new.

There have always been big storms, but extreme weather events (extreme cold, blistering heat, high winds, storms) are becoming more common as climate change starts to bite.

I think we have to plan for this as the coming norm rather than unusual events.

In my experience - and looking back at my fb feed! - we have a nasty storm every five or six years and Feb seems to be when it most commonly occurs. This one was stronger for many of us but they are a fairly normal occurrence. We had to replace a trampoline in the last bigger one because it blew away. This one my neighbour had lost fencing.

Climate change may well have something to do with their growing strength but not that it happened. The one in Oct 87 was more unusual because it happened in early autumn.