Climate change made UK's soggy winter even wetter, study finds

Sky video

The wet weather in the UK and Ireland that seemed almost unrelenting last winter was made worse by climate change, scientists have said.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • 'Mysterious' carnivorous sharks found lurking in the depths of British waters

    As shark season approaches in the UK, are you aware of the giant 400-year-old sharks that can be found in our waters?

  • What is causing the dangerous heatwave in the US and will it affect the UK?

    The National Weather Service says the heatwave is ‘potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations’

  • Americans Truly Can't Believe The Temperature The US Government Suggests We Leave Our Houses At

    Unfortunately, that's not happening. I'm not European!

  • UK weather: Temperatures set to rise - with some areas forecast to be as hot as Ibiza

    Warmer weather is on the way with the UK finally set to enjoy a spell of sunshine - as temperatures in some parts are expected to match those in Ibiza. While temperatures will likely hover at around 20C (68F) over the weekend, with highs of 24C (75F) in the south, Monday and Tuesday could be as hot as Ibiza in the southeast. It is forecast to be 25C (77F) on the sunny Spanish island at the start of next week, matching London and surrounding areas, with the Midlands and northwest a degree or two cooler.

  • Scottish farmers damn wild beaver reintroduction policy

    As night falls in central Scotland, beavers appear in a pond under the fascinated gaze of a group of nature enthusiasts. - Natural engineers - There were almost 1,000 beavers in Scotland in 2020-21, according to NatureScot, the public body responsible for Scotland's natural heritage. 

  • London weather: Capital to be hotter than the Algarve with temperatures to reach 27C in near-heatwave

    London set to be hotter than a number of popular holiday destinations on the continent

  • Shark season arrives as giant spotted lurking around our shores

    Basking Shark season tends to be May or October, and there are a few hotspots around the British Isles.

  • Future of new oil and gas projects in UK thrown into doubt after landmark Supreme Court decision

    The future of new oil and gas projects in the UK has been thrown into doubt following a landmark decision by the Supreme Court. The court concluded the environmental impact of emissions from burning fossil fuels must be considered in planning applications for new extraction projects - not just the impacts of the emissions produced in extracting them. The case hinged around an oil drilling project at Horse Hill in Surrey, granted planning permission by Surrey County Council in 2019.

  • How to stay safe in dangerously hot weather, according to the experts

    The death of broadcaster and writer Michael Moseley in Greece this year has highlighted the very real dangers of hot weather, from dehydration to heat exhaustion to heat stroke.

  • Haj pilgrimage threatened as hundreds perish in heat

    STORY: Nearly 2 million Muslims will complete the haj pilgrimage this week, but extreme heat has been fatal for hundreds who started the journey last Friday, to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.According to reports, at least 562 people have died during the haj. Egypt has reported 307 deaths and 118 missing, with temperatures hitting over 124 degrees Fahrenheit.The haj's timing is based on the lunar year, moving back 10 days each year.While the haj is now moving towards winter, it will occur in the peak of summer in Saudi Arabia by the 2040s.Climate scientist Fahad Saeed says these deaths hint at future risks for millions of haj pilgrims."We need to prepare, we need to adapt, we need to introduce the adaptation option as much as we can. While realizing that it will compromise on the centuries old ritual, but still we need to save people. But at the same time, we must do climate action to stop the global warming at 1.5 degrees centigrade. At anything beyond that, we are putting those pilgrims at the risk of death."Heat-related deaths during the haj have been recorded since the 1400s.Pilgrims' vulnerability stems from exertion, exposure, and older age, as well as a simple lack of acclimatization to the heat.According to Saudi officials last year, more than 2,000 people suffered from heat stress during that haj.A 2021 study in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that if global temperatures rise by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels, heat stroke risk for haj pilgrims will increase by five times.Still, pilgrims remain determined - for some, it's a one-in-a-lifetime affair."Haj is the fifth pillar of Islam and it is a mandatory duty for every capable person. So you have to exert efforts and get tired. Haj is a difficult task, so you have to exert efforts and perform the rituals even in the conditions of heat and crowding. You use an umbrella, drink water and pour it onto your body to prevent dehydration. And the water sprinklers in the walkways help."In 2016, Saudi Arabia implemented a heat strategy with shaded areas, water points at every 500 meters, and improved healthcare.Saudi health authorities advised pilgrims to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during this year's haj.

  • This is the beginning of the end of the Mediterranean summer holiday

    Tourists will never stop going to the Med. I have no doubt that, in 7.5 billion years or so, given the opportunity, there will be a British couple in Corfu applying cream to each other’s backs on the day planet Earth is absorbed by the sun. But all signs do suggest that by the end of this century, the Med will plummet in popularity as a summer holiday destination.

  • North Sea oil drilling threatened by landmark Supreme Court ruling

    The future of Britain’s oil and gas industry has been thrown into doubt after a landmark decision by the Supreme Court.

  • Removal of gray wolves from US West wreaked havoc on ecosystem: Study

    The historic removal of gray wolves from the U.S. West facilitated the rise of mid-ranking predators across the region, wreaking havoc on historical ecosystem dynamics, a new study has found. Yet just how much havoc — both to their immediate prey and much farther down the line — remains unclear due to a dearth of…

  • Yellow heat health warning issued in parts of England - including North West

    It comes as temperatures are expected to rise to 24C in our region next week

  • Researchers believe nest study offers lifeline to under-threat capercaillie

    The study has shown putting meat put down close to nests increases their chances of survival by 83%

  • Glastonbury weather forecast: Latest Met Office update ahead of festival

    After a few years of beautiful sunny weekends in Somerset, will the weather hold out for Glastonbury 2024?

  • What is a heatwave? London to be hotter than the Algarve with temperatures of 27C

    The Met Office predicts it will ‘feel very warm for those in the sunshine’ — but will it be a heatwave and how can you cope at work in such a situation?

  • Bear Floating in Pond Is the Picture of Summer Bliss

    Sonya the bear was “truly delightful to behold” as she floated with her paws up in a pond at the Orphaned Wildlife Center, according to those running the New York sanctuary.“Notice how she effortlessly floats with her toes adorably protruding,” the center wrote on YouTube.Founded by Jim Kowalczik, Susan Kowalczik, and Kerry Clair in 2015, the OrphanedWildlife Center, in Otisville nurtures its animal residents in the hope they can be returned to the wild.The center often shares videos and updates about the animals in its care to its YouTube channel and Facebook page. Credit: Orphaned Wildlife Center via Storyful

  • Satellite Imagery Captures Tropical Storm Alberto Swirling in Bay of Campeche

    The first tropical storm of the season formed over the Gulf of Mexico and was named Tropical Storm Alberto on the morning of Wednesday, June 19.Imagery captured by CSU/CIRA & NOAA shows Tropical Storm Alberto swirling in the Bay of Campeche, in the Gulf of Mexico, on Wednesday morning.The National Weather Service warned that the first bands of rain associated with the tropical disturbance had reached the coast in front of San Antonio, Texas, by Wednesday morning.Weather warnings were in effect for coastal Texas.The tropical storm was forecast to bring heavy rainfall to Central America, Mexico, and coastal Texas through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The “very large storm system” would have rain, wind, and flooding impacts “extending far from the center,” the NHC said.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned back in May that this hurricane season could be the worst in decades, according to The Washington Post. Credit: CSU/CIRA & NOAA via Storyful

  • These are the 7 gardening jobs you need to be doing before June ends

    From planting summer flower beds to watering hanging baskets, there are plenty of jobs to do before the sunshine (hopefully) arrives.