 |
In 2024, the United Kingdom experienced flooding.
| |
In 2024, the United Kingdom experienced flooding.
Storm Henk brought damaging winds and persistent rain to parts of England and Wales on 2 January, prompting severe weather warnings to be issued across the country. [1] This led to more than 300 flood warnings being issued by the Environment Agency, with extensive flooding affecting the River Trent, Severn, Avon and Thames. [2] Further bands of heavy rain over the following days worsened the situation, and a major incident was declared in Nottinghamshire on 4 January. [3] The worst of the flooding occurred across parts of the Midlands including Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. [4]
In Stratford-upon-Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Company cancelled two nights of performances due to rising water levels on the River Avon. [5] In Loughborough, the Grand Union Canal burst its banks resulting in dozens of homes being flooded. [6] In Great Billing, the leisure park Billing Aquadrome was evacuated on 3 January due to severe flooding. [7] In Shrewsbury, several residents were forced to leave their homes as a result of rising water levels on the River Severn at Welsh Bridge. [8] In Worcester, the city centre was partially affected by flooding. [9]
Dunham Bridge, which carries the A57 over the River Trent, was closed to motorists for over a week. [10] A number of roads were closed due to flooding in Nottinghamshire, such as the A6097 at Gunthorpe and the A617 at Kelham. [11] Several roads in Gloucestershire were closed due to flooding, including the A417 at Maisemore which remained closed for over a week. [12] In Alney Island, residents were evacuated from their homes as flood defences were close to overtopping. [13]
In the aftermath of both Storm Kathleen and Storm Pierrick, [14] a combination of an 'exceptionally' high tide and strong winds caused significant floods across the country overnight on 8 April, especially along the south coast of England. [15] On 9 April, 43 flood warnings and 201 flood alerts were in place across England and Wales. [16]
The River Arun in West Sussex burst its banks, leading to extensive flooding which caused one hospitalisation and the evacuation of over 200 people. [17] A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said there were three severe flooding incidents in Earnley, Littlehampton and Bracklesham. [18] One person was taken to hospital with hypothermia after the evacuation of over 180 people from the Medmerry Holiday Park near Earnley. [19] In Littlehampton, firefighters had to evacuate 15 people [18] after 42 caravans and properties in Ferry Road and Rope Walk flooded, with a refuge centre being set up by the council at the Littlehampton Wave leisure centre. [20] 20 people were evacuated from the Bracklesham Caravan and Boat Club [18] and the A259 road in Shoreham-by-Sea was completely flooded. [21]
Flooding was particularly severe in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. In Alverstoke, firefighters had to help residents from around 50 homes to safety after they were flooded. [22] Many coastal roads were left impassable, including Castle Street in East Cowes and Western Shore near Southampton, and flooding meant trains were unable to run at the Lymington Pier railway station. [23] In Portsmouth, the high tides led to waves crashing over the sea wall near Clarence Pier, flooding the Old Portsmouth, Spice Island and Gunwharf areas. [24] Two people were rescued by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service on Hayling Island after 3 ft (0.91 m) high waters submerged their vehicles. [25]
In Dorset, areas flooded included Hamworthy, [26] Mudeford [27] and Weymouth Harbour. [28]
In Bristol, the Portway, which is a part of the A4, was flooded, and rail tracks between Clifton Down and Severn Beach were closed due to flooding after water rose above the tracks. [29]
Floods also affected Cornwall with trains being cancelled and roads closed. [30] Large waves hit Porthleven, [31] a number of beach huts were swept into sea at Falmouth [32] and many streets in Looe were flooded with seawater. [33]
Areas of Northern England were affected by floods on 9 April. In Tyne and Wear, parts of the River Tyne burst its banks, with part of Newcastle's Quayside being flooded despite the presence of flood barriers. Flooding on the rail line between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Newcastle were flooding, causing major disruption for passengers. In Northumberland, part of the A189 road was shut down after it was flooded and the River Aln flooded large areas of countryside near Alnmouth. A farmer near Wooler said he lost 12 lambs due to the flooding. [34] In Merseyside, four workers had to be rescued from a cafe by the RNLI in West Kirby after the South Parade was flooded. [35]
Rail services from northern England to Scotland and Wales were affected by flooding, including those from Carlisle to Glasgow and Edinburgh and Crewe to Holyhead. [36]
Hurricane Gloria was a powerful hurricane that caused significant damage along the east coast of the United States and in Atlantic Canada during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the first significant tropical cyclone to strike the northeastern United States since Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and the first major storm to affect New York City and Long Island directly since Hurricane Donna in 1960. Gloria was a Cape Verde hurricane originating from a tropical wave on September 16 in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. After remaining a weak tropical cyclone for several days, Gloria intensified into a hurricane on September 22 north of the Lesser Antilles. During that time, the storm had moved generally westward, although it turned to the northwest due to a weakening of the ridge. Gloria quickly intensified on September 24, and the next day reached peak winds of 145 mph (233 km/h). The hurricane weakened before striking the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 27. Later that day, Gloria made two subsequent landfalls on Long Island and across the coastline of western Connecticut, before becoming extratropical on September 28 over New England. The remnants moved through Atlantic Canada and went on to impact Western Europe, eventually dissipating on October 4.
Hurricane Gordon was an erratic, long-lived, and catastrophic late-season hurricane of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. The twelfth and final tropical cyclone of the season, Gordon formed as a tropical depression in the southwestern Caribbean on November 8. Without strengthening, the depression made landfall on Nicaragua. Later on November 10, the system began to strengthen as it tracked further from land, and it quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Gordon, the seventh named storm that season. Gordon also made landfalls in Jamaica and Cuba while a minimal tropical storm. It entered the southwestern Atlantic while resembling a subtropical cyclone. By the time it entered the Gulf of Mexico, the storm was fully tropical again. Tropical Storm Gordon later crossed the Florida Keys, and turning to the northeast it made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida. Gordon strengthened after it re-entered the Atlantic Ocean, becoming a hurricane on November 17. It briefly threatened North Carolina while turning to the northwest, although it turned to the south and weakened. Gordon deteriorated into a tropical depression and struck Florida again at that intensity on November 20. It turned to the north and dissipated the next day over South Carolina.
The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 occurred on March 5–9, 1962 along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. Also known as the Great March Storm of 1962, it was considered by the U.S. Geological Survey to be one of the most destructive storms ever to affect the mid-Atlantic states. Classified as a level 5 or Extreme Nor'easter by the Dolan-Davis scale for classification of Atlantic Nor'easters it was one of the ten worst storms in the United States in the 20th century. It lingered through five high tides over a three-day period, killing 40 people, injuring over 1,000, and causing hundreds of millions in property damage in six states. The storm also deposited significant snowfall over the Southeast, with a regional snowfall index of 12.663.
Tropical Storm Josephine was an unusual Atlantic tropical storm that moved from west to east across the Gulf of Mexico in October 1996. It formed on October 4 as a tropical depression from the remnants of a cold front. Early in its duration, the system interacted with a ridge over the central United States, which produced strong winds and high tides along the Texas coast. The outer rainbands caused flooding rainfall in southern Texas, and in Louisiana, high tides flooded roads and stranded residents on Grand Isle. Moving generally to the east due to a trough, the depression intensified into a tropical storm on October 6, and the next day reached peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) while approaching the west coast of Florida. Josephine made landfall in Taylor County near peak intensity early on October 8, and soon after became extratropical. While moving ashore, the storm produced a high storm surge reaching 9.3 ft (2.8 m) in Suwannee. High tides flooded about 3,600 houses along the west coast. Josephine also produced heavy rainfall, which flooded hundreds of homes, and high winds, which left 400,000 people without power. The storm also spawned at least 16 tornadoes, one of which damaged 130 homes.
The effects of Hurricane Isabel in Delaware resulted in one of only thirteen presidential disaster declarations for the state of Delaware. Hurricane Isabel formed from a tropical wave on September 6, 2003, in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It moved northwestward, and within an environment of light wind shear and warm waters, it steadily strengthened to reach peak winds of 165 mph (266 km/h) on September 11. After fluctuating in intensity for four days, Isabel gradually weakened and made landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) on September 18. It quickly weakened over land and became extratropical over Pennsylvania the next day. The storm's center remained to the south and west of Delaware, and was about 175 miles (282 km) from the state at its closest approach. At that time, Isabel was a strong tropical storm located in central Virginia.
Hurricane Ida was the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone during the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, crossing the coastline of Nicaragua with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). The remnants of the storm became a powerful nor'easter that caused widespread damage along coastal areas of the Mid-Atlantic States. Ida formed on November 4 in the southwestern Caribbean, and within 24 hours struck the Nicaragua coast with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). It weakened significantly over land, although it restrengthened in the Yucatán Channel to peak winds of 105 mph (170 km/h). Hurricane Ida weakened and became an extratropical cyclone in the northern Gulf of Mexico, before spreading across the southeastern United States. The remnants of Ida contributed to the formation of a nor'easter that significantly affected the eastern coast of the United States.
The 2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods were a weather event that affected parts of Great Britain and Ireland throughout November and into December 2009. November was the wettest month across the United Kingdom since records began in 1914 and had well above average temperatures. The worst affected area in Great Britain was the English county of Cumbria. The Irish counties of Clare, Cork, Galway and Westmeath were among the worst affected areas of Ireland.
Cyclone Carmen was an extratropical cyclone and European windstorm which crossed the Atlantic Ocean and affected the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands in November 2010.
The December 1992 nor'easter produced record high tides and snowfall across the northeastern United States. It developed as a low pressure area on December 10 over Virginia, and for two days it remained over the Mid-Atlantic states before moving offshore. In Maryland, the snowfall unofficially reached 48 in (1,200 mm); if verified, the total would have been the highest in the state's history. About 120,000 people were left without power in the state due to high winds. Along the Maryland coast, the storm was less severe than the Perfect Storm in the previous year, although the strongest portion of the storm remained over New Jersey for several days. In the state, winds reached 80 mph (130 km/h) in Cape May, and tides peaked at 10.4 ft (3.2 m) in Perth Amboy. The combination of high tides and 25 ft (7.6 m) waves caused the most significant flooding in the state since the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. Several highways and portions of the New York City Subway and Port Authority Trans-Hudson systems were closed due to the storm. Throughout New Jersey, the nor'easter damaged about 3,200 homes and caused an estimated $750 million in damage (1992 USD).
Cyclone Andrea was an intense European windstorm that affected western and central Europe in early January 2012.
The 2012 Great Britain and Ireland floods were a series of weather events that affected parts of Great Britain and Ireland periodically during the course of 2012 and on through the winter into 2013. The beginning of 2012 saw much of the United Kingdom experiencing droughts and a heat wave in March. A series of low pressure systems steered by the jet stream brought the wettest April in 100 years, and flooding across Britain and Ireland. Continuing through May and leading to the wettest beginning to June in 150 years, with flooding and extreme events occurring periodically throughout Britain and parts of Atlantic Europe.
Cyclone Xaver, also known as the North Sea flood or tidal surge of 2013, was a winter storm that affected northern Europe. Force 12 winds and heavy snowfall were predicted along the storm's path, and there were warnings of a significant risk of storm surge leading to coastal flooding along the coasts of the North and Irish Seas.
Cyclone Anne was a European windstorm which caused €75 million in damage across western Europe in early January 2014, followed days later by Cyclone Christina.
The 2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods saw areas of Ireland and the United Kingdom inundated following severe storms. The south of England saw heavy rainfalls associated with these storms which caused widespread flooding, power cuts and major disruptions to transport. Economically, the worst affected areas were Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall in the south west and the Thames Valley in the south east.
The 2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season was the first instance of the United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann naming extratropical cyclones. The season started on 10 November with the naming of Storm Abigail and ended on 28 March with the dissipation of Storm Katie. With a total of eleven named storms, the 2015–16 season is the most active to date.
Storm Desmond was an extratropical cyclone and fourth named storm of the 2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season, notable for directing a plume of moist air, known as an atmospheric river, which brought record amounts of orographic rainfall to upland areas of northern Atlantic Europe and subsequent major floods.
Between November 2019 and February 2020, severe winter flooding occurred across the United Kingdom. The first wave of flooding occurred in November 2019, mainly affecting Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the West Midlands. Further isolated flooding incidents were reported in December and January, before the second main wave of flooding, caused by Storms Ciara and Dennis, occurred in February 2020. The excessive rainfall resulted in the wettest February since records began, in 1766, in England and Wales with an average of 169.6 millimetres (6.68 in) falling across the regions, beating the record from 1833.
Tropical Storm Karen was a system that brought record-breaking rainfall and flooding to southeastern Pennsylvania and other Mid-Atlantic states in October 2013. The twelfth tropical cyclone and eleventh named storm of the well below-average 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, Karen originated from a tropical wave that departed from the west coast of Africa on September 16. After passing south of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the storm became a tropical cyclone to the northeast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The storm peaked shortly afterward, with 1-minute sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). The storm triggered warnings along the Gulf Coast of the United States, but the storm ultimately degenerated into an open trough in the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall. The remnants of Karen then turned eastward and crossed Florida, before evolving into a nor'easter off the coast of North Carolina, stalling off the Delmarva Peninsula through October 12. The system weakened and drifted back southwestward towards Florida, dissipating off the coast of the state on October 15.
In 2023, the United Kingdom experienced flooding.
The 2023–2024 European windstorm season is the ninth and current season of the European windstorm naming in Europe. The new season's storm names were announced on 1 September 2023. Storms that occur up until 31 August 2024 will be included in this season. This was the fifth season where the Netherlands participated, alongside the United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann in the western group. The Portuguese, Spanish, French and Belgian meteorological agencies collaborated for the seventh time, joined by Luxembourg's agency. This is the third season where Greece, Israel and Cyprus, and Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Malta named storms which affected their areas.