Is it any wonder that the public believe that storms are becoming more intense, even though the official Met Office information says this is not true.
London, 13 February – The UK Met Office has been accused of seriously misleading the public about climate-driven storms in the UK.
On 22nd January, the day after Storm Isha, a senior meteorologist from the Met Office stated on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that “when we see these storms they are more intense and that’s down to climate change”.
Putting Isha into context, a senior meteorologist from the Met Office has explained that the "more intense" storms the UK is experiencing are caused by climate change.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Claire Nasir said: "In 2023, we began on a rainfall deficit and had two intense heatwaves, yet the UK saw the 11th wettest year on record."
She explained this shift between extremes in weather patterns in the UK would continue in the future.
However, after being challenged through a FOI request to provide evidence for the claim that storms have become more intense, the Met Office was forced to admit they have no such evidence.
In its response, the Met Office also referred to its own UK Storm activity report which clearly states that “there is no compelling trend in maximum gust speeds recorded in the UK since 1969.”
We call on the Met Office to publish a full retraction of what is evidently a false and misleading claim.
Notes for editors
Met Office: Recent trends and future projections of UK storm activity: “This report found that there is no compelling trend in maximum gust speeds recorded in the UK since 1969, measured as the number of days more than 20 weather stations recorded gust speeds above 40, 50 or 60 knots.”
Met Office: State of the UK Climate 2022 (page 47): “Storm Eunice [in 2022] was the most severe storm to affect England and Wales since February 2014, but even so, these storms of the 1980s and 1990s were very much more severe.”
Paul Homewood: Met Office cannot provide evidence for “more intense storms” claim
Contact
Dr Benny Peiser,
Director, Global Warming Policy Foundation
In its response, the Met Office also referred to its own UK Storm activity report which clearly states that “there is no compelling trend in maximum gust speeds recorded in the UK since 1969.”
We call on the Met Office to publish a full retraction of what is evidently a false and misleading claim.
Notes for editors
Met Office: Recent trends and future projections of UK storm activity: “This report found that there is no compelling trend in maximum gust speeds recorded in the UK since 1969, measured as the number of days more than 20 weather stations recorded gust speeds above 40, 50 or 60 knots.”
Met Office: State of the UK Climate 2022 (page 47): “Storm Eunice [in 2022] was the most severe storm to affect England and Wales since February 2014, but even so, these storms of the 1980s and 1990s were very much more severe.”
Paul Homewood: Met Office cannot provide evidence for “more intense storms” claim
Contact
Dr Benny Peiser,
Director, Global Warming Policy Foundation
Qué vergüenza por el meteorólogo senior, tirando años de servicio por el drenaje y que bien que se les pida evidencia y explicaciones por esos dichos, ya que el pauteo de esa narrativa tiene harta a mucha gente de a pie que se ha dado cuenta que todo es un engaño.
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