Sporadic Weather: Whats the problem?

Last month, the first February on record to experience a major heatwave, temperatures in some parts of the UK reached 20C. Though it made the British population pretty happy, it sparked concern for climate scientists and environment enthusiasts such as myself globally.

In February high pressure from the south east along with the ‘foehn effect’, where air warms as it flows down the side of mountains, caused a spike in temperatures across the UK. In fact, it was 10 degrees higher than usual for the time of year, meaning as it was over 5C above the seasonal average for five straight days it was determined a heatwave. A sharp contrast from what the country experienced the year previously when ‘The Beast from the East’ arrived.

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The picture on the left shows Brighton Beach, full on people this February. Where as on the right it shows snow blocked country roads last summer.

Are erratic weather patterns something we must prepare for?

The easiest answer is yes. Over the past decade we have seen increasing occurrences of both major and minor extreme weather events. We see it all the time, usually without realising the direct links to climate change. Increased rates of evaporation rates due to higher temperatures led to some of the worst droughts of recent time this year in California. Closer to home, here in the UK flooding occurs more and more frequently ever year.

We are watching climate change in action.

It is clear that climate is no longer stable. With the increasing number and strength of events such as these, it is my belief that everyone should do what they can to slow down the process of climate change. No longer are stories of climate change something seemingly untouchable, on the other side of the world perhaps. It’s right on our doorstep, too literally for some people, and the way out is a clear, but it is not easy path. By making simple changes to your consumption habits, such as cutting down on plastic or trying ‘meatless Monday’ you can slowly integrate sustainable practices into your life. Check out my ‘Reusable Switches for 2019’ post for simple ideas to make your habits more sustainable.

If you smoked cigarettes and were diagnosed with cancer, it would be expected of you to stop smoking. This same theory should be used for climate change.

So make a change to do your bit!

This post was short but sweet, so I hope you enjoyed it!