No let up in extreme weather, warns top forecaster
1 March 2020, 09:32
A prominent weather forecaster has predicted that stormy weather from February will carry on into March as flood hit parts of the UK battle to prepare for more disastrous conditions.
Andrew Castle was joined in studio by John Hammond, chief forecaster at Weather Trending to discuss the extreme conditions of February.
The adverse weather the UK experienced last month marked the worst February since records began back in the 1800s. Mr. Hammond said that this weather doesn't indicate that weather is getting wetter overall, but more extreme.
The forecaster stated "we're getting more extremes at either end of the spectrum" citing drought weather throughout Europe during summer 2019 and predicting similar patterns for this summer.
Andrew mentioned the lands surrounding the River Severn and how towns along the river's floodplain have been massacred in February by extreme wet weather. Mr. Hammond reassured Andrew that "there's a quiet, uneasy tranquility" at the moment.
"the week ahead looks unsettled"
"it'll only take another bout of wet weather for them to rise again"
"stonking area of high pressure in the last week to 10 days and thats not happening"
"no real change in that set up on the horizon"
Although Storm Jorge has passed through the UK, John Hammond made the point that "the week ahead looks unsettled", predicting snow in some areas of the south.
The rivers of many flood-hit areas remain high despite the calming of conditions on Sunday, but Mr. Hammond warned "it'll only take another bout of wet weather for them to rise again".
When Andrew asked what could best help bring conditions back to normal, the weather forecaster mentioned that he has been hoping for a "stonking area of high pressure in the last week to 10 days and thats not happening".
John Hammond has admitted that all we can do is hope for a change in weather systems from the current band of low pressure in the coming weeks but warned there's "no real change in that set up on the horizon".
