Flood warnings remain in place across south-west England and Wales this week, with forecasts suggesting a further fortnight of wet weather will prevent waterlogged ground from drying out. The continued saturation follows a period of severe weather, including three named storms in January, the first of which was Storm Goretti.
In north-east Scotland, residents of Aberdeen have not seen the sun since 21 January, according to reports, with more heavy rain forecast. The impact on businesses has been significant, with one marketing consultant in Cornwall telling The Guardian she was forced to work from a car park after Storm Goretti knocked out her broadband.
The situation is particularly acute for agriculture, with cereal and vegetable growers in flooded areas waiting for waters to recede to assess crop damage. In Somerset, where over 600 homes were flooded in 2014, authorities have deployed emergency pumps to supplement permanent installations at Northmoor in an attempt to hold back the water. Some on the ground, however, have described it as a “losing battle” against escalating climate risks.
In response to recent extreme weather, the Environment Agency has begun a review of its flood management strategy for England. In a letter to the environmental audit committee of MPs, the Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds, stated that efforts to strengthen workforce competence would help English councils cope, and that a revised planning framework would account for flood risk.
However, confidence in the agency’s capacity to lead on climate resilience and flood prevention is reported to be far from assured, following years of budget cuts and confusion over its purpose. While relief workers have been praised by grateful locals, the overall approach is criticised for being reactive rather than proactive.
Climate experts warn that torrential winter rains are arriving 20 years earlier than models predicted, a shift attributed to warmer air holding more moisture and an unstable jet stream causing weather systems to stall. With 6.3 million properties in England at risk of flooding—a figure projected to rise to 8 million by 2050—researchers warn of a “boiling frog” effect, where frequent extreme events become normalised and seem less alarming.
Ministers are being urged to focus on long-term climate adaptation, including drainage infrastructure, and to maintain that focus long after the immediate floodwaters recede.
