Why are we getting MONSOON weather here in England?

Question

It thundered down today at an alarming and sudden rate, flooding many places and destroying property with lightning. It used to just drizzle, but it looks like the weather is biting back with a vengeance

Answer 1

One thing it is definately not is this so-called media-hyped 'Global Warming'. The British Isles is in such a position globally , that they are a 'battle ground' between different air masses. Surrounded by the sea on all four points of the compass. The prevailing wind and weather comes from the Atlantic and it's various weather systems. This year (2006), the weather has come from the near warm continent. When warm meets cold in the upper atmosphere above us , crash , bang , wallop. If you've really seen 'monsoon' rain , the heavy rain we have is not the same.

Answer 2

The weather turned upside-down?
Abrupt Climate Change: evidence, mechanisms and implications
A report for the Royal Society
and the Association of British Science Writers
by Mike Holderness, March 2003

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At lunchtime on 4 February 2003, bemused tourists climbing the Duke of York's Steps in central London found over 300 climate scientists huddling in the snow. The fact that it was snowing was more a topic of conversation than the false alarm that had driven them out of the Royal Society - for it hasn't snowed much in London in the past decade. But over the past century the normal London climate in February has included snow. And, for those scientists who research ancient climates and who think of the past million years as "recent", the normal London climate is at least as cold as the Arctic is now, with brief warm spells every 100,000 years or so.

That scene, then, sums up several of the questions that drew a record attendance for a Royal Society meeting. There is no doubt that the world's climate is changing. There is a strong consensus

Answer 3

In the SW of the UK?

Scientific answer: It's to do with isobars and stuff

Theological: Is it a prelude to Armageddon, where did I leave the blue print for the boat and my hammer and nails. Or is Thor the god of thunder in a bad mood.

Personally I think it's that all the raindrops up there got bored at once and decided to come and see what's happening down here.

Answer 4

What? So, you've never seen heavy rain before? Oh please!

Quick! Quick! We must do something about climate change, because (wait for it) we had heavy rain!!!! (Or, for that matter, too little rain, or too much/little sun, or too strong/not strong enough wind, etc, etc - delete as appropriate)

I think you'll find that it's perfectly normal and nowhere near as bad as the rain you get during an actual monsoon.

Answer 5

Welcome to Global Warming.

Here in the U.S. we are having the same issue with our rainfall amounts. Warmer air holds more moisture and when it rains here in New England, it rains heavier than it did 30 years ago.
Flash floods are more frequent with this type of rain and we are also experiencing them here.

Answer 6

That happened in leeds s few weeks ago too...even a mini tornado that ripped up several trees. It is very worrying that the weather has changed so dramatically in the last few years

Answer 7

Poor you! Today, we were quite fortunate here in Manchester. Sunshine aaall day long! But we all know that'll change soon - so, I better go and see where I put my brolly.

Answer 8

Because they ran out of GAP weather.

Answer 9

Been a lovely day where I am in England, blue skies and nice and warm :-)

Answer 10

Climate change, global warming, call it what you will.