Storm Ciarán set to hit UK and Europe

Storm Ciarán is expected to hit the UK, France and the Iberian Peninsula on Wednesday night and into Thursday with gusts of 160 km/h (100 mph) off the west coast of France before the winds filter through the Channel. Southern England, the Channel Isles and Brittany could experience winds of around 130 km/h (80 mph).  

Torrential rain, flooding and coastal inundation are expected across the UK, France, and the northern Spanish and Portuguese coasts.    

Flood warnings are in place across England, Scotland and Wales and amber rain warnings were issued for Northern Ireland.  

Less than two weeks ago, Storm Babet swept through England and Scotland, leaving a death toll of seven and submerging entire fields of potato and cereal crops. Forecasters warn that the still-saturated grounds in certain areas in the UK could increase the risk of flooding from Ciarán.  

Rapid Arctic warming is amplifying the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and storms such as Ciarán and Babet. A warmer Arctic leads to a wavier jet stream due to reduced temperature contrasts between the Arctic and the more southerly latitudes that drive hemispheric air circulation. This wavier pattern can result in intensified and persistent weather events, including storms and flooding.  

Read more about the global risks of a rapidly warming Arctic HERE.