What is extreme weather?
Extreme weather is any weather which differs from the usual or expected weather pattern. This can be weather that is severe or unseasonal. In the UK, warnings are issued when there is extreme weather expected.
Examples of extreme weather include:
- Strong winds and storms – such as hurricanes and tornados
- Droughts
- Floods
- Extreme cold
- Extreme heat
Experts say that extreme weather, like the flash-flooding in Spain and hurricanes in the US this year, is becoming more frequent due to human-driven climate change.
How can this kind of weather impact people?
Extreme weather can be very disruptive to people’s lives and can impact different groups of people in different ways. It can impact vulnerable groups more seriously, such as people who cannot afford to evacuate, the elderly or sick.
Examples of the impact extreme weather can cause:
- Forcing people to evacuate their homes
- Destroying people’s homes and communities
- Cutting off power and supplies like food and water
- Disrupting food production, like crop growing
Getty: Flash flooding impacts parts of the UK
Do we get extreme weather in the UK?
In the UK, we do get extreme weather – in particular we can be exposed to flash floods and extreme temperatures. However, we do not experience extreme weather as badly as in other parts of the world.
Flash flooding in Valencia, Spain – October 2024
At the end of October, rain has caused fatal flash floods in southeastern Spain, with more than 90 people confirmed dead.
In Chiva, near Valencia, an entire year’s worth of rain fell in just eight hours, sweeping away cars, destroying buildings and derailing a train. Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were sent to the flooded areas to find missing people and help those who were trapped.
Spain’s King Felipe VI said he was “devastated” by the floods and sent his “heartfelt condolences [sympathies]” to the victims’ families.
Getty: Flash flooding has caused devastation in Valencia, Spain.
Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene – Florida 2024
The United States is not a stranger to disastrous hurricane weather and in 2005 the southeast suffered the impact of Hurricane Katrina. This caused the death of over 1,200 people and brought about billions of dollars worth of damage.
Recently, Hurricane Helene’s 140mph (225km/h) winds have hammered the southeast of the US, causing huge floods. It’s the most powerful storm on record to hit an inner area of the country known as Florida’s Big Bend. More than 100 people were killed, with millions of others in Florida and surrounding states left without power.
Following the disaster of Hurricane Helene last month, people in Florida have been bracing for the impact of Hurricane Milton bringing 120mph (205km/h) winds in some areas and “life-threatening” storm surge and flooding.
Getty: Hurricanes have been hitting Florida over recent weeks
Florida’s fake weather theories
As weather experts tracked the most recent storms and tried to keep people safe, they also received violent threats from people who fell for bizarre lies that were spread on social media. One said that weather agencies had created the storms, and sent Helene to flatten the town of Chimney Rock so that the US government could mine for lithium, an element used in batteries for electric cars.
Weather expert Katie Nickolaou told the Guardian newspaper: “I’ve had a bunch of people saying I created and steered the hurricane [and] called me a [number] of curse words. It’s eating up a lot of work and free time to deal with all of this. It’s very tiring.” Some of the fake news was shared by presidential candidate Donald Trump.
How to talk to children when the news is scary
Written by First News Editor-in-Chief, Nicky Cox MBE, click here to read useful information and tips on how to discuss scary new stories such as extreme weather with your children.
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