News from Reading University:  Provisional statistics from the Met Office show 2012 was the second wettest year in the UK national record dating back to 1910, just a few millimetres short of the record set in 2000.

The University of Reading is home to both the Department of Meteorology, one of the leading centres for the study of weather and climate in the world, and the Walker Institute for Climate System Research, which oversees research into the causes and effects of climate change.

Professor Nigel Arnell, Walker Institute Director, University of Reading said:

“Rainfall has increased in recent decades over many parts of the Northern Hemisphere and we’re seeing rain falling in heavier bursts. The record-breaking weather in the UK in 2012 fits with that picture, and we’ve seen the effect of all this rain with disruptive flooding across many parts of the country.

“While rainfall varies naturally from year to year and decade to decade, there is increasing evidence that the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is starting to affect rainfall across the globe.  That means we are likely to see flood frequency increase further.  The sort of wet winters we currently see over Northern Europe just once every 20 years could happen almost every other year by the end of the century, but curbs on global greenhouse gas emissions could significantly reduce the expected increase in flood risk.”