Today was the hottest winter day on record
On one of the hottest winter days on record, the Metro published an article claiming that the heatwave was caused, not by climate change, but by the Foehn effect.
“Don’t blame climate change just yet,” the article said, “instead, forecasters believe, this week’s record-breaking high of 19.1C in Gogerddan, in Cardiganshire, Wales, might have been influenced by the ‘Foehn Effect’.
The Foehn effect is when humid air rises up a mountain, forming clouds and rain and producing energy. When the air crosses the mountain, moisture is lost and heat is gained – leading to hotter air on that side of the mountain.
Forecasters do believe this affected the record winter high reading of 20.3 C in Trawsgoed, west Wales.
However, it’s not just been hot in Gogerddan or Trawgoed or near mountains, it’s been hot in the whole of the UK.
While the Foehn Effect no doubt made the hot weather in certain areas even hotter, it did not cause the heatwave. It certainly doesn’t mean climate change was not a factor.
So was climate change a factor? By nature, scientists are understandably cautious about saying whether something is caused by something else without extensive and lengthy studies. So instant expert reaction on today’s hot weather is hard to come by.
However, climate scientists at the Met Office have studied the causes of last summer’s heatwave. Professor Peter Stott, an expert on climate attribution, said that the heatwave was made far more likely by climate change.
“Our provisional study compared computer models based on today’s climate with those of the natural climate we would have had without human-induced emissions. We find that the intensity of this summer’s heatwave is around 30 times more likely than would have been the case without climate change.”
He added that, by the middle of the century, every other summer will be as hot as last summer.
The Green Party of England and Wales deputy leader Amelia Womack criticised the media for not talking more about climate change. She tweeted:
“Waiting for at least one broadcaster to announce this news and mention climate change. I won’t hold my breath,” she said.
The party’s MP Caroline Lucas said in a statement:
“I like spending an afternoon in the sunshine as much as anyone, but it’s impossible to shake the feeling that this isn’t right. After last year’s unprecedented global heatwave and last month’s deadly temperatures in Australia, our baseline perception of what’s normal is shifting.
“We are living through climate breakdown – and instead of taking urgent action, ministers carry on as if nothing has changed. The Government must wake up to this crisis, urgently declare a climate emergency and introduce a Green New Deal to provide a green job to everyone who wants one and transform our economy to prevent climate catastrophe.”
Tommorow is expected to be another hot day before the temperature returns to historical average levels for the time of year.
Joe Lo is a freelance journalist and a reporter for Left Foot Forward
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