Extreme Weather
The 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season was the most active in recorded history and broke many records. There were 27 named storms of which 15 reached hurricane windspeeds (previous record year: 1969 with 12). For the first time ever, four hurricanes attained category 5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale and hurricane Wilma was the strongest hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin. Primary to the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season was the catastrophe in New Orleans, highlighting the vulnerability of even the most developed nations to extreme weather events. The devastation in New Orleans and the increasing likelihood of impacts on other low-lying areas raise questions about the rising cost of inhabiting and defending low-lying land as well as the reality that many low-lying areas may have to abandoned in time.
In the last few years Britain has seen some of its most severe weather on record. In 2000 much of the country was effected by flooding following the wettest autumn on record. Summer 2003 witnessed a record heatwave with 100°F being recorded for the first time in Britain. At present much of Britain is experiencing severe drought with 2005 being the 4th driest year on record.
The impact of the 2003 heatwave was felt more intensely in continental Europe where temperatures were 3°C above average. For temperate regions like continental Europe that do not typically experience severe health impacts from heatwaves, the excess 35,000 deaths that occurred were shocking and unexpected. The 2003 summer is likely to be considered average by the 2040’s and below average by the 2060’s. The impacts of similar events in poorer parts of the world would almost certainly be greater.