[MCN] Wind speed ahead? Hints for Montana in what we're seeing in UK ???

[Lance Olsen]

Excerpt : The research used sophisticated Met Office <https://www.theguardian.com/uk/met-office> climate models to examine how wind storms are likely to change in frequency and intensity with different levels of global warming. “We will probably see an overall reduction in the number of storms, but an increase in the frequency of the most intense storms, and of course those are the ones that cause the [most] damage,” said Peter Sousounis, director of meteorology at Air Worldwide.

This data was then used to calculate the changes expected in the cost of damage resulting from the stronger storms and the researchers found significant increases in most parts of the UK. This was not entirely unexpected, said Sousounis.

“We have seen enough results from catastrophe models to really not be surprised. Small changes in wind speed can have a huge impact on losses,” he said. “Losses go up almost exponentially with increasing wind speed.”

Cullen said: “The likelihood of claims resulting from severe storms increasing in the future is something the insurance industry, and society, need to start preparing for now. Planners and builders should be aware of the need for more wind-resistant construction in specific areas of the country if claims are to be kept to a minimum and residents spared the distress and expense of higher levels of wind damage.”

The government’s official advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, warned in 2016 that UK is poorly prepared <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/12/uk-poorly-prepared-for-climate-change-impacts-government-advisers-warn> for the inevitable impacts of global warming in coming decades, including floods, deadly annual heatwaves and water shortages. It also warned: “Any increases in maximum wind speeds with climate change experienced during storms would have significant implications for many infrastructure networks,” such as roads and railways and power and communication lines.

<<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/15/uk-faces-sharp-rise-destructive-wind-storms-global-warming <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/15/uk-faces-sharp-rise-destructive-wind-storms-global-warming>>>
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“When asked why climate change is so politically charged, John Holden, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, tells us: "I think the most fundamental reason is this misperception that being in favour of addressing the climate change challenge is to be against jobs and the economy."

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/techknow/2016/07/politics-climate-change-united-states-160714105644450.html

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