1. 2013/ 2014
Stormiest period of weather experienced by the UK for 143 years
12 major winter storms affecting the UK, from mid-December to early January and late January to mid-February
Wettest winter in England and Wales since 1766
December 2013 was the wettest month since 1910
Fewest air frosts since 1961
All to do with depressions

2. And some things will never be the same
again
Porthcothan Bay, Cornwall
Porthreath, Cornwall

3. 5th December 2013 Storm Bodil/ Sven/ Xaver
Before the UK/ Ireland had a storm naming convention – this storm was given different names by different countries.
It had the biggest impact on us when the centre of the Low was over Scandinavia.
Remember that the wind follows the isobars and blows around a Low in an anticlockwise direction. The wind is blowing down the North Sea from the North.
The wind carries with it some of the surface water.
Look at the width of the N Sea – it starts wide and narrows as you go south. As the water is blown south, it is funnelled into an ever smaller area, and so the sea level has to rise.
Storm surge explanation

4. When pressure falls by one millibar, sea level rises by one centimetre
In addition, when pressure falls by one millibar, sea level rises by one centimetre.
Thirdly, the 5th December was a time of a spring tide.
These 3 factors together gave extremely high water levels, with many places on the east coast of England flooded.
When pressure falls by one millibar, sea level rises by one centimetre
Worst tidal surge in 60 years. Thames Barrier saved London.