Storms

This year the Met Office decided that it would be a good idea if our storms were named, in line with other parts of the world. Since this happened we seem to have had more than our fair share of Atlantic trouble, causing untold and unprecedented damage to houses and businesses, predominantly in the north of the UK.

I don’t believe that giving these storms a name has suddenly made them feel more welcome at our shores. However, maybe they have become more memorable somehow: anything with a name resonates with us far more than a nameless entity. How can we be afraid of something named Gertrude? I’m sure she was the cow in The Magic Roundabout!

Of course, we have witnessed the greatest El Nino phenomenon for many years this year, meaning that Blighty has been buffeted by severe storms dragged from way down in the Tropics. I don’t know how long this effect usually lasts for or whether the severity of the phenomenon means that the storms here in the UK will last far longer this year, but this winter will certainly remain etched in people’s memories for many, many years.

Perhaps we shouldn’t name them next year…and maybe they’ll stay away!