Monday, June 16, 2008

Extra tropical cyclones in Europe

Mediasyndicate.com: Powerful winds from extra tropic cyclones could threaten both UK and Europe with the potentially destructive force of a tropical category four hurricane, global warming researchers warned at a conference held at the Institute of Physics on the 6th June. The Global Warming Alliance, which monitors the core pressures of Atlantic depressions and extra tropical cyclones, revealed dramatic evidence of the increase in risks from devastating super winds for the UK and Europe.

The conference was attended by emergency planners from several London Boroughs as well as members of Climate Wise, the initiative launched by the Prince of Wales last September to get insurance companies to encourage the public to adapt to the growing impact of climate change as well as to promote climate friendly behaviour. ‘When we think of hurricanes or cyclones we automatically think of the tropics. That is where all the action is.’

Cyclones outside that band of latitude are called Extra Tropic Cyclones. These are common and are becoming more intense said Donald Burfitt-Dons, chairman of the Global Warming Alliance. ‘We have seen steadily rising numbers of these intense winter systems in the North Atlantic. So far this year alone we have had five make landfall on continental Europe.

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